The black tag on your house's electricity meter is a security device that lets your power company know whether the meter has been tampered with. The tag is on the side or bottom of the meter's glass cover or metal panel. You are not to cut, remove or modify the tag in any fashion. If your electricity meter's black security tag is missing, contact your power company for a replacement tag.
Tag Specifications
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The tab is approximately 3 inches in length, black and shaped like a padlock. The tag contains a metal wire shaped into a loop on its upper body. The wire loop locks into the lower portion of the tag. The black tag is placed on the electricity meter by a power company technician or authorized power company representative.
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Tampering
It is illegal to tamper with, remove, modify or damage the electricity meter's black tag. If a power company technician or authorized power company representative observes you tampering with the black tag, you can be fined as well as face criminal prosecution. Leave the black tag alone and in place.
Additional Security Measures
Your electricity meter also contains a metal ring around its glass cover and a seal to keep you from tampering with it also. Do not attempt to remove, modify or damage the metal ring, the glass cover or any of the components on the meter. Doing so can cause you to get shocked and possibly die. Electricity is constantly flowing into the meter, and disturbing the flow is deadly.
Cautions
Do not let children play around your home's electricity meter, and never touch or attempt to move the meter. These actions can cause you or someone else to get shocked. If you notice damage to your meter, call your power company immediately. Do not attempt to repair the meter.