A power switch in a smart meter that allows a utility to turn service to a customer's premises on or off. The switch is remotely operated from the utility using the AMI communications infrastructure. This feature is limited to residential meters providing 200 amp service or less, and allows a utility to switch service without using a service truck. This can be particularly useful for reducing service time and costs for establishing or terminating services for move-ins/move-outs, or for safety reasons.