In places where it’s legal to be off the grid, like Wyoming (I believe), you are better off when you start out never being hooked up. Here, they will be happy to “disconnect” you if you don’t pay your bill in 60 days, but they just turn off your meter. If you ask to be disconnected, they leave the line and the meter, and I don’t believe they will remove it even on request. If storm damage happens to the external lines on your property but not on the street, they will charge you to repair them, but they still will not remove them.
How long before we are required to install solar panels on our houses? That’s the next step.