California Smart Meters Action: All utility companies must allow customers the right to retain or restore analog utility meters on their home or business. No federal or state law forces Smart Meters on customers. The utilities are currently imposing punitive, arbitrary and likely illegal fees to not have Smart Meters. We will continue to fight for no cost analog option and evidentiary hearings on the health and safety impacts of Smart Meters.
1. Refuse Smart Meters:
If you still have analog utility meters, one option is to tell the utility you never opted in! If you have Smart Meters you can call your utility and have them removed:
- PG&E: call 1-866-743-0263 , or submit PG&E’s online form. or send a certified letter to Pacific Gas and Electric, PO Box 997315, Sacramento Ca 95899-9900. PG&E *commercial customers send this letter to PG&E by certified mail.
- SCE: call 1-800-810-2369 SCE Commercial Smart Meter opt-out letter
- SDG&E: call 1-877-357-8525, or submit SDG&E’s online form, or send a certified letter to San Diego Gas & Electric, Attn: Smart Meter Opt-Out CP42I, PO Box 129831, San Diego, CA 92112-9985.
- So Cal Gas: call 877-238-0090
Privately owned utility companies (POU) in California are governed by their board of directors and likely by Federal law, which only stated to offer Smart Meters, not force them on people’s homes. If you are a POU customer you’ll need to contact your utility to inquire about Smart Meters. One example is SMUD in Sacramento.
- SMUD: call 1-888-742-7683
WHAT TO DO ABOUT PUNITIVE FEES? If you have been charged fees to retain or restore the analog meter you can pay them or refuse to pay them. Not paying involves the risk of hassle with the utility who will likely threaten to turn off your power. If you’d prefer not to hassle with them you can write a separate check for the fees and write “PAID UNDER DURESS” on your check. Although PG&E has threatened shut offs, no one that we know of has yet to have their power cut.
Talking points for refusing Smart Meter fees:
- The interim fees are unjust, arbitrary and unreasonable, which violates of Public utilities Code 451: “All charges demanded or received by any public utility, or by any two or more public utilities, for any product or commodity furnished or to be furnished or any service rendered or to be rendered shall be just and reasonable. Every unjust or unreasonable charge demanded or received for such product or commodity or service is unlawful.”
- If you avoid RF for medical reasons, to pay more for a different meter violates PUC code 453(b). “No public utility shall prejudice, disadvantage, or require different rates or deposit amounts from a person because of ancestry, medical condition, marital status or change in marital status, occupation, or any characteristic listed or defined in Section 11135 of the Government Code.”
- The federal government never made Smart Meters mandatory: Energy Policy Act of 2005, Title Xll, Subtitle E, Section 1252, (a), (14), (C):“Each electric utility subject to subparagraph (A) shall provide each customer requesting a time-based rate with a time-based meter capable of enabling the utility and customer to offer and receive such rate, respectively.”
- Time of use metering is not mandatory: CPUC Code Section 745(d)(1):“Residential customers have the option to not receive service pursuant to time-variant pricing and incur no additional charges as a result of the exercise of that option. Prohibited charges include, but are not limited to, administrative fees for switching away from time-variant pricing, . . .”
2. Where to Complain:
- If you have had smart meter related problems (health, safety, billing etc.), or have been charged punitive fees for an analog meter, please file a complaint with your utility and follow up with a CPUC Complaint.
- If your problem is health related contact the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) email: SmartMeter@cdph.ca.gov
- Contact your CA State legislators, and CA Governor Jerry Brown
- Complain to the FCC!
- Complain to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) This form can be used for any injury from EMF’s, including Smart Meters. Download and complete the form, print out and mail to: US FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health Document Mail Center -WO66-G609 / 10903 New Hampshire Avenue Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002
You can also contact the CPUC with comments or questions c/o Public Advisor 505 Van Ness Ave. Rm. 2103 San Francisco CA. 94102. phone: 866.849.8390 fax: 415-703-1758 CPUC Commissioners are: Mike Florio 415-703-1840/ Catharine Sandoval 415-703-2593/ President Michael Peevey 415-703-3703/ Carla Peterman 415- 703-1407/ Mark Ferron 415-703-2782.
3. Submit a declaration
If you are a CA utility customer, and have experienced health impacts, interference, over billing, fires, burnt out appliances, or any other problem related to the deployment of Smart Meters please send us a declaration. Declarations are needed for legal efforts at the CPUC and potential future lawsuits. This is a legal document, that you believe is true to the best of your knowledge and you will testify to. Click here for more info.
If you still have analogs, post signs on your meters: Sign for Utility Meters or Smart Meter NOTICE or Do not Install Smart Meter or make your own sign! Some people are locking meters for additional security. See other ideas below.
In all other states: Find your PUC here. Print out this PUC Letter and mail!
WANT TO DO MORE?
EDUCATE your neighbors, friends and family! (see links to flyers below)
EDUCATE your city and county to follow the actions of many cities and counties- call for a moratorium, or adopt an ordinance banning smart meters.
Write and send letter to the editor!
Contact Governor Jerry Brown to ask for President Michael Peevey’s removal from the CPUC. Requests for removal from a Governor appointment must be done by email, fax or mail. EMAIL Governor Jerry Brown
FAX: 916-558-3160
MAIL: Governor Jerry Brown c/o State Capitol, Suite 1173 Sacramento, CA 95814
Hand out flyers: (Note: These flyers below are older, but may provide ideas for making your own FLYER! )
CA flyer: Dumb Meters flyer
CA flyer: Restore the Analog Utility Meters
PG&E Spanish SM flyer
Avoid PG&E Smart Meters for Free!
Smart Meters: Beyond the Greenwash
IS YOUR SMART METER MAKING YOU SICK (and other problems)?
Smart Meter poster designed by Kathy Boake, BC Canada
EDUCATIONAL PACKET: Reasons to say NO to Smart Meters
Handy Complaint and SCE Smart Meter Refusal Contacts
SCE How to Refuse Smart Meters
How to Help Environmental Organizations
OTHER IDEAS 
Take Action whether you have a meter or not!
Wear this: PiGie Sue T-shirt, Order NOW
Electrical Box Protector IDEAS
How to build a Meter Protection Cage and Smart Meter Cages Instructions
Utility meter locks call (707) 579-3183
See PG&E Deployment map of California and deployment Schedule
Find other SMART METER WEBSITES in your area
Smart Meter Free Zone. Photo by Karen Nevis
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http://www.future-carbon.de/downloads/Flyer_CarboShield_v01_00_EN.pdf
http://www.future-carbon.de/en/CarboShield-electromagnetic%20shielding
What is being done at CPUC currently on the issue with emf from SMART meters? Can we legally stop PG&E from installing a SMART meter?
Yes, you can call the utility and get on the delay list, all utilities are ordered now to allow delay. We are fighting to keep the analog meters. Some areas have been able to stop them using public awareness and calling utilities and refusing meters. In the areas that have bans, this has helped, however they are still installing.
The proceeding documents for the PG&E filing can be found here: http://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/published/proceedings/A1103014.htm
Several parties are fighting to keep analog meters at no additional cost. See EMF Safety Network’s current opt out proposal below:
Judge Amy Yip-Kikugawa and service lists,
Pursuant to your ruling on 08-03-2011, EMF Safety Network (Network) provides these alternative opt-out proposal details.
The microwave Smart Grid is an environmental toxin, a threat to the health and well being of communities and the environment and ultimately should be dismantled and eliminated. Steps towards this goal begin with the following proposals:
1. Retain or restore analog meters on both individual and community wide basis, including the removal of Smart Meter infrastructure. This applies to gas, electric and water Smart Meters.
Any ratepayer can have analog meters retained or restored, upon request, for any reason. This request should be honored at any time, retroactive and in the future. Whole areas, including neighborhoods, condominiums, apartments, cities and counties can also request to retain or restore the analog meters and remove microwave Smart Grid infrastructure for any reason. In situations such as apartments or neighborhoods, if one person asks, it should be granted for the entire area. In larger areas, a board or council can request the opt-out on residents behalf. There should be no individual costs associated with this remediation.
Network believes that utilities were profiting well from the system of analog meters and monthly meter readers and Network seeks to continue with the same system, for purposes of accuracy, safety and ratepayer convenience.
All cost analysis should include: expected longevity, upgrades, security patches, batteries etc. of Smart Meters; costs related to Smart Grid equipment, maintenance, and data storage; and compare that data to the cost of the analog meter system. Past, present and future corporate profits should be scrutinized.
If an individual requests a Smart Meter, Network would consider the possibility of using fiber optics, depending on the technical specifications. An additional health concern is the SMPS in the Smart Meter, which adds microwave harmonics to the home’s electrical lines. This problem and the health risks, especially to children, created by the wireless home area network must be evaluated and resolved before Network can fully approve this option.
Network does not support a radio-off option, a statewide mandatory fiber optic or telephone system. The costs to the ratepayer to fund a new method for transmitting data is a burden ratepayers should not bear. In addition, the privacy and security concerns will not be addressed by authorizing a different type of Smart Meter system.
2. Immediately restore the analog meters for ratepayers with Smart Meter health complaints who request it.
The utilities have repeatedly ignored people with health complaints. These customers need relief now. All costs of this remediation should be covered by the utilities.
3. Impose an immediate moratorium on the installation of Smart Meters until this proceeding is finalized.
Although you have addressed this request for a moratorium in your ruling, and stated that customers are offered a delay list, the utilities are marketing heavily via television ads about the so-called benefits of the new meters. People are intimidated with more than a sales pitch when they call PG&E to opt-out, they are told they have to have a Smart Meter with the radio off. SCE does not offer a delay list. The delay list is not enough, we need an immediate moratorium.
Thank you,
Sandi Maurer
EMF Safety Network
PO Box 1016
Sebastopol CA 95473
http://www.emfsafetynetwork.org
Join the (SMR) Smart Meter Resistance and foil every meter you see. Take a red felt marker and mark the meter panel “SMR” then photograph the meters and send the photos to every news organization. Make youtube videos with ski masks on talking about the dangers, do everything you can to get attention to spread the word. but don’t break any laws. Save your bail money for tin foil!!!!!!!
http://www.electricalpollution.com/solutions.html
Shield transmitting water, gas, and electric utility meters. The following aluminum foil shielding technique was developed by a woman with radiofrequency sickness, using an HF35C radiofrequency meter to verify shielding effectiveness. It is not perfect, however it should substantially reduce exposure to radiofrequency radiation from the meter while you work on educating public officials and getting the meter removed. You may need to have someone who does not have radiofrequency sickness do the shielding.
Caution: Pregnant women should NOT perform the shielding and should avoid being near the transmitting meter(s)!
Caution: Before attempting the shielding, verify that the shielding material (aluminum foil, copper mesh, etc.) will not contact a bare wire or wires and pose an electrocution hazard. DO NOT CONTINUE SHIELDING IF IT WILL.
Disclaimer: The webmaster is providing information on shielding of transmitting utility meters to assist people who are experiencing serious health problems resulting from forced installation of transmitting utility meters, but cannot possibly verify the safety of the technique in each individual situation. Thus, PROCEED WITH CAUTION AND AT YOUR OWN RISK.
Comment now or pay [$15/month] to have a non-radio or radio-off SmartMeter! (there is no choice to keep the analog meter)
Proposed Decision Would Allow Opt-Out for Customers Who Don’t Want SmartMeters
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Excerpt:
On Tuesday, the CPUC responded to PG&E’s plan with a proposed decision that included two potential options for residential customers—a non-communicating SmartMeter with the transmission turned off (which the commission refers to as “radio-off”) or a non-communicating meter with no radio installed (which the commission refers to as “radio-out”). The commission underscored that in either case, the hourly interval data that advanced meters offer are key, and that even customers who opt-out must—at least by 2014— have meters that provide this data.
In its proposed decision, the commission said PG&E’s implementation of the SmartMeter program has been consistent with earlier commission decisions and that its consideration of an opt-out option is in response to customers’ demands. The proposed decision sets the cost of this new alternative at $90 up-front, with a monthly charge of $15. The commission suggested a discounted cost structure for income-qualified customers: no up-front cost and $5 per month.
The CPUC’s regulatory process establishes a 25-day comment period for interested parties to offer input. This comment period will close on Dec. 19, and the commission may issue its final decision as early as January.
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Jerry Kirk, legal expert & RepublicBroadcasting.org radio host of The Gathering Offering ( Sat. nights @ 10 pm EST) asked his listeners to contact the emfsafetynetwork on his behalf – he does not use internet. Mr. Kirk is glad to inform you that he has written proof and photographic evidence “of an individual that has whooped the smart meter installation and the actual paperwork the man has used.”
He requests that you contact him (off air) @ 870-496-2727 BEFORE next week’s radio broadcast on Jan 21, 2012 & to listen in to this broadcast as well. Thanks!
HELLO….IN RESEARCHING THE ISSUE I FOUND YOUR EXCELLENT SITE…HOWEVER I CAN FIND NOTHING REGARDING THE SAME ISSUE IN MY AREA WHICH IS NE PA…PENNSYLVANIA POWER AND LIGHT CO. I WOULD SO APPRECIATE ANYTHING YOU MIGHT SUGGEST. I WAS NOT AWARE THAT MY METER HAD BEEN CHANGED UNTIL RECENTLY. HEALTH PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED MAY HAVE A DIRECT LINK. OTHER THAN THAT I WANT TO ASK BY WHAT RIGHT DO THESE CRIMINALS FORCE THIS UPON MYSELF, MY FAMILY AND ANY CITIZENS?? SINCERELY, AMELIA
In PA the meters have overheated and caused fires. http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/business/PECO-Smart-Meter-Replace-Fire-166466686.html