Category: smart meters

Separating Industry Fiction from Facts

The Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative (SGCC), an industry group, has published a video “Separating the Facts from the Fiction about Smart Meter”.  PG&E, SCE, SDG&E, BC Hydro, PEPCO, BGE, FPL, other utility companies and Smart Meter manufacturers like Landis and Gyr, Itron, Silver Springs Network, GE, Aclara, are SGCC members.  Affiliate members are utility regulators including Public Utility Commissions from California, Colorado, Texas, and including big environmental groups like EDF and NRDC.

This video attempts to counter legitimate Smart Meter complaints and serious problems. They start by saying there’s misinformation about Smart Meters floating about the internet (displaying a panic button) and they plan to set the record straight. “Let’s get down to business” is a key introductory phrase. Promoting Smart Meters IS their business.

  • Industry fiction: Smart Meters don’t know how you’re using power
  • FACT:  Smart Meters “…can be used to pinpoint the use of most major household appliances. Such detailed information about the in-home activities of electricity customers can thus be used to piece together a fairly detailed picture of an individual’s daily life or routine.”
  • Industry fiction: “Most of the time your meter is idle”
  • FACT: One PG&E Smart Meter can transmit up to 190,000 pulses a day. PG&E’s Big Confession
  • Industry fiction: “Your power company has kept your data private for decades.”
  • FACT: PG&E released names, email addresses and private online conversations they gathered by deception to the media. They redacted PG&E and third party names, and emails and left open customer data, at the same time claiming privacy was a great value to them. PG&E’s spying may cost them
  • Industry fiction:”Smart Meters will allow you to make choices that limit your bills.”
  • FACT: Over-billing complaints have been reported widely after Smart Meters are installed. Customers in Bakersfield CA were so outraged about overcharging they filed a class action lawsuit against PG&E. See complaints. See also:PG&E admits billing errors, offers scanty refund
  • Industry fiction: Science doesn’t support the claim that RF causes cancer
  • FACT: The World Health Organization classified RF radiation as a 2b Carcinogen, same as DDT and lead.
  • Industry fiction: A household radio transmits RF
  • FACT: A household radio receives RF, it is not an RF transmitter.
  • Industry fiction: Smart Meters create less exposure to RF radiation than a microwave, cell phone, wi-fi.
  • FACT: Daniel Hirsch, a UC researcher, has calculated that smart meters expose you to more than 100 times the full body, cumulative exposure as a cell phone.
  • Industry fiction: “Even if you cozied up to a Smart Meter all day, it would require you to snuggle up to one for 375 years before it would equal the exposure of having a daily 15 minute cell phone call over the course of one year.”
  • FACT: Smart Meters can exceed FCC safety guidelines (Sage reports)
  • FACT: Smart Meters can violate FCC conditions for installment
  • Industry fiction: Read the Hobbit instead of worrying that the” Smart Meter is the fourth horseman of the apocalypse that will wreak havoc on your life”
  • FACT: Lawsuits are being filed against Smart Meters in several states, California, Maine, Hawaii, Texas, Illinois and more. Utility Regulators in Maryland, Illinois and Pennsylvania are investigating Smart Meter related fires.

Smart Meters are designed to work in a mesh network, transmitting radio frequency (RF) radiation pulses from home to home.  If too many customers refuse, the mesh system can fail. Having to provide customers a choice, has become a serious problem for the industry. The industry, with support from regulators are penalizing customers for non-compliance by charging them to opt out. The Smart Grid program which was initiated by the federal government, was designed to be offered, but not forced on customers.

Environmental and activist groups are fighting smart meters in states across the US, Canada, Australia, and England. Join a group in your area.

Initial comments on the video indicate Smart Consumers aren’t buying the industry propaganda:

“The most ridiculous aspect is that they call themselves “Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative” yet they’re 100% INDUSTRY! If you needed iron clad evidence of intent to deceive, I don’t think you could do much better than that.”

“This video reminds me of a video I just watched on youtube titled “Cigarettes are good for you.flv” a must see!”

“Mislabeled as science, this video is the stupidest thing I have heard or seen.”

“Wow, what a bunch of lies! I sure hope people see through this garbage!”

Canadian Human Rights Tribunal: smart meter class action begins

On August 28, 2012, the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal (BCHRT) issued a decision approving a representative complaint (akin to a class action) against BC Hydro on behalf of “those persons allegedly diagnosed with electromagnetic hypersensitivity and who have been advised to avoid exposure to wireless technology”.

The Tribunal approved the representation of that class by the Citizens for Safe Technology Society, which it found to have authority to bring the representative complaint.  The Society may be contacted at www.citizensforsafetechnology.org  by any person wishing to join in the complaint.

The Tribunal found that the complaint brought by the Citizens for Safe Technology Society properly alleges a breach of the Human Rights Code in that it alleges a disability,  adverse treatment in respect of a service customarily available to the public, and a nexus or connection between the disability and the adverse treatment. By way of the Complaint, the Citizens for Safe Technology Society seeks:

  • A declaration that BC Hydro has discriminated against each person in the Class by failing to provide each person in the Class with an unconditional written commitment that BC Hydro will refrain from installing and/or operating a wireless smart meter at the individual’s place of residence and/or residential complex.
  •  An order that BC Hydro cease and desist forthwith from the said discrimination by offering to refrain from installing and/or operating a wireless smart meter at the individual’s place of residence and/or residential complex.

On May 31, 2011, the World Health Organization classified radiofrequency electromagnetic fields a 2B carcinogen, same as DDT and lead. The emissions generated by the Smart Meters fall under this classification of emissions and risk.

The Citizens for Safe Technology Society is currently fundraising to bring a tort action against BC Hydro so as to prohibit the imposition of microwave emitting smart meters on BC residents regardless of whether they have electromagnetic hypersensitivity.

KPFA interview – Smart Meter Lawsuit

Yesterday on KPFA 94.1 Layna Berman, host of Your Own Health and Fitness talks with EMF Safety Network director Sandi Maurer about Smart Meters, and the legal action against the utilities and regulators in California.  Covered is both a review of the basic Smart Meter problems and complaints, and some new information about how the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and PG&E have never addressed or resolved the serious complaints, but only offered an opt-out with penalty fees.

There is an intro by Layna Berman, followed by commentary by Dr. Jeff Fawcett, followed by the Smart Meter discussion. You can access the show at: http://www.yourownhealthandfitness.org/Sage/20120828.mp3

PG&E “Ralph” Investigation

This week the “Public Version” of the PG&E “Ralph” investigation was released. Some of the names of PG&E employees are redacted, but the majority of the investigation report is there. CPSD Staff Report – Redacted and Attachments to CPSD Staff Report – Redacted  The PG&E Corporate Security memo states,

“My investigation concluded that Devereaux had been dishonest and less than truthful during the entire investigative process.”

Devereaux, aka Ralph, was the head of the PG&E Smart Meter program and he was responsible for understanding and communicating technical RF specifications to PG&E lawyers.

When the Consumer Protection & Safety Division (CPSD) launched their initial investigation PG&E responded with 102 pdf’s of information. PG&E then redacted the pdf’s and gave them to the San Jose Mercury News and to the SF Chronicle. We obtained copies of the redacted pdfs which were the basis of the CPSD report. What’s not included in the CPSD report is whether or not the CPUC was involved, and to what extent they were involved. One email address, which was exposed in an open header was CPUC representative Mazia Zafar.

Screen shot open header of email between Zafar and Devereaux

The CPSD has scheduled a settlement conference for August 30. Will post more on this investigation as it unfolds. Meanwhile can anyone guess the names that are redacted in the “public version” of the CPSD staff report?

For more information on the PG&E investigation see: PG&E’s spying may cost them

O Accountability, Where Art Thou?

Several weeks ago PG&E called Sebastopol notifying the city they planned to deploy Smart Meters in the city within weeks. PG&E wanted to speak to the council members, and refused to put anything in writing. Sebastopol’s response to PG&E was to adopt a resolution to: “Delay all Smart Meter installations and deployment in the city of Sebastopol until the CPUC has formally concluded phase 2 Smart Meter opt-out proceedings.”

PG&E’s response?  “we believe such a blanket delay would disadvantage most of our customers in Sebastopol and cannot agree to your proposal.”

 Today EMF Safety Network filed a Motion with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in the Smart Meter Opt-Out proceeding to request judicial notice and defer Smart Meter installation in the City of  Sebastopol (Motion).

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Here’s a readers response to PG&E:

“PG&E has refused to abide by the Sebastopol City Council’s request for a delay on SmartMeter installation until the Public Utilities Commission has reached a conclusion. Their rationale, according to PG&E spokesman Greg Snapper, is that, “We believe that individual choice rather than community opt-out strikes a good balance.” PG&E thus gives itself permission to act while a legally appointed agency’s ruling is pending.

Following this example, my neighbor can remodel his home before he has a permit. A hotel can be built in a residential community while a zoning hearing is happening. A factory discharging chemicals into the Russian River can be constructed while an environmental impact report is still pending. Eminent domain over demolition of homes for a highway can happen while the planning commission is in the process of meeting.

Think about it, folks. Everybody has permission, just like PG&E, to do whatever they please, whenever they please, however they please, and to hell with the rest of the community, town, city, state, nation and the world. It’s bad enough as it is. Do we have to make it worse?”

—MARYLOU SHIRA HADDITT
Sebastopol

Melted Smart Meter

A melted Smart Meter. From the Vancouver Sun, from a report by the Office of the Fire Marshal Fire Investigation Services in Ontario.

The Vancouver Sun reported ‘Unusual’ number of fires, smart meters linked, which is one of a succession of news reports on Smart Meter fires in Canada.

“Smart meter installations are the suspected cause of an “unusual” number of fires similar to a recent electrical fire at a home in Mission, according to a recent investigation by the Ontario fire marshal’s office.”

EMF Safety Network has been tracking Smart Meter related fires since 2010 when a Bakersfield business found a Smart Meter exploded…”Basically it was an explosion. I saw the meter on the ground and the face plate was blew off and the whole meter was blackened…”

Smart Meter related fires have been reported in the US, Canada and Australia.