The CPUC has delayed resolving the smart meter opt out proceeding for a 6th time which is a full year of delays. The new deadline is set for December 3rd, 2014.
During public comments at a CPUC voting meeting last week Commission President Michael Peevey announced that the Judge on the case (Amy Yip-Kikugawa) is too busy with the San Bruno case so that’s why there’s delays. According to the legal filing the delay is needed because the issues are “complex and require additional time to resolve”, not because the judge is too busy.
Meanwhile federal investigators are uncovering more collusion between PG&E and two CPUC Commissioners, Peevey and Florio. The SF Chronicle reported yesterday that federal prosecutors are investigating five years’ worth of back-channel communications between PG&E and the CPUC, including several that enmeshed utility executives in a recently revealed judge-shopping scandal. Here’s PGE’s recent filing.
Do you think those five years of emails might reveal collusion between PG&E and the CPUC on smart meters? No doubt! We know PGE trained the CPUC Consumer Affairs Branch how to respond to smart meter complaints. The case against “Ralph Florea” aka Bill Devereaux, the head of PG&E’s smart meter department (who spied on us; circulated private emails to corporate PG&E, the CPUC and others; and sent a spy to photograph our protest) revealed the CPUC and PG&E were discussing our work via emails and held private meetings while our smart meter proceeding was still open.
At the Oct.2nd CPUC business meeting the public railed at the Commissioners on smart meters calling for President Peevey’s removal. You can view the public comments on video: See Oct 2 meeting for public comments http://www.californiaadmin.com/cpuc.shtml
A Chicago utility is scooping real low to promote smart meters by driving a red ice cream truck passing out free ice cream cones to children and families. They must be hoping for easy access to deploy their cancer causing fire starters. Beware of the armed guard.
Stop Smart Meters list of flavors:
Vanilla Grid
Chocolate Implanted Chip
No-Privacy Pistachio
Smart Metered Mint
Surveillance Sherbert
Radiating Raspberry
Cancer Peppermint Stick
Burning House Brownie Fudge
Bugged Blueberry
Controlled Creamy Caramel
An assortment of Intelligence Gathering Ice Cream bar
Recently the City of San Bruno released emails showing the illegal relationship between The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E).
The City of San Bruno demanded the immediate removal of CPUC President Michael Peevey and substantial penalties against PG&E after it was exposed that top CPUC and PG&E staff engaged in repeated and illegal private conversations in the ongoing CPUC penalty proceeding related to the deadly 2010 PG&E gas pipeline explosion in San Bruno.
“Today’s disclosure demonstrates an ongoing, illicit and illegal relationship between the CPUC and PG&E,” said Mayor Jim Ruane, who released more than 7,000 pages of documents received after San Bruno filed a Public Records Act lawsuit against the CPUC.
Based on our experience with PG&E smart meters and our work at the CPUC, we know this unethical, illicit relationship first hand. The case against “Ralph Florea” aka Bill Devereaux, the head of PG&E’s smart meter department (who spied on us; circulated private emails to corporate PG&E, the CPUC and others; and sent a spy to photograph our protest) revealed the CPUC and PG&E were discussing our work via emails and held private meetings while our smart meter proceeding was still open.
Emails exchanged between PG&E’s EMF program manager and the CPUC illustrate collusion. PG&E did not file mandatory exparte legal paperwork. The attached document is redacted by PG&E but you can see the emails are between PG&E and the CPUC. They are discussing the EMF Safety Network, a conference call, and a letter from the FCC. See attached: 096SmartMeterInquiry
PG&E created a Technology Advisory Panel (TAP) on smart meters that included members of the CPUC Energy Division, CPUC Division of Ratepayer Advocates (DRA), The Utility Reform Network (TURN), and others, and held meetings at PG&E, but the public was not invited to attend. See one meeting example here: 093SmartMeterInquiry
PG&E trained the CPUC Consumers Affairs Branch (CAB) how to respond to smart meter complaints. When people called to complain to PG&E about smart meters, then called the CPUC they got the same answer which left customers feeling frustrated and intimidated. See page 281-282
PG&E “Increased frequency of meetings with CAB staff. In addition to regular monthly meetings, met more on as needed basis as Smart Meter concerns began to increase, so CAB staff could provide more accurate and timely responses to customers (2010)”. “PG&E upgraded their phone system to give CAB priority call queue, and provided CAB a Smart Meter Overview to educate and support CAB.”
The EMF Safety Network received many complaints about the CPUC’s response to complaints. We sent a freedom of information request and asked them “Who tells the Consumer Affairs Branch, and the public advisors office what to tell people who call with complaints about Smart Meters? Who, or what authority instructs these two divisions on how to respond to ratepayers?”
The CPUC attorney responded with: “Phil Enis, a Program Manager with the Commission’s Consumer Service and Information Division, advises the Consumer Affairs Branch regarding responses to customers with complaints about Smart Meters. Karen Miller, the Public Advisor, also of the Commission’s Consumer Service and Information Division, advises the Public Advisor’s Office staff regarding responses to customers with complaints about Smart Meters.”
No mention of PG&E’s intimate involvement instructing CAB how to respond to Smart Meter complaints.
Thousands of smart meter complaints and the CPUC has never investigated the health risks of pulsed radiation smart meters. Not once has the issue of smart meter safety been addressed in evidentiary hearings.
The CPUC rubber stamped PG&E’s safety claims, based on a declaration from one PG&E employee.
At the core of the debacle is President Michael Peevey who has been the Commissioner for all the major smart meter proceedings. Remember the reassurances the CPUC gave about how the opt-out proceeding would be completed over a year ago? Nothing has happened in the proceeding since January of 2013. The CPUC has filed five delays since last December.
The CPUC is promoting smart meters, they are not regulating the utilities to ensure safe and reliable utility service.
This casual culture is also evidenced by CFEE meetings where CPUC Commissioners and utility representatives meet. At this meeting Commissioners Nancy Ryan, President Peevey and PG&E’s Bottorff are present. It’s business as usual that former Commissioner Loretta Lynch says is illegal and should not be happening.
We support the demands by the City of San Bruno to establish a culture that prioritizes “safety first” at the CPUC.
We support the immediate removal of Michael Peevey.
We support immediate legislation requiring the removal of any and all CPUC employees who have previously been employed by utilities.
We condemn the CPUC for repeated delays in the current smart meter proceedings where fees for opting out are being challenged on the basis of safety and medical needs.
We demand the CPUC hold evidentiary hearings on smart meter safety.
PG&E’s smart pig Peevey
A cultural change focused on safety first should be the CPUC’s highest priority. Join San Bruno residents and others and demand the removal of CPUC President Peevey. (Petition now closed)
In Saskatchewan Canada the government ordered 105,000 smart meters be replaced with non-transmitting older meters because of several fires started by smart meters. “The concerns are significant enough that we believe that any time that families are at risk here in Saskatchewan, actions have to be taken. That’s why we’ve directed SaskPower accordingly.” Provincial minister Bill Boyd said.
In addition 70,000 smart meters with an automatic shut off will be replaced in Portland Oregon because of fires. Both of these companies are removing Sensus smart meters.
In California Pacific Gas and Electric deployed GE, and Landis and Gyr smart meters. Whistleblower Pat Wrigley tells a CPUC judge that these smart meters cause fires. Pacific Gas and Electric will not admit it, even though there is evidence that smart meters are exploding and catching on fire.
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has delayed the smart meter opt out proceeding (A-11-03-014) for a fifth time- until Oct 4, 2014.
According to their own rules they were supposed to complete the proceeding in December 2013. They say the reason for the delay is “The issues in this proceeding are complex and require additional time to resolve.”
Margie Rothwell was having serious problems with the electricity in her home. The power turned on and off for no apparent reason. The house fire alarm kept going off and the noises were scaring her dog.
She called her brother, who was a master electrician, to help her. He found electrical lines not working and the smart meter digital readout was unreadable. He recommended she call the utility SMUD right away, which she did. (SMUD stands for Sacramento Municipal Utility District.)
Note: upper right meter base clip is visibly burned
A couple hours later, the SMUD technician came and when he got closer to the smart meter he said he smelled “burn”.
Margie recalled, “He had a very horrified look on his face when he looked at the burnt smart meter and meter socket.” The technician removed the smart meter and quickly put it in his truck, concealing the evidence.
The technician installed a temporary adapter which left her home with only 110 volts and limited power in parts of her house.
She was left with no dryer, no air conditioner, no electricity in the master bedroom, or anything that required 220 volts.
She asked the SMUD technician for a business card. He said he didn’t have one. She asked him for his name and he would not give her his full name.
The SMUD technician told Margie that she was responsible for replacing the damaged meter base, which included hiring a professional electrical contractor and getting a city permit. Margie asked him if SMUD would fix it. He said no.
She called several electrical professionals to get estimates which ranged from $1,500-$3500.
She then searched the internet for “smart meter problems” and she found out that this is a common problem with smart meters. In California, fire captain Ross had similar electric problems, as did another fire captain Matt Beckett. A fire erupted shortly after a PG&E smart meter was installed in Vacaville, California which killed a man.
She contacted the EMF Safety Network director, Sandi Maurer, who connected her to Eric Windheim, EMF Safety consultant, and director of Sacramento Smart Meter Awareness. Together they helped her write a declaration about the burnt meter and panel, the limited electricity, and her experience with the technician.
Margie sent the declaration and a demand letter to SMUD via certified mail with returned receipt. The following week Eric supported Margie at two SMUD board meetings, where she demanded they pay for the repairs as soon as possible. Margie asked the board, “If SMUD’s smart meter is so smart why didn’t it send SMUD a warning message that there was a very dangerous electrical failure going on at my house? Was SMUD going to wait for the fire department to send you a report in the mail?”
Following the board meetings, Margie:
Kept all communication with SMUD in writing
Refused to risk having another smart meter on her home
Demanded the analog meter as the only replacement
Never agreed or consented to the opt-out extortion fee
The smart meter could have burned down her house, with Margie in it. Since it caused similar hazards for other customers, she was not going to take that chance ever again.
Nine days after she went to the first board meeting SMUD repaired the burnt panel and restored an analog meter. SMUD paid for all the repairs, and they returned analog meter without Margie’s agreement to pay their opt-out fees of $127 plus $14 a month.
SMUD denied the smart meter was to blame for the electrical problems. The SMUD representative wrote to Margie, “What I can assure you of, is that the damage to your panel was not caused by the Smart Meter. The origin of the damage was in the meter socket assembly.”
Eric Windheim says, “A Maxim of Law is: “Where damages are given, the losing party should pay the costs of the victor” which is exactly what happened here. Since SMUD is paying for all of this they have admitted causation. If Margie’s wiring was really at fault SMUD would have charged her for all repair costs.”
Click here for more information on smart meter fires and explosions. If you are a SMUD customer and have questions about smart meters contact Eric Windheim at 916-395-7336 or contact him here.
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is responsible for protecting utility customers and ensuring safe and reliable utility service.
Michael Peevey, the President of the CPUC, has been in charge of the decisions regarding smart meters. He approved wireless smart meters without any safety review. He approved smart meter opt-out fees without any legal review.
Peevey cussed out an attorney who’s asking questions at a public hearing.
Do you have questions about utility smart meters? President Peevey can be reached at mp1@cpuc.ca.gov He doesn’t want to hear from you!
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) delayed the smart meter opt-out proceeding again, until August, 2014. The purpose of the proceeding is to determine if the opt opt fees are lawful, and if communities can opt out. By law, the CPUC was supposed to resolve this last December. Considering the CPUC already approved the fees and utilities are charging them, it’s wrong to keep stalling.
Are you refusing to pay smart meter opt out fees? Have you been threatened with a disconnect notice? Have you had your power cut off by PGE, SCE or SDGE for refusing to pay the fees? Since the opt-out fees were charged before evidentiary hearings were held, there’s no proof that the fees are lawful. You can let the CPUC know how you feel about this by writing to the public.advisor@cpuc.ca.gov (Reference proceeding A.11-03014)
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is responsible for protecting utility customers and ensuring safe and reliable utility service.