Smart Meter Protesters Pack CPUC Meeting

Yesterday morning nearly 40 people addressed the California Public Utilities Commission, demanding an immediate halt to the ‘smart’ meter rollout and telling of widespread health impacts from the new wireless meters.

Here is what our Director, Joshua Hart, told the commission yesterday, before he was hauled away by CHP officers for exceeding the one minute time limit.

“My name is Joshua Hart with Stopsmartmeters.org.  I have a list that grows by more than a dozen people every week- people who are suffering health damage from ‘smart’ meters.  What do I tell these people- these engineers, nurses, teachers suffering insomnia, tinnitus, headaches, and heart arrhythmias? What do I tell them when they ask how they can get this device removed from their house?   Sorry the CPUC and PG&E think you are crazy?

I have another list that also grows longer every day.   It is a list of people willing to take personal direct action to stop this insanity.   And right now, Mr. Peevey, I can tell you that it requires all the self-restraint I can muster to not chain myself to your chair in protest of this madness.

The ‘smart’ meter rollout has been a half-baked debacle that is hurting California families, draining their bank accounts, and violating their privacy.  The CPUC’s handling of the ‘smart’ meter program has been– at best– schizophrenic.  You knew back in the 1990’s that EMF’s are harmful- you even issued inserts in electric bills advising people how to reduce their exposure.

Yet you authorized a wireless program that has inflicted powerful radiation and incalculable harm to California.   To make a mistake is understandable- it happens even with $2.2 billion projects.

To deny that harm is taking place.  To continue to inflict that harm, despite all the evidence.  To refuse to hold public hearings in the face of nearly 30 cities and counties lining up against the program.

That is criminal.

With the new make up of the commission, you have a chance to chart a new course.   If you fail, may the justice system, civil society, and history judge you and hold you responsible for the harm you have done.”

Video of yesterday’s testimony, and questions raised at the press conference following the meeting will be posted shortly.

Denying Non-Thermal Wireless Health Impacts Growing More Untenable Every Day

While government regulatory agencies continue to insist that non-thermal health impacts from wireless radiation cannot be proven,  we now have what amounts to a smoking gun- that the function of the human brain is significantly altered by exposure to relatively low levels of EMF.   Carried out by the National Institutes of Health, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and covered by the New York Times among other media outlets, it seems that the official nature of this study is turning a lot of heads- and hopefully keeping them away from wireless devices.

Dr. Devra Davis who recently published the book Disconnect, the Truth about Cell Phone Radiation, What the Industry Has Done to Hide it, and What You Can Do to Protect Your Family said in response to the study:

“Could the stimulating impact of cell phone radiation to boost brain energy explain some of the growing addiction many of us feel for our phones?”  Davis asks.  “That is one of the many research questions that should be addressed.”

With new analyses showing whole body exposure to microwave radiation being actually higher from a ‘smart’ meter than that of a cell phone, this should ring loud alarm bells in every place where wireless meters are going in.

Anti- Smart Meter Protesters Greet Obama in Woodside

President Obama visited the Bay Area last night for a meeting with leaders of  the nation’s top tech firms at the Woodside home of John Doerr, a venture capitalist with links to Silver Spring Networks, one of the companies behind the ‘smart’ meter.   The president got a taste of the widening protests against his ill-fated smart grid plans when his motorcade came upon protesters demanding a halt to forced wireless meter installation.

While the promise of the ‘smart grid’ gained many supporters in the business and environmental arenas as a concept, it has become clear as smart meters have been installed that the meters do not deliver the energy savings promised- even generating additional carbon emissions.  The benefits appear to be flowing almost exclusively  to wealthy corporations while ratepayers and residents pick up the tab for the whole debacle, with many faced with skyrocketing bills and health impacts from the powerful wireless pulses.

Kudos to the intrepid protesters who tracked down the president on a dar and rainy night to deliver their important message.  Video coverage of Obama’s visit and the anti-smart meter protests is available on KTVU Channel 2’s site.

Feb. 16th Protest at the CA Public Utilities Commission

Thanks to EON for their video coverage of yesterday’s protest in San Francisco.

PG&E Threatens Elderly Lady with Power Shut-off in Red Bluff

PG&E is threatening old ladies in Red Bluff

Reports are coming in from Red Bluff in Northern California that PG&E’s ‘smart’ meter installers have been threatening 78 year old ladies with having their power cut off unless they accept a new wireless meter on their home.   In the middle of winter, threatening to cut off the heat to an elderly person’s home is akin to a death threat.

If PG&E wants to pick a fight with the people of California, they’re sure going about it the right way.

This is from Gloria Linch’s letter to the local paper:

When I told (the ‘smart’ meter installer) my objections and that I was writing a letter to the editor of our local newspaper to vent my frustrations his expression suddenly changed and he looked very concerned. He told me to be careful about causing any problems for PG&E. He confessed that he had already been threatened by people and refused entry on properties. I told him that I could not help the actions of others but I felt it was wrong for PG&E to force the people to accept the SmartMeter without a choice and I felt compelled to continue my protest. He warned me that PG&E would retaliate by removing the old meter and leave me without any power whatsoever.

I am 78 years of age, and I took that warning as a threat. What else could it be? That warning told me just what sort of authority I was going to have to face. But even more to the point, since when does big business dictate to the citizens of California they must accept a product or survive without electricity? That is totally against our constitution of civil rights, and I do not remember voting for SmartMeters.

City Council Discovers ‘Smart’ Meters are not UL Certified

Underwriters Laboratory Confirms Meters Not Safety Tested, Raising Fire Safety Fears

Capitola- During a meeting last week in which they joined six other local governments* who have passed laws criminalizing the installation of wireless ‘smart’ meters, the Capitola City Council discovered that the wireless ‘smart’ meters that CA utilities are trying to install are in fact not certified by Underwriters Laboratory, a certification that is required under the state electrical code for all electrical appliances and equipment within the home.

The lack of certification was confirmed by Karl Moeller, a senior engineer with UL earlier today:

Product certifications can be verified by going to http://www.UL.com then scroll down to the bottom and click on “on-line certifications directory”. You can search for active certifications at the On-line Certifications Directory.  In this case I did a keyword search for:

– Landis* There were a few matches, but nothing looks like a direct match.

– Silver spring* No matches came back.

In summary, I am unable to confirm these devices as being UL certified.

Best Regards,

Karl E. Moeller

Senior Customer Service Engineer II

——————————————————————-

HVAC, Appliances, and Lighting

Underwriters Laboratories Inc.

1285 Walt Whitman Road

Melville, NY 11747

The revelation came after Councilmember Termini, who is an electrician by trade, asked PG&E about the certification.  After PG&E staff went to their car to fetch a ‘smart’ meter, the council and PG&E spent several minutes unsuccessfully trying to locate the UL symbol on the meter.  This convinced Councilmember Termini that an immediate ordinance was required to protect public safety.

A number of fires that started in the new wireless meters have been reported, and last month a whistleblower from Wellington Energy- PG&E’s installation contractor- alleged serious breaches in safety procedures by installers, who are temp workers- not trained professionals as required by the Federal Communications Commission.  Reports of fires, shorts, and electrocutions are also being reported in other countries where ‘smart’ meters are being installed, such as Australia.

“Gov. Brown must immediately act to remove President of the CPUC Michael Peevey, a former executive with Southern California Edison, who has been a symbol of the agency’s coziness with utility companies, a coziness that contributed to the San Bruno disaster as well as the current ‘smart’ meter debacle.  The CPUC simply isn’t doing its job and it needs a change of leadership.” said Joshua Hart, Director of Stop Smart Meters!

A Protest is planned tomorrow- Wednesday Feb. 16^th Noon-1:30pm at the CA Public Utilities Commission, corner of McAllister and Van Ness in San Francisco.   Representatives from grassroots organizations fighting the smart meter onslaught will be available for interview.  Visuals include protesters with signs.

*Counties of Santa Cruz, Marin, Mendocino, and Cities of Watsonville, Fairfax, and Rio Dell have criminalized smart meter installations.  A total of 26 local governments in California have demanded an immediate moratorium.

Smart Meter Industry: “Energy Consumers are Rats in a Maze”

Recognition to the City of Capitola, who yesterday became the 7th local government in California to criminalize the installation of ‘smart’ meters in their jurisdiction.  (along with Marin, Santa Cruz, and Mendocino Counties, and the cities of Fairfax, Watsonville, and Rio Dell).  At least twenty-six cities and counties have demanded an immediate moratorium.

On Tuesday we sat down to lunch with Greg Kiraly, new head of PG&E’s smart meter program, and several other PG&E and energy industry officials at a downtown SF luncheon sponsored by the Power Association of Northern California (or PANC).  In November, Kiraly took over PG&E’s smart meter program from Bill Devereaux– or “Ralph the activist” as he preferred to be known when he was spying on anti-smart meter groups.  (A criminal investigation by the CPUC is ongoing).

Kiraly suddenly got very pale when I sat down at his table.   He avoided eye contact and left the lunch early- perhaps all this public resistance to smart meters is getting to him.

We spoke at length to the PG&E and industry people who were at our table, describing the hundreds of anguished complaints we’ve received from people with headaches, tinnitus, or difficulty sleeping since the meter went in.  We told them about the people we knew who were so electrosensitive to the meters they had to flee their homes and their careers.  We talked about the strong scientific evidence for health damage caused by wireless radiation, and the growing public resistance to their meters.  We told them it must stop.   And we also told them that we know they are good people with families that they love and care about and we know they wouldn’t want to willingly inflict this kind of pain on people.

It was a rare honest exchange.  These opportunities to directly communicate with a corporation like PG&E in an informal setting- out of the media and political sphere- are increasingly rare.   They asked what we propose in place of the wireless meters.  They asked where the funding would come from.   We suggested fibre optic cable as an alternative to wireless and their investors’ 12% annual return as an appropriate funding source.  They listened intently as I described the health damage that was occurring.

Though the corporation is not listening- it seems many of its employees are- and they are increasingly concerned.  One of the PG&E public relations people- a woman who had just started at PG&E- told me her microwave had recently died and she and her husband chose not to replace it.  “There’s more counter space now and you know- the food actually tastes better on the stove.”

The smart grid companies like you if you are "attentive," of if you are an "adopter" or a "follower." They're not so keen on the "laggards", "doubters," or "rejectors" One man in the front snidely remarked: "those are the people that show up at PUC meetings......."

The speaker for the afternoon was Chris King, Chief Regulatory Officer of eMeter Corporation, a software and communications provider for the utility industry.    He revealed the industry’s contempt and arrogance toward its customers:

“Consumers are a little like rats.   You put them in one side of the maze and see where they come out.”

Indeed utility customers do feel a lot like rats, Mr. King.   We both apparently have no choice in being doused with strong wireless radiation by governments and corporations.   The peer-reviewed research says that rats’ DNA strands deteriorate when exposed to relatively weak rf signals- far below that of a smart meter.   I’m sure the rats did not enjoy that experiment.  We’re not enjoying it either.

A MAJOR PROTEST AGAINST FORCED SMART METER INSTALLATIONS IS PLANNED THIS COMING WEDNESDAY FEB. 16TH NOON AT THE CPUC CORNER OF MCALLISTER AND VAN NESS IN SF.  BE THERE.  WEAR RED.

DRA Questions Accuracy of Industry-Led CCST Health Report

Last week, the California Public Utilities Commission’s (CPUC) Division of Ratepayer Advocates (DRA) again weighed in on the increasingly contentious debate about the health impacts of wireless ‘smart’ meters.   The DRA- which advocates for low rates, safety and environmental protection- has demanded in the strongest possible terms that public hearings on the issue of ‘smart’ meters, radiofrequency (RF) and health be held immediately.

Their excellent response to the flawed CCST health report echoes comments from a number of medical doctors, researchers, and academics who have strongly criticized the conclusions of the report as unscientific.  Specifically, the report simply excludes evidence that indicates that wireless radiation may be causing serious biological harm. Why should we expect anything more from a health study carried out by an organization that did not include a single medical professional and whose goal it is to “maintain California’s technological leadership and a vigorous economy.”

If we’re honest, wasn’t this exercise a bit like asking the tobacco industry to write up a report on the health impacts of smoking?

The DRA comments:

“The report states that ‘there is currently no conclusive scientific evidence pointing to a non-thermal cause and effect between human exposure to RF emissions and negative health impacts.’ While the report cites three studies that claim adverse impacts, it does not explain why these studies are not relevant to the current debate. The same can be said about the Bioinitiative Report, a research survey often cited by parties concerned about RF emissions, which is merely listed in Appendix E as an ‘unsolicited document.’ DRA recommends that the CCST Report be expanded to provide a scientific critique of the Bioinitiative report, and other reports that assert a link between RF emissions and negative health impacts. CCST should explain why, in its opinion, these sources do not constitute evidence that indicates a need to establish limits for non-thermal impacts, if only as a precautionary measure, even if conclusive findings are not yet available.”

Here at Stop Smart Meters! we have noticed a similar phenomenon amongst those who refuse to consider the strong and growing evidence that our increasingly wireless world is taking a serious toll on our health.   We’ve seen the eyes glaze over, and a certain monotonous denialism take hold, where certain scientific findings are excluded from reality because it is simply too difficult or uncomfortable to fit into a particular worldview.  Who knows- maybe they can’t type it into their iPhone fast enough.  The inconvenient truth, so to speak.

In a similar (and remarkable) leap of denialism, the New York Times’ Felicity Baringer compares those who question the health impacts of the smart meter to climate change skeptics.  Insisting that peer-review is the litmus test of what to believe about the world, she nevertheless goes on to ignore the large and growing stack of peer-reviewed studies pointing to health damage from wireless radiation.   Psychologically, it’s probably more comfortable to live in a world where a small hysterical fringe group is whining about electrosmog, than a world where government agencies work closely with industry and the media to obscure legitimate health concerns expressed by regular people, particularly about something as ubiquitous as wireless technology.

Thank god that social norms change periodically.    While in February 2011, the norm is for practically everyone to use cell phones and single occupant motor vehicles, an epidemic of brain tumors and the inundation of our cities by rising sea levels might well make people question the conventional wisdom that blind application of new technology is progress.

The DRA goes on to address several inconsistencies and gaps in the CCST report:

• Are FCC guidelines designed to protect all persons exposed by smart meters, including children, the elderly, and those with health issues or medical implants?

• Does reduced mobility of the person receiving the RF exposure increases the level of exposure?

We applaud the DRA for their cogent analysis and appropriate concern about the reckless rollout of a technology that could lead to lasting damage to humans and other life.  These questions need to be answered and they are not going away.  If anything, the demand for science based precaution is growing louder every day.  Resistance to radiating spy meters is spreading around the world.

Don’t buy the lies from the glassy-eyed, greenwashed “clean-tech” paycheck denialists.

Stop Smart Meters! Exclusive: Interview with the Wellington Energy Whistleblower

Wellington Energy is the company that is installing PG&E’s new wireless ‘smart’ meters in California.  A former Wellington Energy employee sent us an e-mail late last year offering to speak with us about his experience installing smart meters in the San Francisco Bay Area.  He has requested anonymity.  Here is the Stop Smart Meters! interview with the ‘Wellington Whistleblower’ in full:

SSM:   Thank you for getting in touch with us.   What made you want to come forward?

WW:  I’m disgusted by what I’ve seen. PG&E and Wellington need to make the public aware that there are risks with these things. They need to come clean about the emissions of harmful radio waves, potential arcing etc.    No one is taking the steps necessary to protect the public.   People need to be aware the risks that are being taken with their homes and with their lives.

SSM:  How long did you work for Wellington and where were you based?

WW: I worked at the Capitola yard from June until the beginning of September 2010, when they abandoned the yard following community protests.   After that, I worked out of the San Jose yard until the end of September when I was laid off.  I primarily installed in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

SSM:  What is your opinion of PG&E and Wellington Energy?

WW: The only thing they are concerned with is money.  Safety was an afterthought.

SSM:  What was your experience with the public?  Are people happy to have these devices installed on their homes?

WW: Most people who had looked into the issue on their own did not want the meters installed.  We were dealing with an increasingly resistant public.  Forcing these meters on people makes the job really difficult and stressful.   A few of my colleagues reported that the police were called on them multiple times.

SSM:  The FCC requires that these devices be installed by trained professional electricians. [1]  What kind of training did you receive prior to working as a ‘smart’ meter installer?

WW: We received only two weeks of training before they sent us out to do the installations.  Though the procedure is relatively simple, if you get it wrong this can lead to arcing, shorts- even house fires.  The blades on the back of the meter have to be aligned properly with the jaws on the socket the meter gets placed in.  I kept hearing one of the managers say, “you guys weren’t trained properly.”

SSM:  What did he mean?

WW:  Many of the installers would come back to the yard and report that they had come across meters that were hanging by an electrical wire, or other clearly unsafe conditions. There was a lot of pressure on workers to install as many meters as possible in a day in order to earn bonuses. One employee went out into the Santa Cruz Mountains and I think he is still out there somewhere he got so disoriented. Needless to say, improper training, and being under incredible pressure, there HAS TO be error, especially with new people working in new territory.  I overheard numerous times while at work, “you could have burned that goddamned house down.”

SSM:  Did you personally come across safety hazards?  What happened when you tried to report them?

WW: The more you called Wellington, the worse it looked on your record- because you’re wasting time.  I saw sparks coming from one of the meters on a home.  I reported it but am not sure what- if anything- was done.

SSM:  Based on your observations while working for Wellington, what are your fears about the risks they are taking with the public’s safety?

WW:  First off I can only speak about what I personally observed.  I believe- based on what I observed- that there is a chance that due to inadequate training some meters were not installed properly.  I do feel that Scotts Valley, Boulder Creek, Ben Lomond, Corralitos, to name a few should be informed enough to prepare for what could realistically turn into another San Bruno. (emphasis added)

SSM: Of course at the time of the explosion San Bruno was 100% installed with smart meters.  Are you aware that PG&E and the CPUC have not yet responded to questions about what safety precautions they took while installing smart meters adjacent to gas lines?  Seems like a fairly reasonable question given that the technology can generate sparks.

WW:   It really doesn’t surprise me that they haven’t answered questions regarding the smart meters and San Bruno.  When I asked one of my managers who was in charge of training “is it possible in your opinion that a fire could start from an arc from a meter located above a gas meter” (which always has some blow off gas emitting from it) he would not give me a direct answer!  He avoided the question like the plague, quoting some plumber he knew and on and on, avoiding an answer. Could the San Bruno fire have been started by an arc from a meter?  I’ll let you decide.  The definition of an electrical arc is: “a sustained luminous discharge of electricity across a gap in a circuit”. The definition of ignition: the process or means (as an electric spark) of igniting a fuel mixture.  Gas is a fuel.  I’ll leave it at that.  It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to put it all together.

SSM:  Why did you stop working for Wellington?

WW: I was let go because I took too much time with each resident.  When you are dealing with people’s lives, I don’t feel that it is proper to hang the door hanger, do your installs, and get out of there. With the reception of these meters I felt people at least needed to be talked to and listened to beforehand.  This of course resulted in my dismissal. I talked too much and too long with the customers. As a Wellington employee you must log in to your handheld computer every 15 minutes or it creates a ‘red zone’ in your day’s activities.  This is likely to be addressed to you on the phone by your boss the next day as you are trying to get your numbers up that day. A reduction in work force was eventually used as an excuse for my dismissal.   Meanwhile a training class for the same position was going on at the same time!

SSM: What do you think is really behind PG&E’s ‘smart’ meter program?

WW:  The smart meter has a hell of a lot of potential that they’re not talking about.  PG&E claims they’re not going to use that potential, but who can believe them?   Believe me they have plans for these things.   They could use it for cell phone reception, broadband, tv services etc.

SSM: As you know, people are desperate.  They’re suffering headaches, nausea, etc.  This has driven some people out of their homes.  They’re now calling them ‘smart meter refugees.’   Meanwhile PG&E and the CPUC refuse to remove them even in cases where doctors confirm that health is being jeopardized.   Based on your knowledge, can a resident remove the meters themselves?   How risky is this?

WW:  First of all, about health issues.  I was never really concerned about this, because I believed what I was told from Wellington, that the meters only emitted radio waves to send usage to a transponder close by so it could relay it to PG&E…..on a short time basis, rarely more than once a month except in the start up, and then not a lot. My manager reiterated that as well, during one of our conversations.

I was surprised to hear that the meters send signals- what- 15 per minute? We all were told they only transmit a few times a month if that, just enough to send the total usage from that account.

As far as a DIY de-installation, I don’t advise anyone who hasn’t been trained as an electrician to try and remove the meter themselves.  However, if you can find a professional electrician to help you, it’s not really that big a deal.  There is an aluminum ring that holds the meter in place. The ring comes off easy with a pair of wire cutters.  Like a watchband or a locking suitcase- you push it in and it pops off easily. You can pull the ring off and then the meter comes right off.  There are 4 pins on the back of the meter, and if you have access to an old analog meter, you could just pop it right on.  Of course the pins are now essentially live wires so these would be very dangerous to touch.

SSM:  The information that I have seen indicates that the new meters can actually be transmitting constantly [2], so it sounds like your managers were not being straight with you. What about the smart meter attachment on the gas meter?  How would one go about removing that?

WW: You can remove a smartmeter from a gas meter by removing the screws that attach the module (meter) it to the gas meter itself. It won’t interrupt the gas service at all. All the module does is track usage, the index (dial apparatus) has a key on the back which slips onto a key in the meter which has a diaphragm regulating gas pressure and turning the gas index key.

SSM: You were working at the Capitola yard in late August 2010 when the protests were going on.   What was the response from PG&E?

WW:  PG&E sent a senior security executive out to handle the situation.  The protests were effective at informing the public about the risks of smart meters- something PG&E desperately wanted to avoid.   They didn’t want the situation to escalate so they withdrew from that site, and moved us all to San Jose.

SSM: Thanks for taking the time and being brave enough to speak out.   Any last thoughts?

WW: I was never out to hurt people- this was just a job for me.   I really feel these days that big brother- in the form of the government and corporations working together- is screwing us big time.  I hope we can get regulators to pay attention on this as I believe there is a real chance of more people getting hurt if nothing is done.

Editor’s note: There have been a number of documented cases of ‘smart’ meters starting house fires, interfering with AFCI’s and GFCI’s [3] (devices intended to prevent electrical shocks), and other potentially dangerous interference.  It is not outside the realm of possibility that a smart meter played a role in the San Bruno disaster.  At the very least, this possibility needs to be investigated and questions answered.  And we find it distinctly odd that this has not happened.

Also, it is important to note that Wellington installers are temporary workers, not professionals.  They are not required to have prior experience or electrical education.  Installers have only brief training and are paid according to the volume of meters they install.  Therefore, it is typical not to report electrical irregularities because this might slow them down.  In addition, non-professionals may not recognize irregularities as well as professionals and they may be gone to another place and job before the electrical emergency occurs.  This lack of training has raised concerns in other states including Maine [4].  In addition, there are documented cases of gas smart meters being installed without adequate safety certification.  [5]

How many homes and neighbourhoods have to burn down before regulators get serious and halt further installations? How many people have to suffer sudden health deterioration before we admit there is a problem?  How many suffering people does it take to halt a $2.2 billion project?  More than a few apparently.

If you work for PG&E or Wellington Energy and you have inside information you’d like to share with the public, please contact us at info[at]stopsmartmeters[dot]org  We will absolutely respect your anonymity.

[1] https://sites.google.com/site/nocelltowerinourneighborhood/home/wireless-smart-meter-concerns/emf-safety-network-finds-smart-meter-fcc-compliance-violations—dec-14-2010

[2] EPRI, 2010. A Perspective on Radio-Frequency Exposure Associated With Residential Automatic Meter Reading Technology, Electric Power Research Institute, Palo Alto, CA.

[3] Advanced Metering Infrastructure; January 2010 Semi-Annual Assessment Report and SmartMeter™Program Quarterly Report (Updated), Pacific Gas and Electric Company.

[4] http://www.theforecaster.net/content/s-scarsmartmeterforum2-121710

[5] http://www.smartmeters.com/the-news/1472–silver-springs-smart-meter-recall-halted.html

Over 10,000 'smart' meters- like those in this pile in Capitola- are being installed in California everyday. It's time for a pause, and an answer to the public's questions.

Wyoming Smart Meters Installed Under Threat of Violence

Utilities seem hell bent on exposing you to wireless radiation- even under threat of force

A disturbing report from Wyoming this morning- a man who has metal implants, and was worried about the very real risk to his health [1] posed by the microwave radiation from the meters, was threatened with having his electricity cut off unless he accepted a ‘smart’ meter on his home.   Then after promising to keep the meter off his home for the time being, the utility broke their promise and showed up with sheriff’s deputies to install.

You better believe that the California utilities are also preparing to use these kind of heavy handed tactics to force their meters onto your home.  Here is an excerpt from San Diego Gas and Electric’s plan to deal with ‘uncooperative residents’:

——————————————

Proposed Plan for Refusals

• Plan to vetted with stakeholders and refined as necessary

• Send 1st  Last and Final letter requesting 20 day response

• SDG&E attempt outreach in field and survey site

• Leave a door hanger at every available entry point

• Send 2nd  Last and Final  letter specifying date of termination of service

• Make every effort to contact the customer in person

Service Termination:

• Option 1:  If the electric was changed and the gas is the remaining service, use the

electric meter Remote Disconnect feature

• Option 2:  Preferred shut-off would be electric first (gas is costly)

• Electric service is cut at the pole or in the underground

• A damage order of approx. $1,000 for service termination costs to be paid before

service is restored

• Schedule appropriate crew, law enforcement, animal control for termination date

• Crew will be prepared to cut or install both gas and electric Smart Meters as needed

• Estimated start date: Q1 2011

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“The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.”

–President Barak Obama, Smart Grid advocate, in his inaugural speech:

[1] ANSI/IEEE standards adopted in 1992 (C95.1-1992) and 1999 revisions
June 2001 SC-4 Committee Minutes (as cited in Sage Associates’ Assessment of Radiofrequency Microwave Radiation Emissions from Smart Meters 2011)