smart meters

UTILITY CUSTOMERS WHO OPTED OUT OF SMART METERS ADVISED TO CHECK READINGS

 

East County News Service

May 15, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – Some utility customers who opted out of having smart meters installed are complaining that they have received inflated estimated bills for their analog meter, says Susan Brinchman, director of the Center for Electrosmog Prevention in La Mesa, a group opposed to smart meters.


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FEES TO READ NON-SMART METERS TO END AFTER 3 YEARS

 

East Count Magazine News Service

February 28, 2015 (San Diego) – Utility ratepayers who have been paying a monthly fee for opting out of having a smart meter will soon get a reprieve.


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PG&E SUGGESTED "PROZAC" FOR THOSE INJURED BY SMART METERS

 

CPUC Chair Peevey complained his own bills went up after smart meter installed;  

Edison pushed higher fees to force smart meters on the poor

Consumer watchdog groups have analyzed 120,000 e-mails and attachments released by the California Public Utilities Commission. The emails suggest smart meter fees were deliberately set high to discourage opting out analog meters, even when those leading the CPUC admitted in e-mails that smart meters emitting pulsed microwave radiation were harming Californians.

By Josh Hart, Stop Smart Meters

February 28, 2015 (San Francisco) -- New e-mails brought to light between Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), Southern California Edison (SCE), and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) reveal the extent of corruption and backroom dealing that have characterized the state’s smart meter program.


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BILL IN CONGRESS COULD MANDATE SMART METERS NATIONWIDE, TAKE AWAY CONSUMER RIGHT TO OPT OUT IN CA AND OTHER STATES

 

By Miriam Raftery

August 4, 2013 (Washington D.C. ) Two members of Congress (Jerry McNerney, D- Stockton, CA and Matt Cartwright, D- PA) have introduced the Smart Grid Advancement Act of 2013 (HR 2685) that would require the Secretary of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency administrator to take designated actions if they find that use of smart grid technologies save energy and money.  Congressman Scott Peters from San Diego (D-52) is a cosponsor of the bill.

But opponents say this could require all electricity providers (including rural cooperatives and municipal utilities) to join the ‘smart’ grid and install ‘smart’ meters, and that it could negate states’ rights to regulate smart meters and wireless appliances.  The bill could lead to an overriding of state laws and regulations that give consumers power to opt out of having smart meters, which produce electro-magnetic frequency radiation that have raised health concerns, opponents warn.  It could lead to requiring energy-saving appliances to include wireless transmitters.


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WISING UP AFTER SMART METER ISSUES IN CALIFORNIA, IDAHO UTILITY INSTALLS SMART METERS WITHOUT WIRELESS COMMUNIICATIONS

Devices transmit power over existing power lines

 

By Miriam Raftery

March 3, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – Smart meters have become a public relations nightmare for utility companies in California. After a flood of complaints by consumers alleging health problems suspecting of being caused by electromagnetic radio frequencies (EJF), the California Public Utilities Commission ordered utilities to allow consumers to opt out, or to have smart meters removed if already installers. Many homeowners have done so, but must pay for removal plus a monthly fee for reading meters.

Now Idaho Power has begun offering its customers smart meters that claim to avoid these problems. The company's website states: “Smart meters being deployed in Idaho Power's service territory do not transmit radio frequencies. Our smart meters do not use any wireless communication media or generate any high-frequency signals. Our system uses only wired infrastructure to communicate to and from our smart meters utilizing the low-frequency 60 hertz (Hz) power line signal as the carrier for our communications. This may be of interest because some smart meter deployments in California have raised concerns that radio transmission, wireless transmission or high-frequency transmission may pose health risks. The technology we're deploying is fundamentally different from the technologies in question in California.”

This begs the question: Why aren't these devices available to Califiornia ratepayers?


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ECM WORLD WATCH: GLOBAL AND NATIONAL NEWS

February 28, 2013 (San Diego’s East County)--ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

NATIONAL

WORLD

Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.


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FCC TO REVIEW RADIOFREQUENCY RADIATION GUIDELINES

 

February 18, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) -- The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is reviewing its policies on radiofrequency (RF) radiation, such as that emitted by cell phone towers, smart meters, broadcast antennae and other sources.  Public comments will be accepted until March 6, 2013.


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SAN DIEGAN FILES SUIT OVER SMART METER HEALTH ISSUES

December 29, 2012 (San Diego)—A federal lawsuit has been filed by Celeste Deborah Cooney, who alleges that radiation from a bank of smart meters left her unable to reside in her home. Defendants in the suit include the SDG&E,  the State of California, Attorney General Kamala Harris, California Public Utilities chairman Mi chael Peevey, and Itron Inc., manufacturer of smart meters used in San Diego.

Cooney, a former bank vice president in Massachusetts, moved to San Diego to pursue a new career as a musician.  She performed at prominent locations including the Queen Mary and the Ritz Carlton.  But in April 2011, she developed a ringing in her ears, a “shock to her heart”, numbness, chest pain, heart palpitations and sleep problems that she attributes to a bank of smart meters at an apartment complex near her home in La Jolla.


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EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: TOP LOCAL AND STATE NEWS

 

 May 23, 2012 --  (San Diego’s East County)--East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:  
 
 
 
 
  
 
LOCAL
  • A Q&A on San Miguel’s situation
  • Tony Gwynn joins group seeking to buy Padres (10 News)
  • San Onofre future hinges on finding cause of abnormal tube wear (Sacramento Bee)
  • San Diego ranked least expensive city in state to do business (10 News)
  • La Mesa may welcome wineries and breweries (UT San Diego)
  • La Mesa Village Development (La Mesa Today)
  • No option at all! (for condo/apartment residents with multiple smart meters) (KUSI Turko Files)
  • Walmart Neighborhood Market planned for La Mesa
  • Countywide water rates could rise nearly 10% (UT San Diego)
  • Grossmont baseball coach Jim Earley quits amid parent accusations (La Mesa Patch)
  • Wounded officer asked `Is this my time?’ (UT San Diego)
STATE
  • CA Senate passes bill for self-driving cars (Los Angeles Times)
  • CA Senate passes bill that limits salaries at CSU (Sacramento Bee)
  • California Democrats balk at deeper cuts for state’s poorest residents (Sacramento Bee)
  • Purple Super Pac launched to support registered Independents (Sacramento Bee)
  • U-T: State Plans Big Changes To Testing, Instruction
 
Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.

 


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CPUC: SDG&E MUST LET CUSTOMERS”OPT OUT” FROM SMART METERS

By Miriam Raftery

La Mesa leader in anti-smart meter movement says plan offers relief, but does not go far enough

April 19, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Ratepayers now have the right to have a smart meter removed from their homes—provided they pay a $75 removal fee and $10 a month  fee to read their meter (for low income users, the rate is $10/removal and $5/month). 

Consumers who do not yet have smart meters and are on a “delay” list will have to make clear anew that they wish to opt out, or smart meters may be installed.


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JUDGE ORDERS SDG&E TO CREATE OPT-OUT PLAN FOR SMART METERS, BUT CONTROVERSY CONTINUES

By Miriam Raftery

March 24, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Earlier this month, an administrative law judge with the California Public Utilities Commission ordered San Diego Gas & Electric Company to prepare a plan that would give ratepayers the right to not have wireless smart meters.   


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CPUC APPROVES OPT-OUT OPTION FOR PG&E SMART METER OWNERS--FOR A FEE; WILL RULE NEXT ON SDG&E

 

A local elected official says SDG&E installations of smart meters are occurring at homes on opt-out list

By Miriam Raftery

February 7, 2012 (San Diego)—The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) this week voted to allow Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)  customers to have smart meters replaced with older  analog meters, for a $75 installation fee plus a monthly fee of $5 to $10, depending on income.  Ratepayers must inform PG&E by May 1 if they wish to opt-out.

Commissioners have not yet ruled on whether to allow San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) or other utilities’ customers to opt out, but are expected to make a similar ruling later this month. SDG&E has proposed even higher opt-out fees of including an initial $175-$200, an exit fee of $50 and a monthly fee of $15 to cover meter readings, the North County Times reports. 


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UTILITY SHUTS OFF POWER TO ILL HOMEOWNERS WHO REMOVED SMART METERS


La Mesa smart meter opponent voices outrage over families left in the cold

By Miriam Raftery

December 14, 2011 (La Mesa)—“We have just learned of a very troubling situation,” Susan Brinchman, a La Mesa activist leading statewide efforts to oppose smart meters, has informed ECM.  “Power has been cut off for three families who changed out the smart meters on their homes for analogs.” 

The shut-offs were made by Pacific Gas & Electric Company in Santa Cruz. Like a growing number of Californians, the families left in the dark had complained of health problems that they believed were caused by smart meters installed on their residences. Now, Brinchman fears that the same thing could happen in San Diego County.


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SHOULD SDG&E RAISE YOUR RATES? SPEAK OUT WED. OCT. 12 AT CPUC HEARINGS IN EL CAJON

Ruling today on smart meter opt-out for SDG&E customers sparks added interest among local ratepayers

By Miriam Raftery

 

October 11, 2011 (El Cajon) – SDG&E wants to hike utility rates by over 17% in the next four years.  Tomorrow, East County residents will have a chance to voice their views on the proposal at two hearings held by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). The public meetings will be held at 2 p.m. and at 7 p.m. at the El Cajon City Council Chambers, 200 East Main Street in El Cajon. 

 

An East County Magazine poll of readers has found that thus far, 93% of the 275 who voted think the CPUC should deny SDG&E's rate hike request.  TAKE OUR POLL: Should the CPUC approve SDG&E's rate hike?

 

The rate hike is opposed by the CPUC’s own Division of Ratepayer Advocates (DRA), which conducted an audit that found SDG&E inflated its costs. The DRA recommended that SDG&E lower—not raise—its rates.   

 


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LOCAL SMART METER OPPONENT STAGES PROTEST AT CIVIC CENTER DURING OCCUPY SAN DIEGO

 

October 9, 2011 (La Mesa) – La Mesa resident Susan Brinchman, director and founder of the Center for Electrosmog Prevention, has announced that she will join the Occupy San Diego effort downtown with rallies to draw attention to health issues involving smart meters.

 

“Smart meters are an excessive form of corporate abuse of our bodies and our rights,” Brinchman wrote in an email to supporters and media. “Let us join our anti-smart meter efforts to the Wall Street protests in our local cities and towns.”


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NATIONAL “VIRTUAL” SUMMIT ON WIRELESS SAFETY OCT. 5-6

 
  
 
September 29, 2011 (Washington D.C.)  The Center for Safer Wireless announces a national wireless safety summit will be held in Washington D.C. On October 5-6.   Register for in-person or virtual attendance to view online at http://www.centerforsaferwireless.org/Wireless-Safety-Summit.php .
 
 
 

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CPUC RULES SDG&E RATEPAYERS CAN DELAY INSTALLATION OF SMART METERS


September 26, 2011 (San Diego) – The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) president Michael Peevey has issued a ruling ordering San Diego Gas & Electric Company and two other utility companies to allow consumers who don’t want a “smart meter” installed to place their names on a delay list, pending the outcome of upcoming workshops on the issue.

 


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CPUC TO HOLD HEARING ON SMART METER OPT-OUT OPTIONS SEPT. 14

 

By Miriam Raftery

September 12, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Consumers who want a no-cost option to opt out of having wireless smart meters on their homes are urged to attend a September 14 hearing in San Francisco.

 


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LOCAL GROUP FILES PROTEST WITH CPUC OVER SMART METERS, WHICH REMAIN MANDATORY IN SAN DIEGO

 

43 COUNTIES IN CA HAVE VOTED TO OPPOSE SMART METERS --

AND 10 HAVE BANNED THE DEVICES

 

July 12, 2011 (La Mesa) – The Center for Electrosmog Prevention in La Mesa along with Californians for Renweable Energy, Inc. filed a protest July 6 with the California Public Utilities commission (CPUC) against San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E).

 


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HELIX OPTS AGAINST SMART METERS

 

Decision based on cost, but a local resident who started a national movement to ban smart meters claims they can harm health in some individuals

 

April 7, 2011 (La Mesa)—Helix Water District customers won’t be getting smart water meters anytime soon. The Board of Directors opted against the change.

“We don’t want to spend a million and a half dollars,” board vice president John Linden stated. The board also noted that among 322 pilot project customers who do have the smart meters, only 9 percent accessed the smart meter website to check their energy usage.


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READER'S EDITORIAL: AN OPEN LETTER TO HELIX WATER DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS REGARDING SAFETY AND ACCURACY OF SMART METERS


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READER’S EDITORIAL: PRICE GOUGING BY SDG&E—RESULTS OF DEREGULATING A MONOPOLY: A PARTIAL VICTORY

 

Editor's note:  After receiving a refund for excessive charges to relocate a gas meter, Joel Harrison says he found a new form of overcharging--this time for “estimated” meter readings when his yard was easily accessible to the meter reader. Neighbors were also overcharged, according to Harrison. How many other homeowners were, too? If this has happened to you, please post a comment in the comment section below.

 


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