For six months beginning this summer, Florida Power & Light will be replacing old electric meters with smart meters on some 50,000 Flagler County homes and small businesses. The conversion will virtually affect all residential properties. It’s part of a roll-out of 200,000 smart meters in Volusia and Flagler counties, itself part of FPL’s statewide conversion of 4.5 million in 32 counties to smart meters.
The smart meters are dormant 99 percent of the time, but they periodically transmit information back to FPL on the customer’s energy usage.
“Right now a customer doesn’t know how much energy is used until the bill arrives,” Elaine Hinsdale, an FPL spokeswoman, said. “The smart meter will enable customers to actually manage and take proactive action if they want to reduce their energy consumption and thus reduce their energy bill. So the meter will tell them like it’s currently been telling FPL how much energy they’re using, they’ll be able to monitor it by the hour, by the day, by the week and by the month.”
The information can be monitored through a customer’s account online. The company in turn can use the information to better manage its grid and respond to problems when power fails.
It all sounds somewhere between innocuous and useful. To some customers however, the smart meter is a dangerous thing: a tool of “surveillance,” an intrusion on individual privacy, an environmentally dubious device that emits allegedly harmful electromagnetic pulses, and an extension of big government or big brother. Small but vocal minorities of customers are looking to opt-out of the conversion.
FPL itself is assisting them, for now. “If a customer has a concern about a smart meter, we will gladly put their installation on hold,” Hinsdale said. “We will conclude the installations in 2013, and at that time we’ll know how many customers we need to work with and how to address their concerns.”
But the opt-out customers want to be permanently off the smart meter grid. Some of those customers are approaching their local governments to draft them into a campaign that would limit FPL’s power to replace the meters. County or city governments can’t tell FPL what to do. But the Florida Public Service Commission can, up to a point. The commission is holding workshops later this year to hear public concerns about the smart meters and figure out how to balance FPL’s and most customers’ conversions with the concerns of those who are opposed.
In Volusia County earlier this month, the county council voted to send a resolution to the Public Service Commission supporting an opt-in provision for customers. In other words, a customer would have to be actively agree to a smart meter before one is installed, as opposed to the more passive option of opting out of one. The Volusia council in April had actually passed a resolution agreeing to an opt-out provision. But several people turned out at a subsequent meeting and shifted the commission’s approach. Opponents of smart meters took that as a victory.
Then they turned their sights on the Flagler County Commission, demanding a similar resolution locally. Commissioners received a letter from Joan Affatado, who has frequently and at times emotionally appeared before the Flagler commission to plead against smart meters’ introduction.
Flagler County Commissioner Nate McLaughlin brought up the matter Monday evening. “I think a letter of support for that resolution, or support to have the PSC look at these smart meters, make sure that they’re either proving or disproving whatever is our there. But I’m looking for this board to consent to a letter of support for that ordinance from Volusia County.”
Barbara Revels, who chairs the commission, asked fellow-commissioners if they were interested in having the county administration draft such a resolution.
“First they went with the opt-out, but now they’re asking for the opt-in. They want to make it optional,” McLaughlin said. “It’s just letting the PSC know where we stand. This is their decision. The whole smart meter issue is theirs, it’s not ours. But I’ve been asked to at least do a letter of support. That’s what I’m asking of this board.”
Commissioner Alan Peterson wasn’t willing to support an opt-in provision. “It ought to be the other way. It ought to be opt-out, because the vast majority—my guess is, the vast majority of the population doesn’t care one way or the other, so therefore that segment that really feels that this is a problem, let them opt-out. But they ought to have their option.”
Peterson is right: of all the 3.3 million smart meters installed so far with FPL customers, “about one-tenth of one percent have expressed a concern of smart meters,” FPL’s Hinsdale said.
Barbara Revels, who chairs the commission, brought up the matter of a resident whose home faces an entire meter bank. The woman is not connected to the anti-smart meter movement. But she is concerned about a cluster of meters so close to where she lives. “So there’s other issues involved with that, because she would not able to, if it was opt-out, have her meter pulled off the wall if other people were in on that bank. She was asking for there to be consideration regarding multi-unit properties.”
But Revels wasn’t favoring a Flagler County resolution similar to Volusia’s. “I want to make sure, like commissioner Peterson said, that this is really, really important for our future power management, across the country I believe, that we can learn from having our power better managed. They do that from data as well as I would want to go online and be able to see data changing in my household. I think that bit’s a really great thing. Until such time as someone has really been able to produce some scientific evidence of what it might do, I think that people should have that right to opt out, if it’s possible—if it’s possible—for the power company to do, and if it’s possible for the public service commission to approve that, and that’s as far as I want to go as far as the scope in being involved in this.”
Commissioner Milissa Holland agreed that an opt-in provision would be “way too cumbersome.”
Conclusive evidence on the alleged dangers of the smart meters is non-existent. Hinsdale says the meters emit one thousandth radio frequency of cell phones or baby monitors. Opponents of smart meters seized on a study by the American Academy of Environmental Medicine released in mid-April that urged “immediate caution” in the installation of the meters. “More independent research is needed to assess the safety of ‘Smart Meter’ technology,” said Dr. Amy Dean, board certified internist and President‐Elect of the AAEM. “Patients are reporting to physicians the development of symptoms and adverse health effects after ‘Smart Meters’ are installed on their homes. Immediate action is necessary to protect the public’s health.”
But the academy, while ennobled by an impressive name and supported by physicians, is itself suspect, opposing such things as fluoride in water and supporting the medically untested notion of “multiple chemical sensitivity,” which ascribes a variety of ailments in people to environmental factors, though such findings are based—according to Quackwatch’s Stephen Barrett, himself a physician, on “questionable diagnostic and treatment methods.”
FPL’s Hinsdale says the smart meters do not tap into the power use of specific appliances inside the home, though they do have that capability. The smart meters are equipped with two radio emitters, one a 900 mhz radio, the other a 2.4 ghz radio. The latter, which could tie into appliance use (as long as those appliances themselves have a chip[ that interfaces with the meter) is turned off, Hinsdale says, with no plans to turn it on—and certainly no such plans without the customer’s consent. FPL just concluded a pilot program in Broward where the second transmitter was turned on, but it involved 500 volunteers who opted into the pilot program.
Opponents of the smart meter who fear its surveillance capabilities point to the existence of the second radio as the equivalent of a Trojan horse: it’s there, ready to be turned on. That’s not quite the intention with FPL, Hinsdale said. “As with a lot of technology, it’s built for the future,” she said, with some utilities using the technology to other ends. “We are not. FPL has no plans to implement the option other than our proposed option right now.”
That option only measures overall power use.
Linda H. says
There is plenty of evidence out there that these may not be good for the safety of your home or your health:
IN CALIFORNIA:
http://stopsmartmeters.org/2012/04/25/cpuc-pge-smart-meter-opt-out-fees-suspended/#comment-47700
Under State Utility Code, utilities may not charge extra to people to protect their safety and health. Smart meters are threats to both according to scientific studies (pdf). (a Santa Cruz report)
Code 328.2(b) states: “No customer should have to pay separate fees for utilizing services that protect public or customer safety.”
Code 453. (b) states: “No public utility shall prejudice, disadvantage, or require different rates or deposit amounts from a person because of medical condition”
IN VERMONT:
GO TO PAGE 37 OF THE DOCUMENT – CUSTOMER’S RIGHTS
(2) allows a customer to choose not to have a wireless smart meter
installed, at no additional monthly or other charge; and
(3) allows a customer to require removal of a previously installed
wireless smart meter for any reason and at an agreed-upon time, without
incurring any charge for such removal.
exact Vermont legislative document. passed by their legislature at both senate and house.
There is a site that is very thorough. It lists the detailed status and this bill apparently started 1/3/2012 and was not passed until after about 46 items of action or calendar and/or amendments to finalize on May 14, 2012. So took nearly 5 months! Interesting, right?
Scroll down to page 37 for the final wording of the passed Bill: (may need to copy & paste the link below)
Bill No. S.214 Titled: An Act Relating to the Vermont Energy Act of 2012
link: http://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/2012/bills/Passed/S-214.pdf
Page 36-38 of this pdf file is about smart meters & Vermont state legislature
Check it out…..
IN VOLUSIA:
On May 3, 2012, the Spruce Creek Patriots obtained a UNANIMOUS vote to amend the April 19, 2012 RESOLUTION from the OPT OUT to an OPT IN on the installation of Smart Meters in Volusia County. The amendment will be sent to the Public Services Commission providing that before a Smart Meter is installed, the citizen must first ask for one. This is the OPT IN option. You can hear us making the request at http://www.Volusia.org go to AUDIO ARCHIVE for May 3, 2012, we talk at the very beginning and at about 7:26:52 you can hear the vote from the Council members. Our first resolution passed April 19, 2012 for an OPT OUT. However, an OPT IN is better because it protects the uninformed citizens who do not know that they need to OPT OUT.
We, Peggy Black, Walter Hanford, Maredy Hanford, went back to the Volusia County Council requesting an OPT IN resolution and our County Council members voted UNANIMOUSLY, again, for a resolution to only install Smart Meters for consumers who OPT IN and request a Smart Meter. This is particularly valuable in protecting people who live in condos and high density developments because they now will not be automatically exposed to their neighbor’s Smart Meters unless the neighbor specifically asks for one.
We are encouraging other Florida Tea Party Leaders to go to their County or City Council as soon as they can and obtain a resolution from them to OPT IN.
The resolution is that the citizens of their County or City should not be forced to accept the installation of Smart Meters, unless they OPT IN and specifically request one. This will protect the uninformed citizens from having a Smart Meter installed in their house without their consent. For those who already have a Smart Meter, they shall have the option to have an analogue meter replacement without penalty.
This language follows the guidelines of the Federal law.
MORE:
http://www.freedomadvocates.org/video/watch/138_jerry_day_explains_why_smart_meters_are_bad/
literally – THIS WILL MAKE YOUR HAIR CURL!
http://microwavenews.com/milham.html
Read about Dr. Milham
AND FINALLY:
http://www.energybulletin.net/stories/2011-03-23/problems-smart-grids
The Problems With Smart Grids: Dumb and Dangerous
http://www.culturechange.org/cms/content/view/714/1/
Kauai Takes Back Its Power: The Spirit of Ho’oponopono
http://stopsmartmeters.org/
PG&E Begins Removing ‘Smart’ Meters Due to Health Effects
http://stopsmartmeters.org/2011/11/01/pge-begins-removing-smart-meters-due-to-health-effects/
xenith says
As with all things that turn into conspiracies, many of them have some kernel of truth to them. This rather large, and authoritative-looking post is however, not one of them.
At the risk of discrediting myself for whatever reason, I can’t spend all night on refuting someone on the internet, as that somehow is taken to mean “less credible.”
I would however like to point out that most of the links posted, of which I read all of them, were mostly fear-mongering bullshit. If you believe these things, as a person you should seriously question your own scientific literacy, but I fear that never happens.
As I said though, there is a kernel of truth to this and I would like to point out what that is:
* Power companies with have vastly more information with which to develop profiles with.
* Depending on the device, this could be weekly, daily, or hourly information.
* This can, indeed, be sold by the companies, or used forcefully by “law enforcement.” – that’s to say
that while this is certainly inexcusable – most of what you do on the internet is already being watched
in this sort of fashion – I hope you don’t have facebook.
* Yes it can be used to shut down “Grow houses,” but they probably will be used for other things more frequently.
* If you are one of those people who are “afraid” of the “radiation” I dearly hope you research the electromagnetic
spectrum, and make sure you don’t own any wireless routers, or own a microwave. What’s that, you’ve been
operating those for years?
Linda H. says
Fear mongering? These communities took action. If you call that fear mongering, that’s up to you. I don’t care about the intrusion, though I am not wild about coming home and finding my garage door open in my absense, which has happened with these things. Or having my home burned to the ground, which has also happened with these things.
It was proven that these things operated thousands of times in CA. Mutiply that radiation at all your neighbors and across your entire neighborhood, and you’ve got a health risk.
elaygee says
Nut job “science” based on no facts and belief, which is the opposite of science.
another voice says
Now why would you go to all this effort and expense to install smart meters, and then have them be “dormant 99% of the time”?
Something just doesn’t ring true here. Maybe the county could work on fine tuning their BS meters while they’re at it…
Linda H. says
Question for Commissioner Holland: Why would it be any more cumbersome for Flagler County residents to OPT IN than it is for Volusia residents or any of the other cities listed above?
Arthur Woosley says
Maybe more consideration needs to be given to the statement below before proceeding too quickly, what”s the hurry ?
After all think about the enormous cost to customers should 200,000 plus meters prove to truly be a problem, remember there will be removal, installation, removal and installation, meter costs and labor costs ?
“More independent research is needed to assess the safety of ‘Smart Meter’ technology,” said Dr. Amy Dean, board certified internist and President‐Elect of the AAEM.
The H says
Art, what’s the hurry. Wait until they have all the smart meters installed. Then what are we going to do. Art do your homework on AGENDA 21 and see what the federal government is doing to us. And you say what’s the hurry. First of all, have you read anything from our wonderful news media or FPL about the installation of smart meters? If you and the majority of the citizens of this country had knowledge and did their homework on all these matters perhaps we would not have the federal government telling all of us what to do.
elaygee says
More conspiracy theories from the kooks who think President Obama was born in Kenya, that the Earth is flat and that the sun revolves around the Earth. Get over it or stop using your cell phone, satellite TV and anything else with a radio signal.
palmcoaster says
@Linda H.Your research is appreciated and valued. Otherwise we were not aware of the negative part. Now is for us all to make an educated choice. Further request specs from FPL on these meters or at least County vote for the choice to people to opt out of them or vice versa choice to opt in if wanted
Ron says
I would absolutely welcome the ability to monitor my energy usage in real time by having one of these smart meters installed on my home.
As for that micro-minority of folks who believe there is something nefarious behind FPL’s plans, please get a life and stop trying to spoil things for the rest of us enlightened consumers. The fact that you so vociferously object to the installation of these devices makes me wonder exactly what you all are trying to hide.
Joan A. says
Art, what’s the hurry. You are right. The federal government is behind this. AGENDA 21 at it’s finest. Have you read or heard anything from our wonderful news media about the Smart Meters within the last two years? They are in a hurry to get these smart meters installed so we have no say in the matter, just to find out all the health hazards that will be an issue later on and this will make the lawyers richer.
This is BIG BROTHER telling each and everyone of us what they are going to do, not give us any say in the issue. This is COMMUNISM….
Joan A. says
To all the people that voice their opinions without knowing anything about SMart Meters please read all the information that Linda H. Has posted. Then you all may have a different opinion of them.
maggie says
to Ron yes, YOU CAN have a smart meter OR go to google & do some research which I did & decided
to opt out – try typing into any search engine the following:
smart meters explosions
smart meters fires
smart meters GFIs
smart meters RF
smart meters health
smart meters privacy
smart meters california
smart meters vermont
JL says
It has been my experience that the majority of people dislike change. There were generations that didn’t like cars, didn’t like electricity coming into their homes, didn’t like the idea of t.vs., etc. Yes, there was a time when people didn’t have these luxuries. And didn’t want them for fear of something different. This is just new technology. And what will the government learn about my energy usage? I couldn’t care less.
maggie says
back to you J L
In Beijing & Finland & other countries, the government turns off the heat April 1 every year no matter what is the weather.
Smart Meters are 2-way radios. And you couldn’t care less when your heat or your appliances are turned off when you would rather they be on or so it has been in our free country. If FPL can track real time & you yourself can look real time on your computer from around the world, others can also check your pattern of house activities to see if you are home or not home. You will be able to turn on your heat and A/C from around the world & FPL can turn it off while you are at home: that is the new technology. At the same time, hacking into electric “smart” meters is already being done globally. Go into any search engine & type in “smart meters hacking”
Complacency is the worst sin in the Bible.
The Honest One says says
JL, This is certainly not about change. This is not about something different . Sure this is new technology, it is being used against us by the Federal Government. Do you like someone coming into your home and telling you, you can only use your washing machine on Monday and your air conditioning can be used three hours a day and you have to limit your TV to two hours a day. Understand what I am telling you. Well this is exactly what is going to happen with Smart Meters. The Obama (federal government) gave FPL a big Grant (Stimulus) for Smart Meters of which you and everyone else are going to pay for. Because there are attactments on government grants, which is your tax dollars and inturn FPL will pass all the extras onto you. And not to speak about the health hazards. Does anyone ever wonder why we have so many babies born with Autism?. Bottom line is they are BAD. Nancy Polisi said , pass the health care bill and we will read it later. FPL and the federal government are doing the same to us, they have no clue as to the negatives attached to Smart Meters. If the people out there agree to this, down the road they will find out the real truth. Do your home work folks. Oh, you talk about luxuries, if you check out Agenda 21, of which Smart Meters are a small part of , all your luxuries are about to be taken away.
maggie says
Hey, Honest One: Congrats ! You are the “Smart” One ! But glad you are not my neighbor because if “they” insist placing a smart meter at our house here in the city of palm coast, the smart meter will emit RF directly to our neighbor’s bedroom, about ten feet away. Directly to the center of their bedroom! This means my neighbors will have lymphoma from all the research I’ve done. Or perhaps they will become zombies similar to the treatments given in One Who Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. Buying a house? check out the location of local electrical meters !
All of you: do your own research,example: Japan: medical research: in the trains the RF from all the cellphones onboard bounce all over within the train compartment: called 2nd hand RF. Because of the RF health damage, Japanese wear special underwear and clothing which is lined with a silver lining, very expensive, $79 one pair of underwear. USA also sells such clothing. The tinfoil hat joke is on us.
At our dance club I wonder how many of the guys have those cellphones in their pockets – each cell is looking for the tower, looking for the tower. As for us, we now turn our cell phones off inside our house & do not have WiFi. Get a gauss meter – check out your house and appliances. zzzttttt
peggy y says
[Comment disallowed. Peggy, you’re welcome to comment as a contribution to the conversation. Merely attacking other commenters, as you do in three successive and disallowed comments, will not do. Thanks.–FL]
Rick says
I am a little confused… I would have thought that using smart meters to reduce energy costs would be a good thing for the American consumer who wants to keep a little extra money in his pocket and not be a slave to paying higher utility bills each month. I guess big, dumb, and wasteful is still the mantra of some right wing extremists.
maggie says
Rick, then how about all of us saving money and not using as much electricity to help the grid ?
In reply to your confusion about reducing costs, here is a responsible way to cut your electric bills in half. LISTEN UP ALL – THIS IS NO SECRET HOW TO SAVE MONEY. WE LIVE IN THE POOR SECTION OF FLAGLER; IN THE CITY, WHICH is making us poor because of local taxes !
we went to walmart & made a small investment & purchased the smaller electrical power strips, five bucks, but get strips with a light on the switch.
most appliances when OFF still take 75% electricity. gauss meter went craziest at microwave which we rarely use; it now has an override power strip.
so, using GFIs& small power strips & the regular wall switches where applicable, we
can turn off everything when not in use by disconnecting from power totally when not in use.
we have not decreased our quality of life; WE are smarter :-) half an electricity bill for whole house.
AND THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES: a gauss meter shows that we have reduced greatly the EMF / RFs in the house. NO RFs emitted because when all are off: computers, TV, appliances, they are OFF ! NO EMF / RF EMISSION AND NO $$$. do you wish to save $$$$$$ ?
Tim says
What happen to the city of palm coast smart meter program? Galtronics was suppose to making meters for the city.
Margaret Black says
Here it is boys and girls…that pesky thing called the law.
http://www.energytracking.com/EPACT_2005_Smart_Meter.htm
For those with a short attention span who don’t want to bother opening the above link, or for those who just like to offer uninformed opinions note this section of the law:
Specifically, EPAct 2005 added language to PURPA which effectuates the following actions:
1. Utilities are required, upon request by any customer it serves, to interconnect onsite generation facilities to the local distribution facilities.
2. Utilities are required to make net metering available to electric customers, upon request.
3. Utilities are required to offer time-based rate schedules that reflect the variance, if any, in the utility’s cost of generating and purchasing wholesale electricity.
4. If utilities offer time-based rate schedules, utilities must then offer smart meters to customers who request them.
5. Utilities must consider developing a fuel sources plan that minimizes dependence on one fuel source and ensures that the energy sold to customers is generated using a diverse range of fuels and technologies.
TRANSLATION: IF YOU WANT ONE REQUEST IT.
Alex says
On the positive side, the ability of the customer to manage his/her energy budget is a very good benefit.
For the others: If you have a cell phone, a computer connected to the internet, e-pass, credit card etc. you could be tracked. You lost your right to privacy a long time ago, if you ever had it.
tulip says
Has anyone given a thought to what these new meters are going to cost us on our bill? These meters will be paid for by the consumer—The electric companies do nothing for free. No one has even asked FPL about a fee and I read somewhere online there is one.
If people want to know where they use the most electricity, look to the A/C, heat and pool—doesn’t take a potentiiall hazardous meter to figure that one out.
Outsider says
It sounds to me like these meters will eventually have the capability to turn certain appliances on and off. I would like to reserve that freedom to me.
maggie says
outsider:
reply to your two comments: Yes and Yes. Our freedom has been sold to the highest bidder. Any of you educated in global events will know who & what that is.
Anonymous says
ill be wrapping the power box in lead after they put it in…
Maredy Hanford says
Want to understand what is going on? Watch this:
Technocracy – Patrick Wood (You Tube)
“Technocracy” at the Eagle Forum Convention, Saturday June 18, 2011
Marcus says
Government Conspiracy: Check
Tin Foil Hat to Prevent mind reading and radio wave transmissions (see Maggie’s post for more details): Check
Atlas Shrugged in case of boredom: Check
Alex Jones’ cell number: Check
Cyanide pills (In case of capture by communists, see Jone A’s post for more details): Check
Picture of Glenn Beck (for inspiration): Check
DNA from Ronald Regan (for the continuity of the Republican Party): Check
Ann says
They already have these in South Florida- and at midnight the day after you are late- they cut your power off- so they certainly could cut off certain appliances as well.
Ann says
not to mention peoples homes are catching fire after they are installed….
http://www.wsvn.com/features/articles/helpmehoward/MI92249/
Deborah Rubin says
I can’t believe this news article quotes Stephen Barrett of Quackwatch, saying he is a physcian–as if that makes him more of an authority than the AAEM doctors. Barrett was never Board Certified because he failed the exam http://subversivethinking.blogspot.com/2008/12/skeptic-stephen-barret-of-quackwatchorg.html
and here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk%3AStephen_Barrett/Archive_8
“Dr. Barrett responds: I took the certifying exam in 1964 when about 1/3 of psychiatrists were board-certified. The exam had two halves, psychiatry and neurology. I passed the psychiatric part but failed neurology because it included topics unrelated to either my training or my interests. Unlike most residencies, my psychiatric training program had no neurologic component. Since there was no reason to believe that certifcation was necessary, I decided not to re-take the exam. ”
and was taken to court for his accusations:
http://www.quackpotwatch.org/quackpots/quackpots/barrett.htm
Does setting up his own website make him an authority over emf scientists, too?
They cite the AAEM, then discredit them without addressing any of the science the AAEM put forward, but because Barrett has slammed them. So we have Barrett’s condemnation of AAEM verses the 31 peer-reviewed studies and expert opinoins the AAEM cites.
AAEM position paper: http://aaemonline.org/pressadvisoryemf.pdf
And there are so many more expert opinions found here under expert letters: http://sagereports.com/smart-meter-rf/
Anonymous says
The reason the large percentage of people are for the smart meter is that they have no idea whatsoever of the workings of the so called Smart Meter and should learn more about Smart Meters and their down falls. I recomend viewing the dark side to smart meters available on the web. Very informative and no BS. Comming from the worlds leading athority on smart meters not a sales person or employee of a utility company.
Anonymous says
I have expertise in rf and radio transmission and the capabilities of smart meters. An excellent site to visit the dark side to smart meters. A lecture given by the worlds leading authority on smart meters, not an FPL employee or some Crack Pot. Its amazing that a smart meter has the ability to tell say for example if a person were to pleasure themselves with a Vibrator that ran on 2 d cell batteries with a dc induction motor at 1am in the morning. Thats not amazing Thats serveilance and a direct intrusion of our consttutional rites to privacy. Plus how long the vibrator was running. What about hypithetically speaking a individual was growing tomatoes or green peppers and the light happened to be a 1000 wtt. HPS lamp and it was on for 12 hrs a day law enforcement would assume they were growing Marijuana and that person was in the blooming cycle and pay the individual a visit to see what they were growing. Bull Shit envasion of privacy.
Brenda says
Bottom line is… it’s my land, my house, my right to have or not have a smart meter! Why do I have to have one installed just becuase they send me a flyer stating they are planning to start installing them? I understand the points addressed earlier about we gave up our rights to privacy long ago with PCs, cell phones, etc… But those items, I willingly use. This item, I am not being given a choice. Reasons why I don’t want a smart meter…
1. It allows people to identifiy what electrical devices I have and record when they are being used… a violation of my privacy.
2. They monitor household activity and occupancy, a violation of my rights and domestic security.
3. They transmit wireless signals which can be intercepted by unauthorized and unknown parties, that could be protentially used by criminals to commit criminal activity against me.
4. Data about my family’s daily habits are collected, recorded and permanently stored in databases.
5. These databases may be accessed by criminals, blackmailers, corrupt law enforcement, private hackers of wierless transmissions, power company employees and other unidentified parties who may act against us.
6. “Smart Meters” are by definition, surveillance devices which violate Federal and State wiretapping laws by recording & storing in databases information attained without our consent or knowledge.
7. Electromagnetic and Radio Frequency energy contamination from smart meters exceeds allowable safe and healthful limits as determined by the EPA.
8. These meters can and will be hacked. A theif can use a coil and a battery to create an EMP pulse to turn off the power to a house in order to gain access.
9. Smart meters are not mandatory! The Public Utilities Commission has no such authority to make a forced mandate.
10. Smart Meters do not run backwards, making it next to impossible to “go green” by using solar panels to gain KWH credits.
11. Lightening strikes or EMPs can change memory bits by adding extra electrons to the small memory cells. This can change the internal smart meter settings and calibration data, how accurate would their readings be then and who monitors if the calibration and settings are thrown off?
People… stop allowing your rights to be stripped away from you!! Stand up for your rights, what little you still have left, before they are all gone!!
Gerald Jacobs says
F.P.L. will cut back on meter readers and make more profits for their stock holders.and they will take away individual rights of home owners.
Diane says
I haven’t found a single positive about smart meters besides the fact that the homeowner can view usage. I’m already very conscious of my electric use and minimize usage at all times. I have to say, I am quite worried about the health effects and the fact that I don’t have a choice in doing what I believe is right for my family. That in itself is creating anxiety for me. I’ve opted out (postponed) for now, but my neighbors, whether they were home or not, got them installed.
Mr Electro says
For all you people who actually believe these meters are safe………If an electronical signal can be sent from these devices then others can receive and/or transmit other electrical RF signals. With a little knowledge one can mix signals with WHAT EVER info or data instruction they want……..The major problem with electronic technologies is 95 % of the people using it have NO IDEA they are being monitored in more ways then you can imagine. Learn to QUESTION everything government does. They not your friend !!!!!!
Lu says
My Mother died in February 2013 and I did not take it well and started having health problems, I then suffered several more losses and have been really struggling to stay well and active. I chalked my issues up to grief, stress and age. With 5G threatening to be parked on our front lawns, I decided to get an EMF meter and assess my home for preparedness. I never thought my Smart Meter could be a problem because it was at the end of my house by my garage. But to my amazement, I have been getting zinged, sitting in my favorite chair in my living room. Apparently the signal is bouncing off my neighbors house an coming in through my window.
I had always found it hard to believe that the Smart Meter technology was really a threat to our health, until now. Just about all my symptoms are consistent with EMF exposure illness and this article confirms what I remember about when the Smart Meter was installed in my home, around the time of my Mother death. I guess I was too grief struct at the time to opt out. I am going to mitigate the exposure or opt out and see if my health improves.