Vermont utilities see growing 'smart meter' opposition
May. 14, 2012, Written by DAVE GRAM, Associated Press / Burlington Free Press, (here)
MONTPELIER - Worries about health effects, privacy and cost are fueling growing opposition to wireless, digital "smart meters" that utilities around the country are installing at homes and businesses and touting as key energy conservation and grid reliability tools.
Updated April 10, 2012
Jerry Day's new video addresses the larger question of EMR (radiation) saturation of the environment
Opt-out or not, debate over wireless smart meters hums along
March 26, 2012, by Alan Panebaker, vtdigger.org - (here)
The Vermont Senate isn't quite sure how "smart" wireless smart meters are.
So it wants the Department of Public Service to study the costs of removing the meters and the meter reading fees for those who choose not to have them.
On Friday, the Senate passed S.214, which would require the department to produce the study by March 1, 2013.
Editor's note: This op-ed is by James Marc Leas, a patent lawyer from South Burlington who served as a staff physicist for the Union of Concerned Scientists in the aftermath of the accident at Three Mile Island.
In the interview on Vermont Public Radio, "In Smart Grid Debate, Co-ops Pick Hard-Wire Over Wireless To Cut Cost," the remarks by the president of Washington Electric Co-op, Avram Patt, in favor of wired smart meters were quite persuasive. He gave specific information and advantages. By contrast, the spokesman for CVPS gave no reasons at all for CVPS and GMP to select wireless smart meters over the wired smart meters Washington Electric Co-op has had in service for several years.
Monday November 14, 2011, By Dave Gram, Associated Press
MONTPELIER, Vt. - Vermont's electricity utilities say they'll be working during the next year to roll out new "smart meters" -- and digital networks to support them -- that will help them more closely monitor their power distribution networks and help customers save money.
But new questions are being raised about privacy, security and possible health impacts from radio waves emitted, particularly by the wireless systems Vermont's two major utilities intend to use.
And the questions have prompted the state Public Service Board to entertain a request from a new activist group that it be admitted as a formal party in the final stages of the board's review of the new technology.
Olga Julinska of Wells, one of the leaders of the new group StopsMeters, said the meters deserve more public scrutiny than they've received so far.
Wednesday, 11/02/11, John Dillon, Vermont Public Radio
... (Dillon) The utilities say the new wireless meters are an essential part of the "smart grid" that should save customers money in the long run. The meters communicate electronically, providing real-time data on electricity use. The power companies say a customer should be able to track his or her power use, and turn off energy-hogging appliances when the price of power is high.
But critics such as Martine Victor of Manchester say the smart grid technology has moved forward with little public involvement or oversight.
(Victor) "We're really unhappy about the lack of democratic process in this policy. It's sort of been a stealth operation. No one has known about it. I would say 99 percent of the people I've spoken to - friends, acquaintances, strangers - they're like, 'Smart meters?' They've never heard of it.
Cell Phone use and other devices are Voluntary and can be shut off at the user's discretion, but Smart
meters mounted on homes are emitting radiation 24/7 and can not be shut off.
"Most Vermonters are only beginning to become aware that wireless smart meters are coming to them."
Please petition Gov. Shumlin to stop this deployment at change.org ,
so that further discussions and research can be conducted.
In Re: Workshop to Discuss Privacy and Opt-Out Issues
Held by Hearing Officer, George E. Young, Director of Regulatory Policy
Location: The Public Service Board Hearing Room, Third Floor, People's United Bank Building, 112 State Street, Montpelier, Vermont
Event Date and Time: Tuesday, November 01, 2011: 1:30 pm
A: "Yes. We recognize that there may be some customers who would prefer not to have an advanced digital meter installed at their home. Customers have the right to opt out of the CVPS SmartPowerŽ program.
Customers who choose to opt out must contact CVPS' Customer Information Center at 800-649-2877, and will also be required to pay a monthly fee of $10 to cover the cost of meter reading and additional equipment expenses."
Is the CVPS "advanced digital meter" UL approved? "With the introduction of complex new technologies come risks. For everyone affected by the Smart Grid, the safety of these new products is paramount. That's why UL's compliance expertise is essential to getting safer technology on the Smart Grid."
-- Underwriters Laboratories
Stop Smart Meters in Vermont 