Opinion: The Smart Meter has arrived

Those of you who read my editorials are familiar with the “Smart Meter”. The meter is smart because it will monitor all the electric usage in your home and report it back to the company. http://www.vermontjournal.com/content/smart-meter-has-arrived

The Smart Meter Has Arrived Submitted by VT Journal on Wed, 04/25/2012 - 9:27am Those of you who read my editorials are familiar with the “Smart Meter” the Electric Companies are installing in all homes. The meter is smart because it will monitor all the electric usage in your home and report it back to the company. Electric companies are running ads on all means of communication to let people know how much money they will save, how they can monitor their electricity consumption, how cost efficient these meters are and with the “Smart Meter” they can maximize their energy more efficiently. Sounds like a good deal and over 22 million Americans now have them. However, I feel this is a true case of buyer beware and you need to call your electric company and find out how smart these Smart Meters really are before you let one into your home. Smart Meters are really surveillance monitors that the American people willingly or unwillingly let into their homes without realizing the full extent of what they are doing. Some people, after learning about the way the meters work are alarmed about the impact on their health. They are concerned about the impact on the human body from the microwave radio-frequency radiation that these meters emit (radiation that is a carcinogenic on par with lead, according to the World Health Organization). 
 On February 3, 2011, Scientists from the
Karolinska Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Stockholm, Sweden, urged the halt of wireless rollout and called for new safety standards and issued a warning on risks to children and pregnant women. They stated, “Scientists who study radiofrequency radiation from wireless technologies have issued a scientific statement warning that exposures may be harming the development of children at levels now commonly found in the environment. Pregnant women are cautioned to avoid using wireless devices themselves and distance themselves from other users.” Quoting from an article in Health Freedom News, Fall 2011, written by Rosalind Peterson, the Smart Meter has a dark side too. “As residents begin to learn more about the Smart Meter and health questions began to increase, not only about the meters themselves but the cell towers and Smart Meter Relay Antennas needed for transmission of the Smart Meter signals.” It is a well-known fact that Smart Meters may disrupt pace makers and other similar medical devices. Still, the electric companies push (these meters) forward.” Clearly there needs to be more discussion and these issues need to be addressed. On the plus side, in case of a power outage, the utility companies would be able to see just where the problem is; however, it will also allow the utility company to adjust appliances in your home, such as lowering a water heater’s temperature when it’s not in use, lower your thermostat, show the customer how much power they are using at any given time, see how much power is being produced by solar panels and small wind turbines, and coordinate all the energy being used by other appliances in your home. Again I ask, do you really want Big Brother knowing every time you turn on an electric appliance? A spokesperson for Central Vermont Public Service did say that all information is confidential, except in the case of government. The government can request a copy of your usage and receive it. Should you decide you do not want the Smart Meter installed, you do have an option to refuse it. You must call your power company and ask for the Opt-Out Consent Agreement. You must fill out the application, and agree to pay a $10 per month fee for the meter reader to come to your home and read your meter. If after keeping your present meter you decide to have a Smart Meter, there is no charge to opt back into the program. The ball is in your court, you still have the right to make a decision to go with the Smart Meter or not. I for one am going to opt-out. I have sent for and just received my form. ~BM~