Smart meter opponents take to the air

Opponents of smart meters have started an advertising campaign to force the state’s largest electric utility to back off on plans to install the wireless meters on homes, businesses and public buildings.

http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20120130/BUSINESS/701309949

Article published Jan 30, 2012
Smart meter opponents take to the air

Opponents of smart meters have started an advertising campaign to force the state’s largest electric utility to back off on plans to install the wireless meters on homes, businesses and public buildings.

The campaign, called Wake Up Opt Out, recently began radio and online ads targeting customers of Central Vermont Public Service Corp.

Opponents of the wireless meters allege the radio frequency emissions are potentially harmful. The campaign also targets privacy and security concerns related to information transmitted by the wireless meters.

The 60-second radio spots tell listeners that the smart meters “allow CVPS unheard-of access to data when and how you use your energy. CVPS says it won’t share your information or raise rates. But do you trust them?”

CVPS will begin installing the meters next month throughout its service territory.

Jesse Mayhew, who heads the Wake Up Opt Out (www.wakeupoptout.org) campaign, said it was unfortunate that early on the public wasn’t made aware of the plans to install the wireless technology.

“It’s surprising that what we’ve found so far in our campaign is that we’re often the first people (to) have heard about the smart meters,” Mayhew said.

Mayhew said there is evidence to suggest emissions from the wireless meters pose a health risk to individuals, especially to those sensitive to electromagnetic radiation.

“The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) has not really done a fair amount of testing of EMR exposure before giving the green light to things like cellphones,” Mayhew said.

But in testimony before the Senate Finance Committee last week, Dr. Harry Chen, commissioner of the state Health Department, said smart meters do not pose a health risk.

“From actual measurements the Department of Health has made at active smart meter antenna, the devices are not likely to emit levels of radiofrequency radiation more than a small fraction of a single percentage of the levels from a wireless telephone, even at very close proximity to the meters,” Chen told the committee.

The committee also heard from an expert who said the state should require utilities to install more expensive hard-wired smart meters.

Dr. Karl Maret of California said the hard-wired smart meters have no emissions and thus would eliminate any health concerns.

CVPS spokesman Steve Costello said in an email that the company has been running an awareness campaign for six or seven months, including bill inserts and dozens of public talks to engage customers.

“Many people who initially have questions decide against opting out after learning of the position of the World Health Organization or seeing how little RF there is compared to the dozens of other sources,” Costello said.

James Porter of the Department of Public Service said in a phone interview that the wireless meters meet FCC guidelines and the emissions are comparable to those emitted by a baby monitor.

Customers of CVPS can keep their wired meters. But customers who opt out of the wireless meters may wind up paying as much as $10 a month to have their meters read manually.

Porter said implementation of the proposed $10 monthly fee is being delayed until after the smart meters are completely deployed.

Porter said that will allow the utilities, including Green Mountain Power Corp., to collect information on how much it will actually cost to send out meter readers.

“Today, there is no cost and there won’t be until it’s reassessed at the time there is full deployment,” said Porter, the department’s director of telecommunications.

He said Burlington Electric Department is also holding its meter-reading fee in abeyance.

One of the cost-savings of wireless meters will be the phasing out of meter readers. The smart meters also allow utilities to better monitor peak power loads, more precisely locate power outages, and will eventually allow customers to manage their electric usage.

Porter said the rate-setting Public Service Board has been looking into smart meters since 2007. The PSB has approved the installation of the wireless meters but left open a docket investigating privacy and cyber-security issues, Porter said.

Mayhew declined to disclose how much was being spent on the ad campaign or the sources of funding. He said the Wake Up Opt Out campaign represents “a community of concerned Vermonters.”