In mid-2010, Southern California Edison publicly started installing
smart meters. On January 4, 2012, the Community Alliance's Blotter
alerted the local residents of Newberry Springs that Edison was starting to target the
community for meter replacement, and that residents had the opportunity to option-out of
the installations.
Initially, the state's electrical utilities were threatening a monthly surcharge
fee upon customers who defied the installation of the new meters. This was, however,
held-up by the PUC primarily for liability reasons as there are numerous hazards associated
with Smart Meters and there were concerns that the utility companies would be held liable in a
court of law for coercing customers who resisted and were later injured. Such would likely
call for huge punitive damages.
In a political maneuver a few days before last Christmas, the PUC granted the
California utilities the right to charge their residential customers a $75 initial fee and a $10
bi-monthly fee for customers who want to opt-out of a Smart Meter. For customers under the
CARE program, the amounts are $10 and $5. This PUC decision is currently under an appeal
application; however, the charges can be found on Edison's January billing.
Jones Oil, and Irish distributor of oil products, has recently released the
following illustration on Smart Meters. For those new to the Blotter, its 2012
original blog
includes a very enlighting video on the topic.
While the very long illustration below focuses on Europe and the U.S., the message
is for bigger government and economic control over you. Smart Meters will ultimately
allow government, through the utilities, to go far beyond California's Tier pricing; such as
to add huge new surcharges if you don't wash your laundry late at night between certain hours,
or over-comfort the temperature of your living environment.
RFID-chips that report an appliance usage are already being installed
in many refrigerators, washing machines, televisions, microwaves, clothes dryers, and
are being planned to be later installed in common appliances such as handheld hair dryers.
All to report to the government, utilities, and consumer marketers who will be buying the
information, as to what you and your co-dwellers are doing inside your home at any specific
time.
Insurance companies, for instance, will be able to use the data to arbitarily
profile homes that may have a late night TV viewer as having someone with a sleep disorder and
who may represent a sleep deprived insurance risk during the day. Therefore, leading to a
higher insurance premium or the cancellation of coverage. The ramification of privacy
invading electronic spying is enormous; and all the data, about the inside of your home, is
being compiled without a search warrant.
If you allowed a utility company to sneak onto your property and affix a smart
meter to your home, the utility claims that you have consented.
Of course, the biggest concern is over health and the increasing bombardment
of radio waves of the hazardous frequency that these meters transmit, which is quite different
than cellphones.
