From August, 2022 . . .
Part One: Electromagnetic Sensitivity: EMS and Wireless Radiation
Part Two: Electromagnetic Sensitivity: EMS and Wireless Radiation
From November, 2019 . . .
August 5, 2022
Hi, Scott.
I listened to and featured yours and Susan Foster’s two-part interview on Green Street radio here:
In part one of the interview, you both discussed the problems with so-called “Smart meters”
Apparently, SoundCloud does not allow one to scrub through the audio unless you set up an account, so I can’t give you the exact time code, but about half-way through Susan Foster said something like the Electro-mechanical electric meter — a metal and glass, analog meter with no internal electronics — “had a fuse” and such a fuse protects the occupants in the home from an electrical spike on the electrical distribution lines (she cited an incident in Stockton, CA).
That sounded wrong to me. I then called PG&E and was called back by a PG&E Engineer and we talked things over for about 30 minutes.
There are now an array of meters made available to PG&E Customers, that fall into three categories:
A. Digital SmartMeter™ with (flammable) internal electronics and plastic cover, RF microwave radiation emitting antennas and a switched mode power supply
B. Digital Time-of-Use Meter with (flammable) internal electronics and plastic cover, and a switched mode power supply, but no RF microwave radiation emitting antennas
C. Electro-mechanical meter: a metal and glass, analog meter that has dials and no internal electronics or switched mode power supply
He confirmed to me that C does not have a fuse and is not grounded. The spike (if it gets past the cut out at the pole) goes through the meter to the electrical panel and then is hopefully grounded. C is built with non-flammable materials and is tougher, as it can withstand an electrical spike on the electrical distribution lines better than A or B, which are made from flammable materials.
Many times people are given B, when they really should get C, as both A and B contribute a good deal of conducted emissions/dirty electricity.
You may want to better inform Susan Foster and Doug & Patti at Greenstreet so opt out customers successfully request and get the correct meter, C – Electro-mechanical meter.
Pacific Gas & Electric Meter Choices
Adapted from this PG&E web page here:
With PG&E, you can choose the type of meter that you want for your home. You can choose a between
- Digital SmartMeter™ with internal electronics, RF microwave radiation emitting antennas and a switched mode power supply or
- Electro-mechanical meter: a metal and glass, analog meter that has dials and no internal electronics or switched mode power supply. The following table compares both meters.
PLEASE NOTE: The electro-mechanical, analog meter comes with a monthly fee. The monthly fee ends after 36 consecutive months. Fees are set by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).
| Feature | So-Called SmartMeter™ | Electro-mechanical meter |
|---|---|---|
| Emits RF Micowave radiation 24/7 † | Yes | No |
| Includes Switched Mode Power Supply‡ | Yes | No |
| Flammable | Yes | No |
| Collects usage data to sell to third parties | Yes | No |
| Energy alerts | Yes | No |
| View your daily energy alerts | Yes | No |
| Outage detection | Yes | No |
| Setup charge | Free | $75 or less |
| Monthly charge | Free | $10 or less |
- † Per PG&E testimony, PG&E’s Digital SmartMeter™ sends between 10,000 and 190,000 RF Microwave transmissions per day from your home; each transmission is designed to travels nearly two miles.
- ‡ A switched mode power supply converts AC to DC (for the internal electronics) and does not filter out the resulting conducted emissions/electrical waste which is dumped onto your electric lines, creating Dirty Electricity and a turning one’s plastic Romex wiring into a 24/7 emitter of 100 kHz+ RF microwave radiation. Learn more here.
If you qualify for financial assistance, the setup charge for an analog meter is $10 and the monthly charge is $5. Learn about financial assistance requirements.
Link to Helping Customers Save Energy & Money.
You Can Opt Out of SmartMeter™ Use
You can opt out of SmartMeter™ participation with one of the following methods:
- Link to SmartMeter™ Opt-Out Form.
- Link to Office Locations by Area (PDF, 221 KB). Find your local PG&E office.
- Submit a request in-person at your local PG&E office.
- Call the PG&E SmartMeter™ line at 1-866-743-0263.
CPUC Rules for SmartMeter™ Opt-Out Fees
If you opt out, your monthly fees and meter readings are affected in the following ways.
- Your monthly charges are discontinued after 36 consecutive months.
- Your meter readings take place every other month, starting in 2015.
The CPUC decision on opt-out rules was issued in December 2014.
- Read the CPUC decision. Link to CPUC Decision 14-12-078 December 18, 2014 (PDF, 980 KB)
- Read the tariff and rate changes related to the decision by the CPUC. Link to SUBJECT: Implementation of SmartMeter™ Opt Out Phase 2 Decision 14-12-078: Revise the SmartMeter™ Opt-Out Program Balancing Accounts, Electric and Gas Rate Schedules E-SOP and G-SOP, and Electric and Gas Rule 9 (PDF, 1.49 MB)PDF.