Page 9 - the NOISE February 2014

sMArT MeTer upDATe
smart Meter deployment is scheduled to begin in Sedona on March 9, in spite of the CityofSedona’srequestforacity-wideopt-out of the digital electric meters. On June 19, 2013 the Sedona City Council voted 4-3 in favor of sending a letter to the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) asking them to allow all citizens of Sedona to opt out of smart meter installation without penalty.
In a letter dated June 24 and signed by May- or Rob Adams, the Council expressed the com- munity’s desire to opt out of smart meters with- out financial penalty. APS has requested a $75 initial fee and an ongoing $30 monthly fee for citizens who choose to keep analog meters rather than have a smart meter installed. The letter questions the logic of this solution, citing the current meter reading fee of $1.86.
The letter further states: “Hopefully you can agree that throughout the State and the nation, serious concerns have arisen by a significant number of citizens about the health, safety and privacy effects of smart-meters. Studies do in- dicate the long-term exposure to high levels of electro-magnetic radiation does have the potential to affect the health of human beings. One of the major themes we heard from our citizens was the most prudent course of action, given the health concerns about smart-meters, is to delay their implementation until more sci- entific information and study come available.”
In October, the Big Park Regional Council followed Sedona’s lead and adopted a resolu- tion that refused smart meter installation and penalties “until such time that truly indepen- dent testing and auditing has proven smart meters both safe and fiscally prudent.”
The response received by Big Park indicated APS was allowing people to opt out for the time being while it awaited for the ACC’s de- cision on its “Automated Meter Opt-Out Plan” which includes the request for the exorbitant fees mentioned. The APS response notes the ACC has “voted to request that the Arizona De- partment of Health Services (DHS) conduct a study on the potential health effects of ex- posure to the radio frequencies (RF) emitted from automated meters.”
The letter continues: “until the findings of the DHS study are publicly available and the ACC rules on our proposal, we continue to al- low customers to decline an automated meter
... at no cost during the interim.”
None of these efforts, however, has served
to restrain APS from continuing to install smart meters in Sedona.
In an email dated January 21, Nicholas R. Gioello, Sedona’s Assistant to the City Manager warned “Our City Manager contacted a spokes- man from APS by telephone to confirm the rumors we have been hearing regarding the installation of smart meters in the Verde Valley this year. The following information was gained from that conversation: 1) Deployment of the meters in Cottonwood will begin on February 3; 2) Homeowners will receive a letter from
sTOrY bY CinDY COle
APSthreeweeksinadvanceofthedeployment with information about the installation sched- ule; 3) Doorhangerswillbeplacedonhomes 2-3 days in advance of the meter installation; 4) APS will not deploy “smart meters” on homes where customers have requested to opt out; 5) Deployment of “smart meters” in Sedona is scheduled to begin on March 9.”
The email confirms the ACC has not issued a decision regarding opt out fees stating, “At this point in time, opting out of a smart meter installation should not cost any extra fees for the consumer. However, if such a fee schedule is eventually approved by the ACC, it is un- known if the opt out fees will be retroactive.”
Even though Sedona made its request for a city-wide smart meter opt out, the email ex- plains: “The City of Sedona has no jurisdictional authority regarding the installation of smart meters or the establishment of opt out fees; that authority is vested with the Arizona Cor- poration Commission by State statute.”
In response, Sedona Smart Meter Aware- ness (sedonasmartmeterawareness.com) is- sued the following:
APS will begin installing Automated “Smart” Meters in the Cottonwood area beginning Monday. After that, Sedona will probably be next. APS will give a one day notice by hanging a tag on your door.
If you have a blue tag on your analog meter, you will be safe. If not, even if you have opted out, you’ll need to send another written notice to APS and to the Arizona Corporation Com- mission (mailmaster@azcc.gov), with copies to Commissioner Brenda Burns (burns-web@ azcc.gov) and Gary Pierce (pierce-web@ azcc.gov) stating that you have opted out, but did not receive a blue tag on your analog me- ter. Here’s why this is important.
The opt out fee will be determined by the total number of rate payers who have refused smart meter installations and have a blue tag. If the total number of rate payers opting out is low, APS will ask for a higher opt out fee ... APS will attempt to justify a high opt out fee is nec- essary because so few ratepayers have opted out. The greater the number of people formal- ly opting out, the lower the costs to read meters.
It is unconscionable that the Arizona Corpo- ration Commission is allowing APS to continue installing Smart Meters in the face of research documenting the dangers, and health agen- cies in other states recommending to their commissions that the state or county refuse Smart Meters until they are proven safe.
For more information on public input with the ACC regarding smart meters, visit edocket. azcc.gov and search for Docket Number 11- 0328. You can also call the APS Customer Care Center at 800-953-9405 to opt out.
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