Page 10 - the NOISE May 2015

smart meter opt-out fees retreat... for Now...
story by CiNdy Cole
graphiC by omar viCtor
ABovE: Arizona Corporation Commissioner Gary Pierce at the Smart Meter hearing last December.
on April 13, the Arizona Corporation Commission held an Open Meeting along the Capi- tol Triangle in sunny downtown Phoenix; and, after an hour of private executive session consideration and legal consultation, its December 2014 decision — to impose fees for Ari- zona Public Service customers who refuse wireless “smart Meters” — was rescinded. Though it was not specified during the meeting, the indefinite postponement of these fees was likely the result of a whistleblower’s revelations made public in March.
A Commission employee recently revealed insider knowledge of inappropriate contact between commissioners and APs employees during the time the Commission considered APs requests for so-called “opt-out” fees to be imposed on consumers who refused installa- tion of wireless meters. The whistleblower worked for the ACC for more than six years and held the position of executive Aide to former commission chair Gary Pierce at the time of the alleged improprieties.
Citizen rejection of this untested technology has been based on health, safety and privacy concerns. similar issues have mounted around the country and evidence that these concerns are valid is building.
Media reports thus far have focused on accusations against Mr. Pierce, without detail to alle- gations made about those who still hold positions at the involved agencies. The whistleblower implicated former commissioner Brenda Burns as well as current commissioner Bob Stump and ACC executive Director Jodi Jerich. All three commissioners served on the ACC when smart Meter fees were being considered. The whistleblower also named Don Brandt and Don Robinson, current and former CeO of Pinnacle west and APs respectively {Pinnacle west is the parent corporation of APs}.
In an open letter addressed to the investigators of the corruption accusations at the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, sedona smart Meter activist Warren Woodward wrote, “The media has not done justice to this story. I will be asking the questions they forgot or never thought to ask. For example, why hasn’t ACC commissioner Bob stump been taken away in handcuffs?!”
In California, which often serves as a bureaucratic template for Arizona policy on similar is- sues, a large scale investigation has taken place regarding Pacific Gas & Electric’s deployment of smart Meters in its service area. search warrants were executed on the homes and offices of executives and employees of both PG&e and the California Public Utility Commission, where computers and correspondence were seized. Tens of thousands of emails have been released to the public and have been published online at cpuc.ca.gov/PG&E20150130ResponseToA1 312012Ruling/. These emails point to collusion and conspiracy between CPUC and PG&e to cover up and downplay the dangers associated with smart Meters, more than nine million of which have been installed on homes and businesses in PG&e service area.
while the investigation is still underway, revelations include a conspiracy to delay public hearings on smart Meter installation as well as using exorbitant fees to deter refusal of the wireless meters by consumers. Mr. woodward accused the ACC and APs of employing the same delay tactics and extortionist fees more than two years ago.
10 • MAY 2015 • the NOISE arts & news • thenoise.us
In addition, it has been revealed that PG&e deliberately deceived the public with a 2010 report conducted by an “independent third party,” Structure Consulting Group. The study was used to assure PG&e customers the bills they were receiving after smart Meter installa- tion, which were sometimes more than ten times the amounts of previous bills, were accurate. when questioned about overbilling after receiving automated meters, many consumers were told it was due to old analog meters “not working properly.” As it turns out, emails confiscated in the California investigation reveal there were financial ties between structure and PG&e. In addition, then-CPUC President Michael Peevey communicated with PG&e before structure had completed testing meters, saying “the results would please” the utility company.
Regarding consumer complaints about the health and safety hazards associated with smart Meters, Mr. Peevey wrote an email to PG&e in september 2010:
“... The press coverage was very good and helps PG&e big time, overall, as well as other companies ... One thought for the company: If it were my decision I would let anyone who wants to keep their old meter keep it, if they claim they suffer from eMF and/or related electronic-related illnesses ... I would institute such a policy quietly and solely on an in- dividual basis. There really are people who feel pain ... related to eMF ... and rather than have them become hysterical ... I would quietly leave them alone. Kick it around. And, it sounds like the company may already have taken this step, based on a couple of the com- ments at yesterday’s public hearing.”
In another exchange in 2010 between Mr. Peevey’s Chief of staff Carol Brown and PG&e, Ms. Brown writes:
“... so far I have done OK just listening to the sad tales of eMF poisoning — and telling them ‘thank you’ for bringing it to our attention — and then not offering them any solution! I just
wanted to have a resource in case!”
In response, PG&e’s VP of Regulatory Relations replied: “Prozac might be a solution!”
It becomes quickly apparent that “the company” was not taking seriously the adverse health and safety effects reported to it by customers.
On March 30, an incident involving smart Meters in stockton gained national attention when thousands of residents were left without power. A dump truck crashed into a utility pole causing smart Meters to explode across a neighborhood. PG&e says the collision caused the top wire attached to the pole to hit the bottom wire causing a power surge. The surge traveled along the lines connected to homes in the area and subsequently caused hundreds of smart Meters to explode. Residents reported hearing loud popping sounds across the area. PG&e customers with smart Meters reported blackened receptacles inside their homes as well as damaged appliances and electronics. Pictures of blackened smart Meters with covers hanging by wires — some completely blown off — abound on the internet. Analog meters were not damaged by this incident. There have also been numerous reports of smart Meter fires across the country and in Canada, without a dump truck scenario.
In europe, nearly half the nations belonging to the european Union have decided to delay and even halt large-scale smart Meter deployment. According to the 2012 Energy Efficiency Di- rective, eU countries were supposed to replace at least 80% of all electricity meters with smart Meters by 2020, with a caveat that the meters are found to be money-saving. Of the 28 mem- ber nations, only 16 found the meters to provide a net cost benefit.
A report by the German Federal Ministry of economics released in 2013 concluded that it was not in the best interest of German consumers to meet the goals of the eU directive. In particular for small energy consumers, the study found the costs associated with smart Meter deployment and operation would far outweigh any potential savings for the custom- er. Guidelines released by the Ministry earlier this year included provisions that would only make smart Meters mandatory where cost reduction for the consumer could be shown. In addition, the Ministry has suggested a legal framework to guarantee the protection of data transmitted by smart Meters.
In the Us, more than 50 million smart Meters have already been deployed across the nation. It is estimated nearly half of American households currently have smart Meters. That number is expected to increase to 65 million installed smart Meters by the end of this year. All of the controversies that smart Meter installations have raised have not seemed to slow them down. At least not yet.
The criminal investigation in California began when consumers questioned the activities of their utility providers. some refused smart Meter installations and many questioned the exor- bitant fees utility providers requested for the privilege. The allegations of the Arizona whistle- blower are still waiting to receive serious consideration. The lack of media coverage and the public outrage it should raise have left many Arizonans feeling cheated and ignored.
In the meantime, the indefinite delay of APs’ ability to charge fees for smart Meter removal or retention of an analog meter means it’s not too late to opt out. not only is the technology of smart Meters untested and the cost benefits unproven, it is becoming more apparent that the methods with which they have been forced upon unsuspecting Arizona consumers may, in fact, have been criminal. At best, they were certainly unsavory.
| Cindy Cole likes intelligent meter readers a whole lot better.
cindy@thenoise.us
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