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Wireless
Meters

Wireless "smart" meters do more than eliminate meter readers, gathering incredibly detailed home data.  Data from meters has been said to be worth trillions and more than the sale of energy.

Cybersecurity risks are considered to be serious.

Names for "smart" meters include mesh and automated meter reader (AMI). They are associated with fires and high powered wireless transmissions emanating from meters and relay antennas. Accusations of fires, illness onset, and over-billing have led to lawsuits, protests, and investigations. Besides wireless communications, the meters can add other frequencies or fields to wiring which cause earlier death of electronics, transmit from wiring, and are linked to ill health in human beings.

Outside resources included may not all be in total agreement with Last Tree Laws, and we cannot verify or guarantee information or websites from outside resources.

An excerpted slideshow below also briefly reviews some aspects of the topic.

What's Going ON?

 Slides excerpted from PPT posted here with permission by author.

Outside RESOURCES

Important News:
  • US close to mandating the use of non-digital (analog, manual) technologies on critical infrastructure
Tips:
  • Acting on smart meters
Report by Electrical Engineer Bill Bathgate (Excellent, on Electrical Risks):
bathgateami.pdf
File Size: 0 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Report by Citizen Nina Beety (2019 In-Depth Review & Summary of Numerous Reported Hazards: Electrical, Injury, Fire)
fire_and_electrical_hazards_report.pdf
File Size: 424 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

article_7-21-19.pdf
File Size: 15 kb
File Type: pdf
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Videos:
  • Take Back Your Power (Video)
Find Your MA Utility:
  • Mass Dot Listing
  • Pole Agreements
Health Risks:
  • Smart Meters: Correcting the Gross Misinformation (Signed by 50 scientists)
  • Duke Energy customers report illness from meters; free opt outs allowed for "medical" reasons (NC)
  • Analysis of symptoms from smart meters in Australian study
  • Santa Cruz medical officer 2012 assessment of smart meter risks per request from Santa Cruz board:
health-risks-associated-with-smartmeters.pdf
File Size: 1326 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Privacy:
  • The Smart Grid and Privacy [Electronic Privacy & Information Center]
  • EFF Advises California PUC on Smart Grid Privacy Protections (Electronic Frontier Foundation)
  • Smart grid powers up privacy worries (Also discusses profits)
  • Urjanet sells utility billing data for 20 million
  • Ratepayers pay for data collection in Illinois, and consumer groups want access to data without permission
Security:
  • Russian Hackers Threaten Power Companies, Researchers Say
  • Cybersecurity of the Power Grid: A Growing Challenge
  • AEE: Grid-edge technologies vulnerable to cyber threats
Fires:
  • Insurance companies sue utilities for smart meter fires; utilities remove of meters at home fires
  • Stockton Smart Meters Explode After Truck Causes Power Surge (And power goes out for 5000)
  • Issue – Fires
  • 1000’s of smart meter fires: New whistleblower & court evidence
  • 80 Palo Alto meters burn after a power surge
Costs:
  • Virginia regulators reject $5 billion cost of smart meter installation
Billing Errors:
  • Overcharging has been reported to occur because of poor installation, software glitches, damage to the meter, electronic noise (extremely common problem today), and hot/cold weather.
  • A MAJOR way smart meters can overcharge is through calculation. Unlike analogs which simply count total use, smart meters must calculate use from info gleaned from a sensor. Calculations can average   peak power measurements for a high bill.
  • "Smart" meters could be overbilling you by a whopping 582% (References a study on electronic noise effects)
  • Maine class action for overbilling (5000+ customers)
  • Billing errors in Chicago hidden from customers
  • Grossly inflated "estimated" smart meter bills in LA
  • Atlanta class action, bills of 10K, and observation misfitted meter can increase bill
Smart Meter Group Examples:
  • [Arizona] The EI WellSpring [Pdf document overviews]
  • [Michigan] Smart Meter Education Network (One of two similarly named Michigan groups that reviews several smart meter risks & legal aspects--many similarly named groups exist nationwide)
  • Maine Coalition to Stop Smart Meters
  • [California] Stop Smart Meters

Outside Resources on
Massachusetts

Department of Public Utilities (DPU):
  • Massachusetts Makes Smart Grid Mandatory
  • MA DPU order requires big utilities to submit a ten-year grid modernization plan (GMP) by 2014 (see page 101 for "steering committee" groups
ma_grid_mod_working_group_report_07-02-2013.pdf
File Size: 1670 kb
File Type: pdf
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Legal Complaint and DPU:
  • Overview of legal complaint over Worcester pilot to Securities Exchange Commission (SEC)
overview_of_complaint_to_sec_by_patricia_burke.docx
File Size: 91 kb
File Type: docx
Download File

Worcester Pilot and Protests:
  • Residents Protesting Smart Grid Pilot in Worcester
  • Worcester Opts Out Website
  • Will Smart Meters Be Stopped in Worcester?
  • The Clock Is Ticking: Worcesterites face down dangers of imposed smart meter pilot
  • Worcester gets a jump on smart energy technology
Costs of Refusing "Smart" Meters:
  • Assessing Impacts of Wireless, We Need to Have Our Heads Examined
Holyoke & UMass Amherst Research: 
  • Irwin Works with Smart Meter Project at Holyoke Gas & Electric Co.
  • Toward a Smarter Grid (ResearchNext) "UMass Amherst computer scientist Prashant Shenoy and electrical and computer engineer David Irwin ...partner Holyoke Gas and Electric (HG&E), ...are analyzing data from 18,000 smart meters in the city of Holyoke. ...these record electricity data constantly ...—peak usage times, appliance usage, and more"
  • UMass Amherst Researchers Receive $1 Million Grant to Improve Utility Smart Metering, Energy Services and Conservation
  • UMass $200K Grant to work with Holyoke G&E
"Green" Charities Look the Other Way:
  • Sierra Club cites controversy for failing to take a stand on wireless exposures--however, board members of Sierra Club are heavily invested in wind and solar which utilize smart meters for billing.
  • Many "green" charities fail to take a stand on wireless exposures and often are funded by solar or wind.
Lawsuit & Orders:
  • 120 Million lawsuit against San Diego Gas & Electric Co., smart meter manufacturer Itron, the state Attorney General, the state Public Utilities Commission and its president, Michael Peevey, and others.
  • A French court has ordered the removal of the controversial Linky electricity smart meters from 13 homes, for medical reasons.
  • Listing of some cases
  • Iowa board rules to allow opt-outs on permanent, ongoing basis:
final_ruling_iowa_smart_meters.pdf
File Size: 204 kb
File Type: pdf
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Current Legal Proceeding in Albany, NY: 
  • Lawsuit to halt smart meters by Deborah Kobald against PSC [NY Albany-based state utility] filed in Albany County Supreme Court: Deborah Elise Kopald - v. - Public Service Commission et al
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  • Last Tree Laws
    • Volunteer or Show Support
    • About Us
    • Mission
    • Endorsements
    • Blog
  • Issues
    • Environmental Resources
    • No Tree's Tech
    • Go Wired Not 5G >
      • Wireless Risks >
        • Videos
        • Lawsuits
        • Electromagnetic Sensitivity
        • Wireless Warnings
      • Wireless Harms Butterflies
      • Wireless Meters
      • Small Cell Towers & 4G/5G Risks >
        • Steps to Halt Wireless Infrastructure
        • Reasons to Halt 4G/5G
      • State Wireless News >
        • International News
      • Directory Outside Groups
    • Privacy & Propaganda Risks >
      • Smart Cities and IoT
    • Screen Time Resources
    • Electricity & Climate
    • Infrastructure & Security Resources
    • Disinformation
    • Ethical Government
  • Events
    • Press Releases
  • Action
    • Act!
    • Handouts >
      • Risks Handouts
    • Social Media
    • Canvassing/ Tabling
    • Rally!
    • State Lobbying Overview
    • Conversation Ideas
    • Newspaper Letters
    • Petitions
  • Donations
    • Store
    • Expenses
  • Federal Legislation
    • News US Representatives
  • Ballot Measure
    • Petition Initiatives
  • MA Legislation
    • Wireless & Electromagnetic Legislation >
      • Pros and Cons
    • Education Legislation
    • Tech & Privacy Bills
    • Chemical Legislation
    • Politician Scorecards >
      • Legislation Left Behind
  • Town & City
    • Wireless Opposition
    • Local Letters
    • Ordinances
    • Town Warrant
    • MA Town Actions and Issues
  • Sign Testimony
    • Current Testimony
    • Current Testimony #1
    • Current Testimony #2
    • Tree Letter >
      • Tree Letter Signatures
    • School Tech Limits >
      • School Tech Signatures
    • Our Risks
    • For Legislator Signatures