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
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Report by Citizen Nina Beety (2019 In-Depth Review & Summary of Numerous Reported Hazards: Electrical, Injury, Fire)

fire_and_electrical_hazards_report.pdf
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article_7-21-19.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
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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:

• 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
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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
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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
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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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• NOTICE OF PETITION
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• RJI -RE: NOTICE OF PETITION