The Great CPUC Dog and Pony Show (aka Smart Meter Opt-Out Workshop)
Photos
Videos
Today in San Francisco, a valiant group of activists, scientists, experts and attorneys faced off with saintly-looking utility company executives, their industry suppliers, and the CPUC in a mandatory day-long meeting on the topic of Smart Meter opt-outs.
The potentially contentious meeting was complete with new security features in the form of metal detectors and armed guards. The stage was further set with the opening remarks of Administrative Law Judge Amy Yip-Kikugawa, who informed the attendees of the ground rules, which expanded as the meeting got under way to include prohibiting the mention of health and safety as "outside the scope" of the meeting.
In fact, everything the CPUC or utilities disagreed with seemed to be outside the scope, but as the day wore on, the judge allowed more leeway and a number of cogent issues were discussed.
To look at the participating utility execs, you might have thought the sky had opened and the angels themselves landed in their seats, for all the wide-eyed sweetness and innocence that exuded from their pores.
Judge Yip-Kikugawa explained that the purpose of the meeting was to establish which options might be used in an opt-out scenario—the technologies (wired meters, radio-off meters and/or analog meters). The second factor to be established was the cost and viability of these options. There would be no discussion of the reasons for choosing any of these. As it turned out, this was not followed to the letter, leading to an interesting day, with much brought to light.
The four major utilities—SDG&E, Southern CA Gas, Southern CA Edison and Pacific Gas & Electric—and their suppliers presented information about their proposed or potential opt-out plans, including costs for those opting out, with justifications. For instance, they described charging ratepayers up to $600 to opt-out and $40 monthly.
These executives, including Ted Reguly of SDG&E, then answered questions from the audience and webcast/phone participants, who submitted theirs by email to Marzia Zafar, the CPUC gatekeeper. These included the following (paraphrased):
Q: "Why should ratepayers pay more for something they've had all along, such as (keeping) analog meters?" (asked in different ways by about five individuals, including me)
A: "It is an incremental cost, due to the changes in the way we are doing business. Now, we use smart meters. We no longer use meter readers." (Long justifications for gouging ratepayers with high fees for opting out were given by each utility. SDG&E said it had deployed 98% of its smart meters and there were only about 100 people who didn't want one. SCE said it had deployed 60%, PG&E reported 86%, and Southern CA Gas reported it had not yet started, would start deployment in about a year. The number of deployments were used as a reason for charging people to opt-out of the "new normal.")
Q: "Why do the measurement of these meters by independent parties show them to be nearly always emitting radiation bursts (every four seconds), when the utilties claim it is only 4-6 times daily and for a few seconds a day?"
A: "The transmission of data is made 4-6 times a day to the utility and THAT is what is reported to the public in the statistics. But the rest of the time, all the meters are "chattering" or "talking" to each other, and that is what is measured (as radiation is also emitted then)."
Q: "What is the measurement of the peak pulse?"
A: "That is outside the scope; we are not discussing that. We will discuss that sometime. ... I don't know when, at some meeting, maybe." (ALJ Judge)
Q: "It is relevant ... what is the peak pulse? We need to know how much radiation is coming out of the meters to make an informed decision on whether to opt-out."
A: ALJ: "If you don't stop being disruptive, I will ask that you leave and we'll stop the meeting and reconvene at some other time."
Q: "Are analog meters available?"
A: "We don't know, we don't think so. We are now focused on smart meters, no one is making analogs, we didn't save them, they were recycled."
Q: "How much is an analog meter"
A: $20 or less.
Q: "How much is a smart meter?"
A: $100
Q: "Do all four utilities have an installation delay list now in place?"
A: "Yes, we do." (Each suit nodded vigorously and confirmed this, though SDG&E explained that only a fraction had requested a delay, as they were ahead of the game and nearly 100% installed. SCE said they had one, as did PG&E and Southern CA Gas was noting those who didn't want a meter in their customer accounts).
Q: "How is it that I (customer) called SCE's office during lunch and they said they know nothing about a delay list?"
A: SCE: "We are working on it, in a week or week and a half it should be fully operational."
Q: "How many opt-outs do you expect?"
A: "We expect very few, just a fraction of our customers, maybe 1.5%."
Q: "Wouldn't a lot more opt-out if they knew about the radiation being emitted?"
A: (mumble mumble)
Q: "The municipalities that don't want meters constitute 25% of the PG&E ratepayers. What will you do if most people, maybe 80-90% in some areas, want to opt-out?"
A: "We have no numbers like those. None." (nervous)
Q: "What about solar netmeters? They are analog. We don't have a smart meter because we have solar." (speaker)
A: "We have a solar smart meter being developed and ready to roll out in November. After November, solar customers will have smart meters." (PG&E customer registers shock on his face.)
Q: "Are smart meters essential to the smart grid?"
A: "No." "Yes." (varied)
An argument ensued several times about the number of watts transmitted and whether it broke FCC guidelines (2 vs. 1). The questioner, David Wilner, an environmental consultant, persisted in stating his point of view, even while overtalked by the ALJ, who then ordered the webcast cameras to be turned off and shut down the meeting for five minutes.
Later the industry supplier admitted under certain circumstances that 2 watts could be measured, which is higher than FCC regulations. The same argument broke out about the radiation levels. Industry execs and their suppliers insisted that the smart meters, even in large banks (groups), met FCC guidelines for radiation levels.
Sandi Maurer of EMF Safety Network, Sebastopol, CA, said she had a letter from FCC that stated smart meters are "categorically excluded" from FCC oversight. One member of the audience said he had personally measured many smart meters which emitted high pulses of radiation often and thought that the PG&E information was "completely bogus."
The utility representatives obviously favored radio-off smart meters, that is, using smart meters and just turning off the transmitters (not the receivers, necessarily), or digital meters with no radios inside, as opposed to analogs, which all deplored as old-school.
The activists and customers preferred analogs as safer, even though overtalked due to that being "outside the scope" by the ALJ. As the day wore on, even the ALJ seemed to have issues with the safety of smart meters, though, and asked her own questions of the industry panelists.
None of the panelists favored wired options such as fiber-optics or phone lines, and gave examples of how cost-prohibitive these would be. However, people in the audience challenged those assertions, noting that Idaho Power and Light and Kansas City, as well as Tennessee were successfully using fiber-optic.
One person suggested having another meeting with fiber-optic or telecom people present who might more fairly represent that technology as an option, noting that this panel represented people who were wireless enthusiasts.
One member of the audience, Steve Martinot, observed that the entire discussion was based on the premise that it was legitimate to have installed these smart meters. Zafar, the CPUC's energy representative, grabbed the mike and shouted "NO!" at one point, as this was being discussed.
She insisted that the legitimacy of the program was looked at and approved many times starting from 2003 — forgetting, apparently, that the issue was wireless and that had not been proposed or approved till just a few years ago.
Mr. Martinot further suggested that the costs be borne by the shareholders for the utility companies as they had engaged in the risk of this new program, that the ratepayers who opt-out should pay nothing. This was met with major amounts of grumbling and vehement responses from the CPUC and utilities.
There was a suggestion by David Wilner that we follow a plan like Maine has, which gave a credit to the customers who opted out so they weren't charged for their smart meters, and charged them a minimal amount.
One audience suggestion was to charge those with opt-outs $2 a month, though many others thought it should be free, as the people had not asked for these meters nor to be irradiated. Another person noted that if the CPUC allows utilities to charge extra for having health issues, that under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), this would trigger lawsuits.
Still another, Steve Martinot, added that given the reason for being at the meeting was due to complaints about health effects and safety, that it was tantamount to extortion to say, "we are going to put something on your house that harms you but if you pay us money, we won't."
Of course, this led to another round of grumbles and rumbling.
Sandi Maurer once more reiterated, "Why should people have to pay more to have the same thing?"(analogs)
Cindy Sage, Santa Barbara environmental consultant and longtime expert on wireless and RF radiation, commented numerous times from the audience. She emphasized the measurements she'd taken and how these did not confirm the lower levels of radiation that the utiities were reporting to the public, that there were major discrepancies.
Ms. Sage said that EMF's included low level ELF's and radiofrequency radiation, per the decision of a governor-appointed panel that she participated on in 1993. Zafar (CPUC staff and defender of the smart grid) loudly jumped into the fray once more. Ms. Sage noted that even the industry expert, Rick Tell, admitted that the meters were not all emitting in the same manner, that in the field conditions could vary.
The CPUC Division of Ratepayer Advocates weighed in often and, to their credit, did a good job, though health and safety is not their issue. They posed the question, hypothetically, "How do we be fair to everyone who did not get to delay (or opt-out) and those who did?"
There was a discussion about how often the data must be sent, that it was sent 4-6 times daily and could it be sent less, like once a month (to reduce radiation exposures that come with each signal in a high burst). CPUC's Zafar, never to be silenced, added that the data packets being sent were there to help the ratepayers (customers) to be able to change their behavior and save money.
That the signals being sent to the utility were being sent so often so the customers could look up their usage often and see how they could save (like doing their laundry late at night or in the middle of the night, I think she meant).
There was a lot of talk about whether the meters, once again, were on most of the time emitting radiation, or off. The utilities lost this round, as they finally admitted the amount of "chatter" necessary for the mesh network to operate was nearly constant.
One person in the audience said that it is like claiming a strobe light is not constantly on—but you wouldn't want to sleep with it in your room.
Overall, the utility suits were fixated on costs and losses of their smart meter program, with no mention nor concern about health and safety, while it was the opposite for all the participants who attended in person and virtually.
Out of a possible hundred people present, there was not one person present who defended nor wanted the smart meters on their home or business who did not work for the utilities or supply them.
By the time 4:30 rolled around, Judge Amy Yip-Kikugawa looked like she was anxious to leave, after functioning more as a circus master and less-than-impartial referee. She said that the staff and Commissioners would meet and review all that was discussed, would develop a CPUC Opt-Out Proposal that people could respond to, formally.
Then, Judge Y. said, it was likely that additional meetings would ensue.
For those suffering, it was not good news. They'll be subjected to more bureaucratic tangles that could go on for many more months, meanwhile allowing the utilities to continue their rate of 6,000 radiation-emitting installation of smart meters a day.
By the time the decisions are made for opt-outs, all of them might be fully deployed, using that as a reason not to rock the boat. Perhaps that is the point? Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil. Regulators mustn't do that — and these have their fingers fully in the pie.
Susan Brinchman
9:02 am on Thursday, September 15, 2011
For agenda and video of the entire meeting (except for when the judge shut it down for disruptive elements who insisted on being heard to tell the truth)....
CPUC Workshop - September 14, 2011 - Smart Meter Opt-Out Requests
[Agenda] http://www.californiaadmin.com/agenda.php?confid=CPUC_WS091411&dir=cpuc
[Archive Video Part 1] http://streaming.aanet.org/ramgen/cpuc/CPUC_WS091411-1.rm
[Archive Video Part 2] http://streaming.aanet.org/ramgen/cpuc/CPUC_WS091411-2.rm
For an intro to this meeting, see Anti-Smart Meter Rally, Press Conference and Smart Meter Opt-Out Workshop 9/14/11 http://lamesa.patch.com/blog_posts/anti-smart-meter-rally-press-conference-and-smart-meter-optout-workshop-91411
Susan Brinchman
9:10 am on Thursday, September 15, 2011
Some questions Marzia ignored:
Q: What has SDG&E done in the past month (or earlier) to help customers who don't want a smart meter? CEP's information from many people in SDGE territory is that SDG&E is denying there is a delay list. I have called myself to confirm this.
SCE : our reports are that you have no delay list, is this true?
PGE : our reports are that people are having smart meters installed against their will, is this true?
Q: if a customer did not want a smart meter and had no letter, no notice of deloay option, were told they had to have installation, or were installed forcibly or without permission, will you retroactively install their analog back?
Q: is it true that CPUC does not now allow removal of smart meters or turnoff of radio transmitters, once installed?
Where is the document that proves this to be so?
Also, why have the utilities continued to rapidly deploy, knowing that people are complaining and want opt-outs?
Q: If we have to pay more for analogs [if approved] because there are no more meter readers, then why didn't we get a discount for not having meter readers?
Q: What are the benefits of a smart meter for the consumer, given higher bills? [benefits for the consumer were constantly mentioned, but never named]
Susan Brinchman,
Founder / Director Center for Electrosmog Prevention (CEP)
kathryn
9:20 am on Thursday, September 15, 2011
I watched some of this debacle on the computer -- here is one of my submitted questions. This question was not asked in the session but I received the reply almost immediately after sending my question on the topic being discussed:
As a consumer, I was not asked if I wanted to pay $100 for getting a smart meter. I believe rate payers are being charged for getting a smart meter, with the cost of our monthly service.
Why is now a question to retain our analog meters and our health and safety? We should be allowed to retain our analog meters at no cost. If it is truly such a small number as stated by the utility representatives, then the cost is insignificant.
I believe the issue may be that the the utility companies are masking the true number of consumers who want no part of smart meters.
Kathryn D
***** Reply received:
Hello
Actually, you were notified. The capital investments requested by any utility is told to the customer prior to approval and we also hold and held public participation hearings to hear from the public. This was done beginning 2003 and no one raised these questions/concerns. Also, please note that there is an overall financial benefit to the customer.
Regards,
Marzia Zafar
Susan Brinchman
9:36 am on Thursday, September 15, 2011
Ms. Zafar obviously forgot one very important piece of info: wireless - and the establishment of the deadly mesh network that the emerging smart grid is now based on - was not mentioned in any legislation, public announcements or meetings. It was foisted on the public as a cost-saving mechanism by the utilities, approved by CPUC just a few years ago. It is the wireless feature, in addition to the switching mechanisms in the current smart meters, that experts point to be the cause of health effects.
Tiffany Epley
9:58 pm on Thursday, September 15, 2011
In 2003 I was 21 years old. I did not know about this meeting, or the implications of a smart meter, I was 21. Why did they wait until 2010-2012 to install these if there was not one person raising questions? Further, I got the same response, something like, "Oh, your the first one to raise any kind of regard to the harmless smart meter."
Also, I sent in the question of why these meters have 3 watts, she responded "Your meter from Edison is less than one watt. Not sure how you came up with 3 watts
Regards,
Marzia Zafar"
I am personally hearing everything from 1-3 watts, what is the correct figure? Why didnt she address my question "With the smart meter being 3 watts are we going to have to pay for that power usage for the communication?" Who really cares if the watts are the same, or not. Do we have to pay for them to communicate is my question. I asked several more questions that were not asked, or answered by her.
Lastly, I heard that these meters can "chat" two times a second and the utility company responded that that was not 100%. How could it be considered technically 100% if two times a second is not?
Deanna Munson
2:39 am on Sunday, September 25, 2011
@Tiffany Epley.im in oregon,so maybe the meters are different,but mine all say 3watt right on them
kathryn
9:21 am on Thursday, September 15, 2011
I did not get a reply to my following question:
1) How is the CUC going to address issues of compatibility with other wireless items, eg. garage door openers that have been in place that are affected by the smart meter transmissions? This is a REAL issue that is being minimized by SDGE.
Do we need to file FCC part 15 complaints to have this reasonably addressed?
kathryn
9:24 am on Thursday, September 15, 2011
I asked this information from WSJ along with my question be read to the judge:
North American Electric Reliability Corp. has been studying how to handle security as the US moves toward a "smart grid".
The study covers issues concerning:
1) inability to send the right signals to generate electricity or open and close circuit breakers.
2) lack of authenticating the network that messages come from, making it easier for interception of messages and to send malicious ones.
Are we to be guinea pigs with our health, our safety, our security, our consitutional rights here in California while the CPUC and utility companies try to figure out how to make this smart technology work?
Also of great concern is the high level of electromagnetic radiation these smart meters are emitting.
quoted from:
The Wall Street Journal article: Friday, September 9, 2011
Hacking Targets Multiply by Jennifer Valentino-DeVries
kathryn
9:25 am on Thursday, September 15, 2011
My question:
As homeowners and tenants, don't we have the right in our own homes to LIMIT the security, health and safety issues that are being dropped upon us as a result of these smart meters? We did not OPT-IN to this program and we do not OPT-IN to the loss of home security, being able to secure our homes and garages, nor do we OPT-IN to the health challenges from the electromagnetic radiation is causing 1) insomnia, tinnitus, cancer, heart attacks.
I have personally had some of these security and health issues which started with the smart meter being placed on my panel, and since the removal of the meter by SDGE because of my FCC part 15 complaint, these issues HAVE DISAPPEARED COMPLETELY. I am not going to allow SDGE to come back to my home to remove the analog meter they placed there in July as a response to my FCC complaint.
As a consumer, and as is my constitutional right in California and the United States, I am asking the CPUC, and Judge Amy Yip-Kikugawa to address our concerns and give Californians the RIGHT to HAVE THESE SMART METERS removed from our homes, without harassment and minimization of the MONOLOPY UTILITY Company employees.
kathryn
9:25 am on Thursday, September 15, 2011
I have repeatedly called SDGE regarding their delay list. They tell me there is no delay list yet, today they insisted a delay list is available for SDGE customers.
Given that SDGE has stated today that they have a delay list and given that they gave me an analog meter, will I be allowed to keep my meter per the CPUC recommendations?
Kiku Lani Iwata
9:40 am on Thursday, September 15, 2011
You bring up a great point! Call up UCAN in San Diego today and ask them about SDGE's delay list and response at the Sept. 14th workshop and how will UCAN hold SDGE to their word?
kathryn
9:30 am on Thursday, September 15, 2011
After watching for about 2.5 hours I report: How dismal a feeling to watch these professionals in play. Those who commanded the most respect from the audience obviously had legal background. How as consumers are we expected to actively participate in these decisions made about our lives when our issues and concerns are minimized? I assume the judge, her staff and the utility representation as well as the meter manufacturers were paid for their presence at the hearing. I suspect the activists who were present, along with the others in the audience were there as volunteers and without any significant pay for their time. Perhaps a few attorneys represented some consumer groups. So in order to be an informed consumer and be able to be involved with our concerns we have to rely on the quality of the decisions made by our utility company and our public utility commission staff. Yet, what I saw in today's hearing was a decidedly stacked deck for the utility companies. Over and over I heard that these "smart meters" were for the benefit of consumers to control their usage. I don't need a smart meter to know that the peak time for electricity usage is during the day when commercial and residential usage co-exists. The utility company has been telling me that for years. A billion dollar deployment program for meters many consumers are against for health and safety issues that are not addressed. Wow, what an education on our tax dollars at work, and not for us.
Susan Brinchman
12:00 pm on Thursday, September 15, 2011
Utility Executives Get Grilled by the Public at CA PUC (and Loud Rally Outside Decries Smart Meter Radiation Harm by Utilities)
http://stopsmartmeters.org/2011/09/15/utility-and-smart-meter-tech-company-executives-get-grilled-by-the-public/
Amy O'Hair
12:07 pm on Thursday, September 15, 2011
I was present at the whole of the 'workshop', and this account is quite a good one, catching a great number of the salient points made. I was surprised by the ignorance of some of the technical issues on the part of the utility and industry execs.
Also shocking was the judge's refusal to halt ongoing installations in community/municipal areas where elected representative bodies had voted to ban or pause installations until the ruling process was finished.
Komfort
1:41 pm on Thursday, September 15, 2011
Good news! Lightsquared helps Airspan develop the Smatrgrid with wireless solutions! (While knocking out national security)
Background:
http://www.lightsquared.com/press-room/in-the-news/press-release-08-05-10/
Revelations(from a liberal site):
“Now the Pentagon has been raising concerns about a new wireless project by a satellite broadband company in Virginia called LightSquared, whose majority owner is an investment fund run by Democratic donor Philip Falcone. Gen. Shelton was originally scheduled to testify Aug. 3 to a House committee that the project would interfere with the military’s sensitive Global Positioning Satellite capabilities, which control automated driving directions and missile targeting, among other things. According to officials familiar with the situation, Shelton’s prepared testimony was leaked in advance to the company. And the White House asked the general to alter the testimony to add two points: that the general supported the White House policy to add more broadband for commercial use; and that the Pentagon would try to resolve the questions around LightSquared with testing in just 90 days.”
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/09/15/lightsquared-did-white-house-pressure-general-shelton-to-help-donor.html
A company is willing to shut down the military GPS system and a government is willing to trample it's own General to accomplish this goal.
Oh well, I am sure the Smart meters went thru proper testing and oversight.
Susan Brinchman
6:40 pm on Thursday, September 15, 2011
AT&T is the second highest contributor to political campaigns. The telecom and utility industries are running the country, which is destroying our health and the nation as a whole.
Mary Beth Brangan
7:16 pm on Thursday, September 15, 2011
Another important point that wasn't allowed to be made at the CPUC was the question I tried to ask.
When the utilities and the DRA were claiming that there would be no more RF emissions with the radio off option - I asked whether they were ignoring the emissions from the SMPS, the switching mode power supply. This is on all the meters and steps down the voltage from the power line (240v) to the meter (5-10v) and transforms the AC to DC to run the digital electronics in the meters. The pulses are extremely high frequencies and are constant, 24/7 in order to keep the electronics from frying from the heat. That's just one of the other components in the meters that may also be causing adverse health effects in addition to the RF( radio-frequency) antennas emissions. BUT Judge Amy abruptly stopped me and blocked any discussion of my question. She never again called on me though I had my hand up many times. I am a legal participant in this process and have taken the time and effort to prepare submissions to be a "party" protesting the opt out options proposed by PG&E, my utility, traveled an hour to get to the 'workshop' and was not allowed to say one word. I'm frustrated by this awful process designed to get the result the utilities want. The men representing the utilities and vendors are arrogant and ignorant of the harm they are causing and won't even allow the information to be presented to them. They were unable to answer so many of our questions, it was disgusting.
Earlene
8:49 pm on Saturday, September 17, 2011
Susan, it appears as if we're all working towards a stacked deck and the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing! I called SDG&E a few days ago and requested that my smart meter be removed. I was told "We can't do that, Ma'am," When I asked why not, their rep didn't respond. I then asked to be placed on their list for smart meter removal and was told there was no list, so I asked her to make a notation on my acct. that I wanted it removed. Of course I have no way of knowing this or anything else for that matter was done. We're getting nothing but a fast shuffle in asking questions. Please tell me how you got SDG&E to remove your meter.
Susan Brinchman
10:00 pm on Saturday, September 17, 2011
Earlene, SDG&E does the same to everyone. The only way to get a meter removed is to do it oneself (not necessarily recommended) or to go off-grid, as the seniors in Lompoc are doing (see Smart Meter Nightmare #5). I wish everyone would do it, put them right out of business fast. The murder meter is still on my home (electric) and so is the gas meter. These have severely disrupted our lives and I still suffer headaches and much of the illness previously described. I cannot use my own bedroom nor master bath as a result, get splitting headache and much more when I am in there for even a few seconds. I have had the house tested and it shows positive for elevated, pulsed rf radiation from the smart meter and extreme electromagnetic emissions from the wiring in the room where the electric "murder" meter is. These are carcinogenic. I have had one very frightening bout with a fast growing cancer on my face after the meters were installed and don't plan on repeating that, and anyhow, impossible with the other symptoms as well. SDG&E has sunk to the lowest level a company could, in my estimation, with this mistreatment of me as a customer, and all the others they refuse to help. This will come back to bite them, definitely. About 200 people have not allowed installation, according to SDGE. They have finally admitted the meters run continuously, and that is a big deal, it means all their assurances are baseless.
Tiffany Epley
9:31 pm on Saturday, September 17, 2011
Earline, I dont think we are going to get anywhere any time soon. I really do wish you luck, however.
Earlene
8:55 am on Sunday, September 18, 2011
Susan, I wish there was something I could do to help you; my recommendation to contact Sixty Minutes now seems so meanial. However, I really hope you will follow through with this exposure for your sake as well as the thousands who now suffer problems from this "dumb" meter. Thanks for starting another blog free from all the insensitive morons who think this is some sort of game. I believe in the unwritten law of retribution and have seen those who criticize and make fun of others have the same thing come back and bite them in the butt! Please keep all of us informed; you're doing a great job.
Susan Brinchman
10:25 pm on Sunday, September 18, 2011
Actually, progress against smart meters and the wireless smart grid is being made, though it may not be in the time frame we would like. To date: 47 California municipalities have taken a position against smart meters (Solvang, the latest); the CPUC is discussing opt-outs with all major utilities including SDG&E; all major utilities have been asked to have a delay list by CPUC Judge Yip-Kikugawa and they all said they do have one (even though when you call they say they don't and so I suggest citizens must send a certified letter to be placed on the delay list and copy Center for Electrosmog Prevention and CPUC's Judge Yip-Kikugawa); some of their dark secrets have come out, such as the smart meters are sending signals and emitting radiation all day long - though the utilities want to claim it is not constant (just 2X a second); the uprising is spreading, not being contained; we had a clear demonstration of just how poorly the emerging, interconnected, wireless smart grid is failing us on 9/8/11 with the blackout; people are starting to remove their smart meters and choosing to go off-grid to avoid harm from utility monopolies' smart meters - Smart Meter Nightmare #5: Senior Citizen Replaces Smart Meter With Analog; SDG&E is planning for opt-outs that may be ordered by CPUC; nationally, citizens are up-in-arms about preventing the spread of smart meters; scientists and WHO have published warnings about rf radiation in these microwave frequencies that smart meters use.
Sarah Nordell
10:44 pm on Sunday, September 18, 2011
My question to Judge Marzia Zafar largely went unanswered. There are numerous reports that Smart Meter Billing companies use a neighborhood “averaging” system, over bill, and rely on the customer not being able to verify amounts. Judge Zafar used cookie cutter answers that did not answer the very real, very serious, issues and complaints.
Question: Evidence of serious systemic SMART METER billing errors affecting Australia's largest power company Origin Energy have come to light - resulting in overcharging and usage mistakes as high as 200 per cent. A whistle-blower has told how his his power company offered to "pay him off" when he uncovered issues with their SMART METER billing, sparking calls for a national inquiry.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/today-tonight/money/article/-/10241945/power-scandal-exposed/#video
How can SMART METERS be verified by utility customers and independent third parties that indeed billing and utility usage is correct that can be upheld in a court of law?
Answer: Hi It was already verified by an independent third party selected from a competitive bid last year. The third party proved the accuracy of smart meters.
Regards, Marzia Zafar
Question: My question is how can this be verified by the customers? Do you have detailed information on these studies and third parties?
Answer: Yes. The whole study is on our website Please contact the public advisers office if you need help Regards, Marzia Zafar
m
2:57 pm on Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Is there a full transcript from the CPUC on this meeting?
Susan Brinchman
7:40 pm on Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Judge Yip-Kikugawa said at the start of the proceeding that the record would be their (CPUC) videotape archive, which is available online. No transcript.
CPUC Workshop - September 14, 2011 - Smart Meter Opt-Out Requests
[Agenda] http://www.californiaadmin.com/agenda.php?confid=CPUC_WS091411&dir=cpuc
[Archive Video Part 1] http://streaming.aanet.org/ramgen/cpuc/CPUC_WS091411-1.rm
[Archive Video Part 2] http://streaming.aanet.org/ramgen/cpuc/CPUC_WS091411-2.rm
For the EON videos (much better, as they didn't turn off the camera when the judge ordered the CPUC cameras off) ....see Media above or go to Click here: CPUC "Workshop" - YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGqo0U2ou5U&feature=player_embedded - the opening segment Youtube shows the true flavor of the meeting, it is short. Then, there are the one hour segments in six hours, that may be viewed (plan on being upset, the meeting was run like they were in the USSR - or Red China, should I say?).
Susan Brinchman
8:29 pm on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
History on Marzia Zafar, CPUC Supervisor: From 11 years as a Sempra employee, to 4 years as a So CA Gas Lobbyist, to CPUC regulatory commission, where she is in charge of promoting the smart grid and smart meters to businesses and the public. This is called the "revolving door" and is an example of why CPUC staff are so non-responsive about the smart grid and smart meter problems. They are recycled from industry jobs and support them.
Marzia Zafar manages the Business & Community Outreach Group for the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). In this capacity Marzia and her team review the smart grid deployment plans of the three large California utilities (Sempra, PG&E, and SDG&E) with a focus on the plans customer outreach and education roadmap; whether the utilities have a credible roadmap to allow for customer experience and engagement to be the driving force to change their energy behavior. Marzia has worked at the CPUC for almost five years and prior to that she was the lead lobbyist for Southern California Gas Company.
http://www.meteringamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Marzia-Zafar.pdf
Marzia Zafar, California Public Utilities Commission, reported on the status of the opt-out deliberations at the CPUC and made it clear that municipalities and individuals could not unilaterally opt-out and if they wanted to they would have to appeal to their state legislators.
http://sunroomdesk.com/2011/11/18/glendale-water-and-power-gwpsmart-energy-forum-report/
Mike
11:57 pm on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
It sounds like she is well qualified to do the job then. Glad she has worked with the meters at a utility and knows what she is talking about. Unlike some who post long articles on web sites without a clue.
Susan Brinchman
8:33 pm on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Japan’s Clean Technologies and
Collaboration Opportunities – February 23, 2012
Meet the Panel
CPUC, Marzia Zafar, Program and Project Supervisor
Marzia Zafar’s core responsibility is to promote the California Public Utilities Commission’s (CPUC) programs and policies. Additionally, she oversees staff that is responsible for promoting a Smart Customer within the framework of Smart Grid policies. Their role is to ensure that the customer is enabled and educated in order to make the right energy choices.
Ms. Zafar has been with the Commission since 2007 as a policy advisor and is now the head of the Commission’s Business & Community Outreach group. She has been working on the Commission’s Smart Grid and Smart Meter policies while focusing on how to best engage consumers into transitioning from passive ratepayers to active participants in the grid. Prior to her position with the Commission, Ms. Zafar worked for over 10 years with Sempra Energy utilities.
About California Public Utilities Commision: The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) regulates privately owned electric, natural gas, telecommunications, water, ..... The CPUC serves the public interest by protecting consumers and ensuring the provision of safe, reliable utility service and infrastructure at reasonable rates, with a commitment to environmental enhancement and a healthy California economy. http://www.agrion.org/upload/fichier/Japan%20Clean%20Tech%20Meet%20the%20Panel.pdf
Deanna Munson
10:40 pm on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
healthy California economy.ROFLOL.healthy economy for her,death for us and every other living creature so she can get a new lexxus and a beach house or 3
Mike
11:54 pm on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Murder meters? LOL... headaches and cancer from your meter? LOL Since you don't have a clue as to why the meters need to transmit info on a regular basis you should study up more before posting such a biased blog on a website. The meters transmit data to the utility so they can tell quickly what kind of load is out on the system, if there is a power outage.... small little things like that. I imagine all these people screaming about radiation have microwaves? Electonic meters have been proven time and time again to be more accurate than the old style... so any kind of arguement about them causing billing errors is wrong as well. I thank SDGE for being the most reliable utilty in the nation.
Komfort
6:50 am on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Finally, an expert on SDG&E! Mike, what caused the great power outage?
Tiffany Epley
9:35 pm on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
RELIABLE??? HAHAHAHA! I am laughing so hard! Do you understand what a solar flare can do? Your systems would fry, and I mean like a French fry firework—ON THE SIDE OF YOUR WALL! You are a troll; let’s call a spade as it is.
Deanna Munson
10:41 pm on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
i find myself praying for a solar flare to take this deadly grid down.im sick of this.ive never had an illness put me down like this before.its been over a year of exposure now.the trees that were dying before are now snapping in half,already decompsing on the inside.i miss the frogs and the bats.i miss going to sleep before 5-6am,and feeling worse when i wake then i did when i passed out.i miss falling asleep without sleep aids and migrane pills.i really miss sleeping in a bed in my bedroom instead of over a year on the couch(it is soo worse in my room).i miss sleeping with my cats who after 3yrs of sleeping with me everynight are hardly ever indoor now.i miss my life.now all adjoining cities "deployed".i cant bus my way out of exposure to save my life.not even for an hour.theyre doing this world ide you know.i guess my time is almost up
Kevin George
9:58 am on Thursday, March 15, 2012
Deanna, I am just curious so don't take this the wrong way, but where is this creek where all the trees are dying and the frogs and bats have disappeared?
Is it in La Mesa? Because I would like to see it.
Mike
1:02 am on Thursday, March 15, 2012
Solar flares and killer meters... do you all wear tin foil hats when you sleep at night so the flares and meters and aliens don't fry your brains.... oh wait... it's too late for that.
Komfort
6:44 am on Thursday, March 15, 2012
Insults? Oh well, that is easier than facts. Good luck finding the cause of the So Cal blackout. You are about as reliable as SDGE.
Jason
9:23 am on Thursday, March 15, 2012
Komfort,
SDGE is extremely reliable: http://lamesa.patch.com/articles/sdg-e-planned-outage-leaves-bad-taste-at-riviera-supper-club
P.S. Didn't you hear the So Cal blackout was caused by some guy tripping over an extension cord in Arizona?
Things I Learned
11:31 am on Thursday, March 15, 2012
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBkf0nAGqi0
Deanna Munson
7:06 pm on Thursday, March 15, 2012
im in beaverton ,oregon.