ALERT: Smart Meter Opt-Out Ordered for SDG&E Customers

(March 15, 2012) Early today, a smart meter opt-out order for SDG&E was  issued by a CPUC judge, long-awaited by customers who wish to rid their residences of unhealthful radiation or for other reasons such as privacy. The opt-out will be provided at a cost. SDG&E will charge customers extra fees for changeout of the smart meters ($75) and a monthly fee of $10 for the privilege of not being irradiated or intruded upon by SDG&E. CARE customers (low-income) would be charged $10 for the switchout and $5 a month extra. Opponents of the fees point out that these charges appear tantamount to extortion - "pay or we will irradiate you".

The order, a proposed decision that has several more steps in the opt-out proceeding before being voted on by CPUC Commissioners and taking effect, could reasonably be expected to provide SDG&E's customers the opt-out sometime in May or before. It appears to be identical, in substance, to the order approved on Feb. 1 for Pacific Gas & Electric's (PG&E's) customers. 10,000 PG&E customers have received an analog meter as an opt-out since that date, according to the utility. Criticisms of the opt-out plans include charging fees now (that discourage or prevent customers from opting out) and leaving the door open to potentially increase the fees; lack of provisions for avoiding the radiation of neighboring meters (in some cases, in the hundreds); not allowing businesses to participate in an opt-out; no provisions for people living in close quarters to multiple meters, such as apartment or condo dwellers; not considering health implications in devising the plans; lack of accommodations for disabled people and those with medical reasons for avoiding radiation, and the implied threat of retracting the opt-out in the future, to name a few. There is no provision in the decision for notifyng all of SDG&E's customers, so many will never know about the problems with smart meters nor of the opt-out as an alternative. These are major flaws.

There will be a second phase of the opt-out proceedings at the state CPUC level, to consider actual costs and adjust fees, as well as to determine whether entire entities (such as apartment, condos, or homeowner associations) or communities (such as municipalities) could opt-out as a whole. The wording in today's proposed decision is not heartening, though, as many I spoke to are saying, "it is better than nothing".

This news will, despite its shortcomings, be welcomed by those who are suffering from radiation effects, including headaches, dizziness, ringing of the ears, heart palpitations or arrythmias, nausea, and rf radiation sensitivities that began or increased following installation of the smart meters. Some that we have spoken with have been driven from their homes, including those residing in La Jolla, Coronado, Poway, and San Diego. Others have planned to sell and leave the state, unable to physically tolerate the smart meter's radiation emissions. Those living in hotels or their cars will be glad to know that there is a good chance they may not have to live with a smart meter on their home. This will not solve the problem of the close proximity to neighboring meters that are also an issue.

Center for Electrosmog Prevention (CEP), a CA nonprofit based in La Mesa, is a formal Party to the SDG&E opt-out proceeding, at the CPUC. The following comments related to CEP's filings on behalf of customers, pertaining to this opt-out were noted by Judge Yip-Kikugawa, in her decision, today:

"CEP also opposes SDG&E’s preferred solution and argues that an analog
meter opt-out option should be offered. It maintains that a non-communicating
meter with interval read capability would not address concerns raised by those
customers who want an opt-out option that does not emit “electromagnetic
radiation... CEP also assert that since PG&E had stated that it was willing to
provide analog meters to its residential customers, SDG&E should also be
willing to do so."

"CEP opposes charging customers for selecting the opt-out option. It
believes that this would “discourage opting out and unnecessarily punish
disabled, elderly, and concerned customers who select an opt-out plan.”23
Rather, CEP maintains that costs associated with offering an opt-out option
should be borne by “investors and the company.”24 CEP also proposes that an
opt-out program include “a smart meter free zone” and allow participation by
commercial customers."

"We reject CEP’s proposal that the opt-out option include a “smart meter
free zone.” As discussed in this decision, we have determined that a residential
customer may opt out for any reason, or no reason at all. Once that choice is
made, the opt-out customer will be assessed an initial opt-out fee, monthly
charges and an exit fee. Adopting CEP’s proposal would in effect remove a
customer’s ability to make such a choice and allow an opt-out customer to
impose additional costs on his or her neighbors. We note, however, that in the
second phase of A.11-03-014 (PG&E’s SmartMeter Opt-Out Application), we will
be considering whether to allow the opt-out option to be exercised by local
entities and communities in PG&E’s service territory. We believe that
consideration of such an issue would also be appropriate in this proceeding.
We also reject CEP’s proposal that the opt-out option be extended to
commercial customers. CEP provides no support of why this proposal is
warranted. More importantly, many commercial customers take service on
mandatory TOU tariffs, which necessitate meters capable of capturing interval
energy consumption data. As such, extension of the opt-out option to
commercial customers could conflict with California’s ongoing energy policies"

"CEP maintains that all costs should be recovered from SDG&E or its
shareholders. We disagree with CEP’s position. The Commission authorized
SDG&E’s AMI Project in 2007 and SDG&E has almost completed its deployment
of smart meters. Consequently, the standard for metering in SDG&E’s territory
is now a wireless smart meter. Requiring SDG&E to provide an option that
deviates from the standard will require the company to incur additional costs, as
identified in the November 28, 2011 filing. As discussed in this decision, we are
not changing the standard adopted in D.07-04-043. Rather, we are granting
UCAN’s request to modify that decision to provide an option for those
customers who, for whatever reason, would prefer to not have a wireless smart
meter. Therefore, any customer electing the opt-out option is electing to not
have the standard meter. As such, costs associated with providing an opt-out
option should be the responsibility of those customers opting-out." (Judge Amy Yip-Kikugawa, CPUC, Proposed Decision for Application 11-03-015, 3/15/12)

Gradually, the state's utility regulatory commission (CPUC) is admitting there are problems with the smart grid deployment and smart meters on people's homes and businesses. Today's proposed decision is one more implied admission by the CPUC that smart meters are not wanted by people who understand their dangers and intrusions into our private residences and rights.

This opt-out proposal is severely lacking as a complete or fair solution for those who want to get rid of smart meters. However, it is a welcome first step to all the solutions that must occur.

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O R D E R
IT IS ORDERED that:

1. San Diego Gas & Electric Company’s Advanced Metering Infrastructure
Project is modified to include an option for residential customers who do not
wish to have a wireless smart meter installed at their location to have an analog
meter.

2. Within 15 days of the effective date of this order, San Diego Gas & Electric
Company (SDG&E) shall file a Tier 1 advice letter in compliance with General
Order 96-B. The advice letter shall be served on the service list in
Application 11-03-015. The advice letter shall include tariff sheets to modify
SDG&E’s Advanced Metering Infrastructure Project to include an opt-out option
for customers who do not wish to have a wireless smart meter installed at their
location and to implement a Smart Meter Opt-Out Tariff. The Advice Letter
filing shall:

a. Establish procedures for residential customers to select the
option to have an analog meter if they do not wish to have
a wireless smart meter.

b. Establish procedures to inform customers currently on the
delay list that a smart meter opt-out option is available and
that the customer will be scheduled to receive a wireless
smart meter unless the customer elects to exercise the
opt-out option.

c. Adopt the following interim fees for residential customers
selecting the opt-out option:
For Non-CARE Customers:
Initial Fee $75.00
Monthly Charge $10.00/month
For CARE Customers:
Initial Fee $10.00
Monthly Charge $5.00/month

d. Establish new two-way electric and gas memorandum
accounts to track revenues and costs associated with
providing the smart meter opt-out option.

3. The September 21, 2011 Assigned Commissioner’s Ruling directing the
utilities to allow residential customers who had not yet received a wireless smart
meter to retain their analog meter and to be placed on a delay list shall no longer
be in effect for San Diego Gas & Electric Company.

4. San Diego Gas & Electric Company shall comply with the guidelines stated
in Section 7 of this decision.

5. The motion of Southern Californians for Wired Solutions to Smart Meters
to have the Commission ask the California Department of Public Health to
participate in this proceeding is denied.

6. Application 11-03-015 remains open.


This order is effective today.
Dated [March 15, 2012] , at San Francisco, California.

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Summary: Proposed Decision DECISION MODIFYING DECISION 07-04-043 AND ADOPTING AN OPT-OUT PROGRAM FOR SAN DIEGO GAS & ELECTRIC COMPANY.

View Document

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All interested SDG&E customers are encouraged to call and write SDG&E Customer Service to request to be placed on the smart meter opt-out list, immediately. SDG&E has confirmed in previous weeks that they have been in the process of developing this list already and that people may apply now.

CONTACT SDG&E NOW TO BE PLACED ON THEIR SMART METER OPT-OUT LIST! 

BE SURE TELL SDG&E THAT YOU WANT AN ANALOG (ELECTROMECHANICAL) METER ONLY. CALL 1-(800)-411-7343 or (best way) email info@sdge.com so you have proof that you requested this. Ask for a supervisor if denied.

Contact Calif. Public Utilities Commission President Michael Peevey mp1@cpuc.ca.gov, Judge Amy Yip-Kikugawa ayk@cpuc.ca.gov, or call 1-800-649-7570 to demand a permanent, no-cost opt-out for all SDG&E customers (residential and commercial), with dismantling of all wireless infrastructure of the "smart" grid.

VIEW MEDIA SECTION ABOVE FOR THE FULL OPT-OUT DOCUMENT, CEP'S PROPOSAL, AND  A FLIER TO SHARE WITH ALL YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY, NEIGHBORS, CHURCH MEMBERS, CO-WORKERS, AND ACQUAINTANCES. PASS IT OUT TO EVERYONE YOU SEE!