To the editor:
We would like to make citizens aware of problems with smart meters that are now being installed in their homes/apartments/businesses by electric companies. In 2008, Gov. Ed Rendell made smart meters mandatory in Pennsylvania (Act 129). The mandate requires you to install a smart meter in your home which will monitor your electric activity, minute by minute. Per the mandate, direct meter access and electronic access of customer meter data will allow third parties to know when you take a shower or bath, how many times you open your refrigerator, how often you use your microwave oven, how often you do the laundry, how often you use your computer, what specific appliances you are using and when you are on vacation. As a result, anyone who has access to this energy data can learn more about what activities are going on inside your home. For example, the federal government, insurance companies, employers or anyone who wants to break into your home might be able to access your personal energy usage information. Smart meters can allow the electric companies to know when and how often you use your dialysis machines and how often you use any other piece of equipment that requires electrical current. Smart meters can also detect private conversations going on in your house.
About 98 percent of San Diego, Calif., citizens have smart meters and they have reported to Susan Brichman site, www.electrocsmogprevention.org, that cyber-security breaches have occurred with smart meters. Specifically, there has been illegal access to 179,000 accounts at Hydro Toronto in San Diego. Also, San Diego citizens have reported interception of personal identity information (electronic eavesdropping).
Smart meters crack open a door into your private life, making available a huge amount of very personal data. Your personal information may be compromised by computer hackers. Therefore, we are gravely concerned that our privacy will be violated with the installment of smart meters.
In addition, there have been reports of eight electrical fires and explosions from smart meters. Smart meters are not UL-certified.
Also, there have been reports of health problems for people who have smart meters. People have reported having tinnitus (ringing in their ears) after smart meters were installed. As a result, some people in Texas who have homes with smart meters have decided to move out of their houses and buy homes without smart meters. According to Susan Brichman, Director of San Diego's www.electrosmogprevention.org, said several health concerns have been reported with smart meters. The radiofrequency of smart meters can cause malfunctioning of medical equipment and critical care equipment such as pacemakers, wireless insulin pumps, pain pumps ventilators, baby monitors as well as malfunctioning of wireless equipment, such as wi-fi and Netflix and garage doors.
With smart meters the time and amount of electricity available to you will be highly regulated. If you have a debilitating illness that would require maintaining a constant temp in your house, a smart meter would not permit that option unless you pay additional fees. For example, New Mexico has smart meters and people are required to pay additional fees if they want to use heat or air conditioning during certain hours.
A study done by the EMF Safety Network indicated an increase in energy cost for citizens who have smart meters. In all, 14.4 percent of the customers said that their bill increased by 10 percent, while, 12.6 percent of the customers said that their energy cost increased by 20 percent or more; 8 percent said that their energy bills have doubled, tripled or more. According to the Texas Instruments smart meter manual, in some regions of the country, the usage charge for a radio frequency band is higher than the cost of manual reading. Also, smart meters have been known to cause excessive billing and inaccurate readings.
There is no history to say that smart meters are economical. At this time smart meters are costing us more money because we are being forced to pay for smart meters that we don't even have at our house. Pennsylvania citizens are being charged $1.30 per month whether they have a smart meter in order to cover research and development costs.
The taxpayers of Pennsylvania should not be forced to comply with smart meter ordinances.
We are not alone in our concerns with smart meters. Representative Mike Reese from Ligonier, has introduced two bills in the General Assembly of Pennsylvania.
House Bill 2186 will require electric companies to ask for customer consent before making your personal data available to government agencies.
House Bill 2188 will stop the smart meter mandate and will allow people to have a choice of having a smart meter or not.
A smart meter may be installed in your house/apartment/business without your permission or knowledge. If you are concerned about "Big Brother watching you" or if you are concerned about your health and the cost of your electricity, we ask that you please call Sen. Jake Corman at 242-2410, Rep. Kerry Benninghoff 667-2319 and Rep. Adam Harris 242-0423 and tell them to vote for HB 2186 and HB 2188.
For more information on smart meters call Lisa Nancollas at 437-1327 or go to consciouslifenews.com/the-invisible-hazards-smart-meters/117348/ or refusesmartmeters.com/ or stopsmartmeters.org/
Lisa Nancollas
Lewistown
Mifflin County Tea Party Patriots
