Already Have A Smart Meter?

With little or no notice, SCE has now placed an unhealthful, microwave radiation-emitting, data-mining, unsafe, hackable, expensive, computerized, telecommunication device on the side of your home that you do not control and without your consent. 

This new electric meter is the first critical step in completely transforming how we use and how much we pay for our utilities (electric, gas and water).  Utility companies will be allowed to change pricing, ration services (called Demand Response) and shut-off appliances in real-time using remotely controlled monitoring.  They call it the Smart Grid.   Very soon your entire lifeline (gas, water and electric) will be remotely controlled and can be shut-off by the mere flick of a switch. 

You now have 2 choices: 

1. Accept what Big Government and Big Business has determined best, or
2. Remember that you are an American with Constitutional rights and get the thing off your home (see below). 

We are all busy people that would rather relax after a busy day than think about our boring electric meter.   The government and big business are counting on you to do just that....nothing.  Could this meter really be so bad?  If I do nothing won't this all just go away?  If you do not act, then we all suffer - now as well as future generations.

ROLL OVER OR KICK UP A FUSS!

 More action items you can do:

1. Tell people! - Get the word out to your friends and neighbors.  We have flyers and action items you can do in our Get The Word Out! section.  People deserve to know.
2. File a complaint with the CPUC and tell them you donʼt want the Smart Meter and you want viable “opt-out” options.  They need to hear from you! at https://ia.cpuc.ca.gov/cimsapp/
3. Write a letter to the editor of your local paper and tell them your story.
4. Go to your City Council (and County) and demand they pass a moratorium on the installation of any more Smart Meters (11 Counties and 44 Cities in California have taken a stance against).  If you can't go to the meetings then email or call your representatives.
5. More action items, see StopSmartMeters.org



Get It Off Your House

Here are a few ideas on getting rid of an unwanted Smarting Meter:

• Quick Fix Opt Out and Penalty Payment - According to the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC), any residential SCE, PG&E or SDG&E customer may "Opt Out" of their flawed Smart Meter program.  To do so follow some general instructions here.

Unfortunately, the Opt Out is not a permanent solution.  It has been construed by many to be, at best, a temporary fix loaded with problems and, at worst, as a game of smoke and mirrors. 

Slowly responding to thousands of complaints, it took the CPUC almost a year to react and pass a (Phase 1) Opt Out option while, in the meantime, ignoring the basis of the complaints and enabling most of California to get Smart Metered. 

The Opt Out option comes with a hefty price tag that is subject to change in the next few months as the CPUC "Phase 2" filings take place throughout the rest of 2012. 

As part of Phase 2, SCE will be throwing everything but the kitchen sink into their cost calculations to show how expensive it is to operate a duplicate Opt Out metering system.  Never mind that it has been around for the past 30 years.

Further, it doesn't matter whether or not you kept your old meter or that it was taken without your knowledge or consent, you will pay the cost of a new analog meter.  It doesn't matter that you would be willing to read your own meter or calculate your own bill, you will be paying for the cost to have someone do this for you.  Any efficiency will surely NOT be passed on to Opt Out customers who are on the hook to pay in full.  Every effort is being made to make Opt Outs a relic of the past along with the safe analog meters that come along with it.

In addition, although all SCE customers have been paying a 1.6% tax since 2008 to pay for an expensive Smart Meter program, only those who choose to Opt Out will bear the burden to pay for duplicate metering systems.  No credit will be given Opt Out customers for the money they have paid towards the Smart Metering program.  To have an Opt Out customer pay for a metering system that has been in place for the past 30 years is one thing.  But to also have them pay for a Smart Metering program that they do not plan to use is inequitable. 

The Opt Out does not fix stupid.  The CPUC is blatantly ignoring problems with Smart Meters. 

• Whether or not a person opts out doesn't fix the fact that a Smart Meter collects copious data to an extent that it is considered by the current CIA Director to be a form of warrant-less wiretapping. 
• Pulsed electromagnetic microwave radiation causes health problems and the associated radiation has harmed too many people. 
• The entire premise of putting all of our utility systems on a hackable wireless network with millions of end points is fatally flawed. 
• What legal authority permits a governmental-regulated utility to force a wireless transmitting device onto personal property without consent from the owner? 
• What legal authority permits a remotely-controlled computer to be forcibly placed on personal property without consent of the owner?   

This "smart" program that is completely flawed should not have been started in the first place.  It has been jammed into place until customers inconveniently became ill, or became aware of their civil and constitutional rights were being violated, or their house caught fire.

What is ironic is that the CPUC was the organization that originally adopted this lousy program in the first place then forced the Big Utility players to join in.   Now that customers have loudly complained, the CPUC arises as the good guy by benevolently allowing unhappy customers a way out, but for an unfortunate heavy price tag imposed by the Big Bad Utility.  It's a sham and a ruse. 

• Sue SCE to Replace With A Safe Analog- There are many SCE customers that believe  the CPUC does NOT have the authority to install a dangerous, data-mining, wireless, transmitting computer on their personal property without their consent or knowledge.  These customers are filing Small Claims lawsuits to have these Smart Meters removed and replaced with a meter of their own choice.   

There are 2 cases that we know of that have won in Small Claims Court and one that won on appeal to Superior Court.  In both cases, SCE removed the Smart Meter and installed an analog meter. See the Kyle case below.

In addition, it is alledged that these customers are not paying the Opt Out fees.

• Replace With Your Own Meter - Another alternative comes from a website called FreedomTaker.com where Jerry Day sells a Safe Meter Replacement Kit complete with a traditional analog meter, legal notices, and instructions on how to replace the Smart Meter.  Those that have followed this route are being charged a tampering penalty (of $250?) by SCE.



Customer Wins Small Claims Case Appealed to Superior Court

OC Resident Forces SCE to Reinstall Analog Meter (Posted 4/10/12)

An Orange County customer won in Small Claims Court and then again on appeal at Superior Court against SCE.  The won the right to have the smart meter removed.  Below are the pertinant documents relating to the related to the appeal judgement and the original case: 

• SCE Compliance with Court Order,
• Court judement for the Plaintiff
• SCE's Brief to Superior Court

Thank you to Rob States for helping with this case and sending the info. Rob said this was a personal injury case. The original case is filled with citings on how the CPUC has jurisdiction- so we can use this when they defer to the FCC

Conclusion:  SCE forced to reinstalled an analog meter by COURT ORDER.  Further, it is rumored that this customer is not forced to pay an extortion Opt Out fee.

Replace An Analog Meter With Freedom Taker

Why should we fight?:

Jerry Day summarizes it nicely

***Warning:  Do this legally and safely and at your own risk.***

Recent developments:

10 Fed Up Customers Return Their Smart Meters to PG&E (12/7/11)

Peevey at the CPUC Proposes Lame Attempt of an Opt-Out Option.  (11/5/11)

“I Want My ‘Smart’ Meter Off, Too!” The Widening Call for Return of Analog Meters (11/2/11)  Persistence pays off!



"You can go back to the analog meter," say CPUC President Peevy (video below) at the 9/14/11 CPUC Workshop called "Smart Meter Opt-Out Requests".  PG&E customer,Chandu Vyas, was getting headaches from his Smart Meter.  President Peevey responded saying:

“I would urge you to continue to talk to PG&E, and they will provide that you can go back to the analog meter, if that’s your choice. Did you understand what I just said? Sir? Okay. Mr. [Sidney Bob] Dietz is one of their representatives, but he isn’t the only one.”

In the video, Mr. Peevey said if you want your analog back, call one of the representatives from your utility company. Listed below are the officers from Southern California Edison:

You can even try the public relations contact:

Ms. Pat Buttress, Southern California Edison
Public Affairs Region Manager
Brea, Fullerton, La Habra, Orange
Placentia, Tustin, Villa Park, Yorba Linda
1325 S. Grand Ave. Bldg. B
Santa Ana, CA. 95705
P.O. Box 11982
Santa Ana, CA 92711-1982
714-973-5701
Fax 714-973-5752
Cell 714-271-4174
Email: pat.buttress@sce.com