Just received this in an email. I would guess that if Virginia is doing it other states probably are as well. If you know anything about it chime in.
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Dominion Smart Meter Opt Out - Good News for Virginians
Show Details
FromTerri Saunders
[email protected]
Good News!!! Dominion Virginia Power is now offering a smart meter opt out!
Wireless Safety Group Recommends Consumers Choose Non-Communicating Smart Utility Meters
May 6, 2013— The Center for Safer Wireless, a non-profit group concerned about wireless technology safety, reports that Dominion Power of Virginia, following the trend that is occurring across the country, agreed to offer a smart meter opt out to customers.
This option is available to most residential customers with the exception of those who have electric service on dynamic pricing, time-of-use-rate or customers who sell generation back to the company. “You must ask to receive the opt out and they will not routinely inform people of the safer option, so it is buyer beware,” explains Desiree Jaworski, Executive Director of Center for Safer Wireless. Scroll down for information on how to opt out.
Smart meters are wireless digital utility meters that Dominion began installing on Virginia homes and commercial buildings in 2009 to record and transmit electrical usage data through the smart grid to the utility company using radio frequency waves in the microwave range. This is the same range as cell phones, smart phones, cordless phones, Wi-Fi and cell towers. However, unlike other wireless devices, smart meters cannot be turned off and they emit microwave radiation 24/7 throughout your home and body. Wireless smart meters replaced the mechanical analog meters (with the spinning dials) that have successfully and safely been used for decades. This eliminated the need for a utility worker to come to your home each month to read the meter.
According to the Center for Safer Wireless, some customers of Dominion Power were concerned about the health impact of the radio frequency radiation and the safety and the security of the smart meters. They had urged Senator Garrett to present a bill in January, 2013 to the VA Senate Commerce and Labor Committee asking to be given the right to opt out of the smart meter installation. The bill failed to pass at that time. Dominion Power responded to the public concern anyway and decided to move forward by giving this choice to their customers.
The Center for Safer Wireless is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Virginia that enhances public understanding of wireless technology and products. For information on the health and safety risks of wireless technology and to get on their email list to keep informed go to Center for Safer Wireless. Scroll down for more information on smart meters and Dominion’s opt out plan.
Health Concerns of Wireless Smart Meters
The World Health Organization finds that radio frequency microwave electromagnetic fields emitted from wireless devices are a class 2B possible human carcinogen, in the same class as lead, DDT, and chloroform. Once wireless smart meters came into use, people across the United States began reporting ringing in the ears, insomnia, strong headaches, nausea, heart palpitations, memory loss, anxiety, pain, and other health problems. The American Academy of Environmental Medicine opposes the installation of wireless smart meters based on the current medical literature BioInitiative Report: A Rationale for a Biologically-based Public Exposure Standard for Electromagnetic Fields (ELF and RF) . Children, the elderly, and people with medical implants or electrosensitivity, may be especially vulnerable to the radio frequency radiation emitted from these meters.
Children are much more sensitive to electromagnetic and radiofrequency radiation due to their developing nervous and immune systems, their thinner, softer craniums, and greater absorption of radiation into their brains and eyes. In March 2012, research from Yale University showed in-utero exposure to 800-1900 MHz radiation from cell phones (smart meters are 900 MHz) caused hyperactivity and impaired memory. Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt, MD, PhD, performed an important study that showed that pregnant women who gave birth to autistic children slept in a location in which EMR was 20.7 times higher, on average, than pregnant mothers who gave birth to non-autistic children. This video is an excerpt from the new documentary “Take Back Your Power” which explains why electromagnetic radiation may be the primary health crisis of our time.
Safety, Security, and Privacy Concerns
Smart meter related fires have been reported in at least 14 states including Virginia. Smart meters and the smart grid are also vulnerable to hacking which presents a security risk.
Privacy issues are an additional concern with smart meters. According to a February 2012 Congressional Research Service Report, the Department of Energy reported that by matching data with known appliance load signatures, smart meters will be able to reveal people’s daily schedules, their appliances and electronic equipment, and whether they use certain types of medical equipment. Utilities will have the data to discern the behavior of occupants in their home over a period of time. The Electronic Privacy Information Center cites a list of potential privacy consequences of Smart Grid Systems including identity theft, activity censorship, profiling, tracking behavior of renters/leasers, and real-time surveillance.
See Stop Smart Meters! | Fighting for health, privacy, and safety and Center for Safer Wireless for more in-depth information on the problems associated with smart meters and current action taken on this issue across the country.
Dominion’s Smart Meter Opt Out
If you request the opt out, Dominion will not replace your wireless smart meter with the original analog meter, however, they will deactivate the wireless capability of your smart meter so that there will be no radio frequency microwave radiation emitted from the meter. The meter will then be called a Non-Communicating Meter. This is a safer option than the wireless smart meter.
According to Dominion, “The Non-Communicating Meters are Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) or Smart Meters with both the two-way communications and data storage features disabled, the only recording features retained are the minimum needed for monthly billing. Because the Non-Communicating Meters’ remote communication abilities have been disabled, a Company representative will manually read the meter.
For the Interim Non-Communicating Meter Option, the Company will not assess a separate charge to install and use a Non-Communicating Meter. The Company plans to propose a charge for the Non-Communicating Meter Option, which will be subject to approval by the State Corporation Commission of Virginia.” Virginia residents will have the ability to comment on the proposed fees at a currently unscheduled public hearing. Virginia State Corporation Commission
To sign up for the smart meter opt-out plan call Dominion at 1-866-566-6436 between 7 am and 7 pm. They will mail you paperwork to fill out and return to them after which they say they will come out to your home to deactivate the radio frequency capability on your meter within 3 weeks.
Be sure to urge your neighbors to choose to opt out as well, or the microwave radiation from their meters will run through your house (and body) and impact you.
Please forward this to all those you know in Virginia who you feel would want to be informed as Dominion is not planning on announcing the opt out to all of its customers.
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Dominion Smart Meter Opt Out - Good News for Virginians
Show Details
FromTerri Saunders
[email protected]
Good News!!! Dominion Virginia Power is now offering a smart meter opt out!
Wireless Safety Group Recommends Consumers Choose Non-Communicating Smart Utility Meters
May 6, 2013— The Center for Safer Wireless, a non-profit group concerned about wireless technology safety, reports that Dominion Power of Virginia, following the trend that is occurring across the country, agreed to offer a smart meter opt out to customers.
This option is available to most residential customers with the exception of those who have electric service on dynamic pricing, time-of-use-rate or customers who sell generation back to the company. “You must ask to receive the opt out and they will not routinely inform people of the safer option, so it is buyer beware,” explains Desiree Jaworski, Executive Director of Center for Safer Wireless. Scroll down for information on how to opt out.
Smart meters are wireless digital utility meters that Dominion began installing on Virginia homes and commercial buildings in 2009 to record and transmit electrical usage data through the smart grid to the utility company using radio frequency waves in the microwave range. This is the same range as cell phones, smart phones, cordless phones, Wi-Fi and cell towers. However, unlike other wireless devices, smart meters cannot be turned off and they emit microwave radiation 24/7 throughout your home and body. Wireless smart meters replaced the mechanical analog meters (with the spinning dials) that have successfully and safely been used for decades. This eliminated the need for a utility worker to come to your home each month to read the meter.
According to the Center for Safer Wireless, some customers of Dominion Power were concerned about the health impact of the radio frequency radiation and the safety and the security of the smart meters. They had urged Senator Garrett to present a bill in January, 2013 to the VA Senate Commerce and Labor Committee asking to be given the right to opt out of the smart meter installation. The bill failed to pass at that time. Dominion Power responded to the public concern anyway and decided to move forward by giving this choice to their customers.
The Center for Safer Wireless is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Virginia that enhances public understanding of wireless technology and products. For information on the health and safety risks of wireless technology and to get on their email list to keep informed go to Center for Safer Wireless. Scroll down for more information on smart meters and Dominion’s opt out plan.
Health Concerns of Wireless Smart Meters
The World Health Organization finds that radio frequency microwave electromagnetic fields emitted from wireless devices are a class 2B possible human carcinogen, in the same class as lead, DDT, and chloroform. Once wireless smart meters came into use, people across the United States began reporting ringing in the ears, insomnia, strong headaches, nausea, heart palpitations, memory loss, anxiety, pain, and other health problems. The American Academy of Environmental Medicine opposes the installation of wireless smart meters based on the current medical literature BioInitiative Report: A Rationale for a Biologically-based Public Exposure Standard for Electromagnetic Fields (ELF and RF) . Children, the elderly, and people with medical implants or electrosensitivity, may be especially vulnerable to the radio frequency radiation emitted from these meters.
Children are much more sensitive to electromagnetic and radiofrequency radiation due to their developing nervous and immune systems, their thinner, softer craniums, and greater absorption of radiation into their brains and eyes. In March 2012, research from Yale University showed in-utero exposure to 800-1900 MHz radiation from cell phones (smart meters are 900 MHz) caused hyperactivity and impaired memory. Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt, MD, PhD, performed an important study that showed that pregnant women who gave birth to autistic children slept in a location in which EMR was 20.7 times higher, on average, than pregnant mothers who gave birth to non-autistic children. This video is an excerpt from the new documentary “Take Back Your Power” which explains why electromagnetic radiation may be the primary health crisis of our time.
Safety, Security, and Privacy Concerns
Smart meter related fires have been reported in at least 14 states including Virginia. Smart meters and the smart grid are also vulnerable to hacking which presents a security risk.
Privacy issues are an additional concern with smart meters. According to a February 2012 Congressional Research Service Report, the Department of Energy reported that by matching data with known appliance load signatures, smart meters will be able to reveal people’s daily schedules, their appliances and electronic equipment, and whether they use certain types of medical equipment. Utilities will have the data to discern the behavior of occupants in their home over a period of time. The Electronic Privacy Information Center cites a list of potential privacy consequences of Smart Grid Systems including identity theft, activity censorship, profiling, tracking behavior of renters/leasers, and real-time surveillance.
See Stop Smart Meters! | Fighting for health, privacy, and safety and Center for Safer Wireless for more in-depth information on the problems associated with smart meters and current action taken on this issue across the country.
Dominion’s Smart Meter Opt Out
If you request the opt out, Dominion will not replace your wireless smart meter with the original analog meter, however, they will deactivate the wireless capability of your smart meter so that there will be no radio frequency microwave radiation emitted from the meter. The meter will then be called a Non-Communicating Meter. This is a safer option than the wireless smart meter.
According to Dominion, “The Non-Communicating Meters are Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) or Smart Meters with both the two-way communications and data storage features disabled, the only recording features retained are the minimum needed for monthly billing. Because the Non-Communicating Meters’ remote communication abilities have been disabled, a Company representative will manually read the meter.
For the Interim Non-Communicating Meter Option, the Company will not assess a separate charge to install and use a Non-Communicating Meter. The Company plans to propose a charge for the Non-Communicating Meter Option, which will be subject to approval by the State Corporation Commission of Virginia.” Virginia residents will have the ability to comment on the proposed fees at a currently unscheduled public hearing. Virginia State Corporation Commission
To sign up for the smart meter opt-out plan call Dominion at 1-866-566-6436 between 7 am and 7 pm. They will mail you paperwork to fill out and return to them after which they say they will come out to your home to deactivate the radio frequency capability on your meter within 3 weeks.
Be sure to urge your neighbors to choose to opt out as well, or the microwave radiation from their meters will run through your house (and body) and impact you.
Please forward this to all those you know in Virginia who you feel would want to be informed as Dominion is not planning on announcing the opt out to all of its customers.
