Thursday, July 21, 2011

VSI installs smart meters in our neighborhood (without notification - this is against the PUC ruling of May 19)

VSI tried to install a smart meter at our house.  I declined and said I had already opted out.  Li asked if radiaton would come into our yard from our neighbor's smart meters.  Yes...and dirty electricity can come into our home too.  CMP wants no holes in their grid.


The kids and I went door to door notifying those who were home about CMP coming to our neighborhood today.  Until Kanoa pooped - then we headed home.  Met a new nice neighbor and was pleased that many of the people I spoke to or called did decide to opt out. 


This is what the new smart meter looks like.  Any smart meter - even the receive only / one way / no transmitting devices still have switching devices in them and therefore still emit radiofrequency.  And they still cause all of your hard wiring to emit radiofrequency.  Not a good idea.


The notes that got left on people's doors when the meters were switched out.  No one had a chance to say no if they  weren't home. 


Our analog meter

Close up of our analog meter

Below is my letter to the PUC complaining about what happenned (deleted phone numbers). 
-------------------------------

21 July 2011






Derek D. Davidson

Director of Consumer Assistance

ME Public Utilities Commission

18 State House Station

Augusta, ME 04333-0018



Dear Mr. Davidson:

This morning, a VSI employee (Mike Szweck?) came to my home to install a smart meter. I told him that I was aware that the PUC requires CMP to give residents 30 days advance notification and that I had not received any notification that he was coming. I said that I did not want a smart meter and should already be on the opt out list. He said that a lot of people had told him they did not receive notification. He asked if he could take a couple of pictures of my meter and I gave him permission to take the photographs. He checked a paper to see if I was on an opt out list and found that I was not on it. He made a call to see if he could list me as refusing a smart meter so no one would come back and try to install one at a later date. He found out that my meter number was listed under “closed meters.” He asked the person on the phone what “closed meters” meant and was told that meant that VSI can’t touch my meter and only CMP can. VSI employees should have had my information as being on the opt out list.

Are you aware of this “closed list?” Why aren’t VSI employees supplied copies of the closed list so that they don’t attempt to install a meter at those homes? It would have been extremely upsetting to me if I had not been home and had a smart meter put on my house when I had already gone through the channels to opt out.

I want to be sure that my analog meter is left in. If VSI doesn’t have me on an opt out list because I am only on a “closed list” and if the VSI employees don’t know this means not to touch my meter, then by accident I may end up with a smart meter. This is not fair to me since I have gone through the proper channels to ensure I keep my analog meter.

I would like the PUC to follow up on this as if it happened to me, it is likely to happen to someone else.

CMP needs to follow the PUC requirements of notifying customers 30 days prior to installation.

All VSI installers must have the opt out and closed lists and be aware not to replace any meter on either list. They also need to understand what both lists mean.

I would appreciate it if you would let me know how this is handled.



Sincerely,



Laurie Wolfrum

26 Good Wind Lane

Camden, ME 04843


alohabun@yahoo.com



cc: Elisa Boxer Cook

Richard.Davies@maine.gov (Public Advocate)

Derek.d.davidson@maine.gov (PUC email)

Senator Chris Rector

Camden Select Board





No comments:

Post a Comment