PG&E to Pay $1B for CA Wildfires. But What About Lawsuits for Smart Meter Fires? Is There A Link?

By B.N. Frank

It only takes a spark to get a fire going…

If you hadn’t heard, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) has finally agreed to pay $1B in damages for starting several California wildfires.

From NBCNews:

A California utility blamed for igniting several wildfires caused by downed power lines that killed dozens and destroyed thousands of homes agreed Tuesday to pay $1 billion in damages to local governments.

Attorneys representing 14 local public entities announced the settlement with Pacific Gas & Electric to cover “taxpayer losses.”

But will we ever know for sure whether or not PG&E Utility Smart Meter fires and explosions played any role in those wildfires?  In the past, PG&E customers had filed lawsuits claiming that the company’s “Smart” Meters had caught fire on their homes.  Insurance companies had also taken their side.  After all, in 2015 hundreds of PG&E smart meters simultaneously exploded after a truck caused a power surge in Stockton, CA.

Even if you don’t have Smart Meters from PG&E – there is plenty of documentation that other utility companies’ Smart Meters have caught fire and exploded too.  In fact, hundreds of thousands of Smart Meters have been recalled or replaced throughout North America due to fires and explosions:

• Remote disconnect switch failure resulted in a recall of over 10,000 Smart Meters in Lakeland, Florida where 6 house fires occurred.
• More Fires, More Smart Meter Recalls for Sensus:  Utilities pull 105,000meters in Canada, 70,000 in Oregon; Sensus says it’s not at fault.
• PECO halts Smart Meter Installation After Meter Overheating.
• Reno, Sparks fire chiefs to call for Smart Meter Probe.
• Power surge raises questions about Smart Meters. East Palo Alto electricity surge burnt out digital meters.
• Surge Blows Smart Meters Leaves Neighbourhood Without Hydro
• Thousands of Smart Meter Fires: New Whistleblower and Court Evidence
• BCUC & Smart Meter Fires: The Failure to Protect (See pages 27-30 for statements from engineers)

In 2018, Duke Energy also admitted that some of their AMI Smart Meters had caught fire.

Utility Smart Meters are problematic in other ways other than fires and explosions.

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