New York Child’s Death Prompts Renewed Calls for MA DPU Smart Meter Mandate Investigation

New York Child’s Death Prompts Renewed Calls for MA DPU Smart Meter Mandate Investigation

Posted on September 12, 2014 by pburke

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Stop Smart Meters Massachusetts

New York Child’s Death Prompts Renewed Calls for
MA DPU Smart Meter Mandate Investigation

The death of a 6 year-old girl in a NY home where National Grid cut off electricity for non-payment has amplified human rights and environmental activist group Stop Smart Meters Massachusetts’ request for an investigation into the Department of Public Utilities smart electric meter mandate. The group has also called for an audit of the controversial $48M Worcester National Grid pilot program, which is 5 times larger than required by the Green Communities Act, more expensive, and behind schedule.

Carbon monoxide poisoning is suspected in the NY death due to use of a propane heater.

The DPU has already mandated smart meters for MA investor-owned utilities, at an estimated cost of over $7B to ratepayers. The Worcester pilot program does not include monitoring or protections for environmental, health, or property value impacts, and no premarket safety testing has been performed. Concerns are mounting that consumers will be forced to pay for the technology twice, once for the initial installation, and then for the replacement cost once the shortcomings of the system are readily apparent, while electricity rates are already unaffordable for a growing portion of ratepayers.
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752 word version, more background information:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Stop Smart Meters Massachusetts

New York Child’s Death Prompts Renewed Calls forMA DPU Smart Meter Mandate Investigation

The death of a 6 year-old girl in a NY home where National Grid cut off electricity for non-payment has amplified human rights and environmental activist group Stop Smart Meters Massachusetts’ request for an investigation into the Department of Public Utilities smart electric meter mandate. The group has also called for an audit of the controversial $48M National Grid pilot program in Worcester, which is 5 times larger and more expensive than required by the Green Communities Act, and behind schedule.

Carbon monoxide poisoning is suspected in the NY death due to use of a propane heater. The Chicago Advanced Metering Infrastructure Health Impact Assessment, conducted in partnership between the National Center for Medical Legal Partnership at Boston Medical Center and Citizens Utility Board, noted that customers deprived of electricity often turn to unsafe alternatives, endangering health and safety.

The Worcester pilot program, which included 242 microwave antennas, has been delayed due to contentious zoning battles regarding towers in residential neighborhoods. However, the DPU has already mandated smart meters for MA investor-owned utilities, at an estimated cost of over $7B to ratepayers. Ann Berwick, DPU Chair, is the spouse of former gubernatorial candidate Don Berwick. The DPU disregarded concerns raised by Attorney General Martha Coakley’s office on behalf of ratepayers about security, privacy, lack of informed opt-in, and the cost and scope of the pilot program.

Wireless smart meters provide two-way communication between the utility and home, and enable time-of-use billing and collection of personal usage data. 111 Quebec municipalities and 57 CA communities have called for a moratorium and/or free opt out. Germany has rejected smart meter deployment. Nations including Italy, the site of the Vatican leukemia lawsuit, opted for safer, faster; more secure hard-wired technology. Italy is not collecting private usage data from customers, while the US system incorporates wide-scale citizen surveillance.

The Worcester pilot program does not include monitoring or protections for environmental, health, or property value impacts, and no premarket safety testing has been performed. Tobacco scientist Peter Valberg of the product defense firm Gradient testified before the DPU and the Worcester Zoning Board of Appeals to cast doubt on emerging evidence of harm. The City’s health department, the Mayor, Senator Harriet Chandler, WPI Prof. John Orr, and the DPU have discounted health complaints by residents.

In addition to health, privacy, security, and safety issues, Stop Smart Meters Massachusetts cautions that smart meters will increase the cost of electricity while providing no advantages to customers. After statewide deployment, Central Maine Power requested an 8% rate hike instead of delivering promised savings. A Sept., 2014 U.K. Committee of Public Accounts report casts doubt over the validity of smart meter rollout, raising concerns over cost-benefit to consumers and the ability of the energy market to keep costs down. Larry Rulison of the Times-Union reported, “National Grid is forecasting that by the year 2029, the average residential electric bill, including electricity, delivery charges and taxes and fees, in upstate New York will rise from $89.62 a month to $132.38 — an increase of 47 percent.”

Tim Knauss of Syracuse.com reported that in NY, “For the past decade, in good times and bad, National Grid has reported more than 200,000 customers a month – roughly one in seven – who are at least two months behind on their bills. ”For some customers, there is “a permanent level of unaffordability built into the rates,” said William Yates, a senior financial analyst at Public Utility Law Project.

Concerns are mounting that consumers will be forced to pay for the technology twice, once for the initial installation, and then for the replacement cost once the shortcomings of the system are readily apparent. Lakeland, Florida; Saskatchewan, Canada; Pennsylvania, and Oregon have removed thousands of smart meters due to fire hazards.

The Berkshire-Litchfield Environmental Council, which provided testimony in opposition to smart meters for MA DPU docket 12-76 stated, “The smart grid is increasingly understood as an over engineered, ill-advised, financial boondoggle at taxpayer expense, capable of endangering the security of the entire national grid, violating constitutional privacy protections and endangering public health. In addition, the smart grid/metering has not been found to save energy when all the new variables in the system are factored in. Plus, time-of-use pricing is largely punitive to those who can least afford it. Time-of-use pricing is fundamentally a Wall Street model designed to maintain shareholder profits as we transition to more energy efficient models that will reduce demand.”

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Contact:
Patricia Burke
77 Himelfarb Street
Millis, MA 02054
508-376-5360

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