Olivier Burnham, Quebec blacksmith, makes device to prevent smart meter swap
Hydro-Québec says the boxes constitute illegal tampering
CBC
News Posted: Sep 18, 2014 10:40 AM ET Last Updated: Sep
18, 2014 9:24 PM ET
Olivier Burnham, a blacksmith in Sutton, has created a metal
cover to prevent Hydro-Québec technicians from installing new smart meters.
(Alison Brunette/CBC)
Quebec blacksmith Olivier Burnham has taken Hydro-Québec’s
switch to smart meters into his own hands — he's making and selling metal boxes
that can be installed over the conventional meters to stop them from being
replaced.
The province’s electric utility hopes to install 3.8 million
smart meters by 2018, but the meters’ use of radio frequency signals to
remotely transmit readings to Hydro-Québec is causing health concerns for
some Quebecers.
Burnham said his metal boxes, which feature a small window
to allow meter reading, are easy to install but hard to remove.
Burnham said his box is easy to install and hard to remove. But
Hydro-Québec warns it's illegal and dangerous to tamper with its meters.
(Alison Brunette/CBC)
"Basically you drill six holes, you put pop rivets in and
that’s it. And then you put a notice up asking Hydro not to touch it, and if
they do alter the padlock you can actually sue them for damage of
property," Burnham said.
Hydro-Québec’s response? Don’t touch our meters.
The utility warns that tampering with its meters is illegal and
can be dangerous.
At least 60 people in the Eastern Townships have already bought
Burnham’s boxes, which he said do not technically tamper with Hydro-Québec’s
meters.
"The seal of Hydro-Québec is still intact and so we haven’t
tampered with the meter at all. It’s just covering the meter so they cannot
change it," he said.
The
utility says that a
smart meter emits a tiny fraction of the radio frequency emissions produced
by a common household microwave.
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