Pacific Gas & Electric customers concerned about the safety of the utility’s SmartMeters will be able to essentially turn off their new meter’s wireless component—but doing so will come at a price.
Meeting a March 24 deadline set by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), PG&E filed its application to modify its controversial SmartMeter program, allowing customers to elect to have the radio on the meters deactivated. The plan only applies to residential customers.
CPUC President Michael Peevey ordered PG&E to complete the proposal for customers who object to the devices “at a reasonable cost.” But what defines “reasonable” is open for debate.
According to the proposal, opt-out customers who aren’t enrolled in low-income programs will face one of two fee schedules: an up front fee of $135 with a fixed monthly charge of $20, or a one-time fee of $270 and a monthly charge of $14. Low-income assistance program-enrolled customers will receive a 20 percent discount.
PG&E Spokesman Jeff Smith said the fees will compensate for the overall cost of having technicians manually turn off the radios on the meters and sending meter readers to check the devices monthly. The fees will also include additional customer communication costs and updating the existing network to compensate for “network degradation” resulting from having the radios deactivated.
Furthermore, the utility will charge an exit fee to opted-out customers to reconnect the radio on their meter when that customer moves out of a residence. Those fees, Smith said, will be determined at the time of move-out, based on current energy rates.
According to PG&E’s application, the utility’s marketing research department estimates that approximately 150,000 customers will choose the opt-out option.
Criticism of the wireless meters has included fears over potential health consequences from sustained exposure to radio frequency emissions, as well as allegations of over-billing and inaccurate energy usage readings.
This proposal, however, was a direct response to the health concerns, Smith said. He referenced a September 2010 report by an independent Houston-based consulting firm, which found that the meters accurately reported consumers’ energy usage.
Smith said though radio emissions from the wireless meters comply with standards set by the Federal Communications Commission and the World Health Organization, PG&E wanted to be responsive to its customers’ concerns.
Sandi Mauer, president and founder of
the EMF Safety Network, which has led the campaign against SmartMeter installations, could not be reached for comment as of
press time.
According to Andrew Kotch, public
information officer for the CPUC, parties may file a protest against the proposal within 30 days.
According to PG&E officials, approximately 9,500 SmartMeters have been installed in Santa Maria, 1,500 in Guadalupe, 81 in Lompoc, and 36 in Orcutt, as of press time.
This article appears in Mar 31 – Apr 7, 2011.
