Pacific Gas & Electric Company has been installing SMART METERS in California for some time replacing existing meters. In California the dramatic increases in monthly charges for electricity has skyrocketed (in some cases), leading to lawsuits and protests against the installation of smart meters.
Many PG&E customers have questioned the meters' accuracy and question remain about electricity theft and privacy issues. With many increases in monthly PG&E bills, and with PG&E wanting new rate increases from the Public Utilities Commission, the installation of the SMART Meters looks like a windfall profits tax on electricity consumers by PG&E.
But the accuracy of smart meters - in particular, the ones used by PG&E's - has been called into
question. Many angry homeowners have complained that their utility bills soared after the new meters
were installed. The California Public Utilities Commission has started an investigation. And San
Francisco's city attorney has asked the commission to halt PG&E's meter installations program
until the investigation wraps up. Other communities are holding public hearings with regard to this issue and requesting moratoriums on further installations until lawsuits and investigations are completed.
San Anselmo and Fairfax, California State Assemblyman Jared Huffman wants an independent agency to study the health effects of Smart Meters, the electronic monitoring devices that Pacific Gas and Electric Co. is installing statewide to measure the electricity output from each household and business.
Critics also argue that the health effects of the electro-magnetic frequencies and radio frequencies are unknown. Investigations into the long-term effects of such frequencies are still on-going. A number of additional concerns have been raised about PG&E's Smart Meters, citing privacy, security, accuracy, theft of electricity, and health problems. KGO Radio in San Francisco, Michael Finney, has been investigating the problems associated with SMART Meters and their investigation has rasied additional questions. ( It has been reported that AM Radio signals may also be effected by the installation of SMART Meters.)
The PDF files below are provided as additional information on this issue. This information will be updated as new information becomes available each week.
It should be noted that PG&E has started a newspaper, radio, and television blitz costing $Millions to convince California residents that SMART Meters are good for us. They should save their money and reduce our rates instead.
18 1 California SMART Meter Complaints May be Filed With the CA Public Utilities Commission.pdf
18G 2010 Gauging the Pros and Cons of Smart Meters San Francisco Chronicle by Baker July 5, 2010.pdf
18K 2010 KGO Newstalk AM 810 Radio March 12, 2010 Smart Meter Complaints Dominate Meeting.pdf
18K 2010 PG&E California Electricity Problems-Greenwire January 7, 2010 PG&E.pdf
18K 2010 PG&E California SMART Meters Problems The Press Democrat February 3, 2010 Page 1.pdf
18K 2010 PG&E California SMART Meters Problems The Press Democrat February 3, 2010 Page 2.pdf
18K 2010 PG+E Smart Meter Problems KGO Radio News March 26, 2010 Electricity Theft.pdf
18K 2010 Smart Meters Have Security Holes+Other Flaws March 26, 2010 Associated Press.pdf
18K 2010 SMART METERS January-April 2010 Newspaper Articles on PG+E California.pdf
18M 2010 PG+E Smart Meters Takes Bulk of Complaints August 24, 2010.pdf
18P 2010 California SMART Meters PG+E Conducting Own Meter Tests April 21, 2010 Californian News.pdf
18X 2009 C PG&E New Smart Meter Problems SFChronicle 2009.pdf
18X 2009 PG+E in California Installing 13 Thousand Smart Meters Per Day November 4, 2009.pdf
18X 2009 PG&E Smart Meters=Soaring Electic Bills S.F. Chronicle November 2009.pdf
18Y 2010 PG&E California SMART METER Search + Information + Lawsuit + Problems February 22, 2010.pdf
18Y 2010 Smart Meters - PG+E Google Search March 27, 2010 Page 1.pdf
PG&E SMART METER Search + Information + Lawsuit + Problems February 22, 2010.pdf
