PORTLAND, Maine — Maine’s highest court ruled Thursday that state regulators failed to adequately address safety concerns about Central Maine Power’s smart meters but the ruling had no immediate impact on more than 600,000 smart meters already installed in homes and businesses across the state.
The Supreme Judicial Court ordered the Maine Public Utilities Commission to reconsider a complaint that raised health concerns, and lead plaintiff, Ed Friedman of Bowdoinham, urged the panel to use the opportunity “to hold full evidentiary hearings on this and look at it under the bright lights.”
“We understand that the horse is out of the barn in terms of the meters being in, but they should’ve vetted these smart meters for safety before they were deployed instead of waiting until they’re deployed to see that there’s well-known biological effects,” Friedman said.
The Maine Public Utilities Commission issued a brief statement saying the panel is considering how best to comply with the supreme court’s unanimous ruling.
“The commission is reviewing the order to determine what steps must be taken to comply with the court’s decision. We have not reached a decision on what process will be required to do so. Any decision about process will be determined by commissioners in a public session,” the statement said.
Smart meters transmit information about electricity use to CMP’s headquarters in Augusta using wireless technology similar to cellphones which emits radio frequency radiation. CMP says smart meters are safe, cut energy use and allow utilities to pinpoint problems during power outages more quickly.
At issue is whether the state regulators shirked their legal mandate to ensure the delivery of safe and reasonable utility services in approving CMP’s smart meters.
Critics also contend the smart meter program poses constitutional problems related to privacy and trespass, but the supreme court dismissed those claims.
As for safety, lawyers for the Maine Public Utilities Commission previously said there was no need for the panel to tackle safety concerns that already had been addressed by federal agencies. They also contended an opt-out provision provided an alternative for people with health worries.
Critics say radio frequency radiation emitted by smart meters can cause sleep loss, heart palpitations, dizziness and other problems. They say the PUC had a duty to look into those health concerns and that the opt-out provision doesn’t assure safety of those who keep smart meters. Friedman said the opt-out provision is meaningless for people who live in congested neighborhoods where they’re surrounded by smart meters.
CMP, which contends smart meters are safe, said the supreme court’s ruling has no immediate impact. The utility said it would continue installing the remaining 2,000 smart meters.
Federal stimulus dollars funded roughly half the $200 million cost of the smart meter project.
“The system is in place and it’s operating. We use it every day. This decision isn’t going to change any of our operations in the short term,” said spokesman John Carroll.
A word of advice, when you see a new program come along with a name that contains a word like “Smart” or “Community”, put up your guard and hang onto your wallet.
Wind is potentially an electric grid keeper’s worst nightmare because the grid keeper must match electrical supply with electrical demand, and erratic wind holds too many surpises. For example, the whole state of Maine could be experiencing strong winds and then rather suddenly, the wind dies down.
When the supply can’t be depended upon as it can with a source like natural gas, an alternate way to match up supply and demand is to control the demand. Enter the smart meter.
“A smart grid would allow the integration of variable energy sources like wind and solar. For example, if electricity output dropped suddenly due to a change in wind generation, the grid could dim the lights in big box stores by 20%, a change most people don’t perceive, say Don Von Dollen, program manager for the IntelliGrid project at the Electric Power Research Institute”.
http://www.mainebiz.biz/news44168.html
The more you learn about the so called smart meter, including its demand-regulating role within “central planning’s” grand vision, the more it smarts. You don’t really need that air conditioner on just because it’s 95 degrees and humid and you are trying to sleep, now do you?
you have to sign up to have your power dimmed and are compensated by monies for that loss.. if you dont want to participate its a non issue… just say no thanks.. its that easy..
For now….
Of course they didn’t address it. the PUC are dogs lead by a leash by the power companies.. good GiG if you can get it… You don’t have to disclose how much money wind power or other power compainies gives you to make rules for them until you resign your post.
Yes, I still want to know how many at the PUC have stock in CMP and Bangor Hydro. And not just current staff; go back over the last 20 years.
The fact that Federal Stimulus money was used to defray the cost of these meters-for a private company that makes a profit; should make every Main’ah wild ! We are losing control of our country and as you continue to vote for Democrats; its gonna get a lot worse.
Looks like its time to get my tin foil hat back out again.
LOL!!!!! Way too FUNNY!!!! Love It!!!!!!
I didn’t think you ever took it off.
Smart meters transmit information about electricity use to CMP’s headquarters in Augusta using wireless technology similar to cellphones which emits radio frequency radiation. CMP says smart meters are safe, cut energy use and allow utilities to pinpoint problems during power outages more quickly.
I bet the majority of these people complaining use cell phones, listen to radios, use wireless internet, etc. Just some homebodies who have nothing better to do then to find something to complain about.
And yet a CMP line worker I know was opting out and paying the extra $12/month to do so. Hmmm. That was good enough info for me. Wonder if I can get my money back for opting out too.
here’s just a thought , with all the WIFI,wide FI , cellular networks, ipads, iphones , laptops 2 way radios and wireless cameras in the world today, on 24/7- people actually worry about a device that has 60 times less power at intermittent times of transmission? if these people truly get sick from RF , where do they go to get better? the hospital is out, everything from heart monitors to call buttons these days are wireless. And if this type of frequency is affecting so may people , how come hospitals and IT professionals aren’t taking measures to reduce its affect? do any of you realize how much rf power it takes to communicate AROUND a lead encased x-ray room? and your car radio? most stations are at 100.000 watts transmission power , public safety antennas are very powerful and on top of most public safety buildings like fire and police…and they choose the smart meter ? because its the easiest to extort money from.. people see an opportunity to crack CMP’S piggy bank… of course it will take money to make money ..so watch where the major players are from.
almost forgot , these meters are at 2.4ghz just above your precious wireless internet . you cant see it on a standard wifi network by design. but if its causing sooo many issues…we need to turn off the internet..which is a lot closer to you right now on your laptop than the meter …enjoy!
to be really fair the meters only come on for about 45 secs/day total, so real interference will be pretty brief unless you live in an apartment complex with dozens of meters chirping away nearby.
Wireless internet is 2.4ghz. 802.11 is the standard, not the freq.
YIKES !!!!! wtf was i thinking.. I knew that.. of course I was drinking too.. I semi stand to be corrected.. Thanks jasper for the spectrum correction !! fresh coffee this morning AND correction has been made!
The smart meters do not have to transmit every day. Once a month is plenty. That would give people less to worry about.
Where is our Governor, here is another inapt agency that needs to be revamped, out with the old that thought they could career cruise and do nothing to protect the citizens. We the people do not have any safe guards to protect. Someone needs to step up and help, all our citizens not just themselves time and time, again. It is a corrupt system and all appointments are made because of political favors, owed or to be owed. We the people just do not learn and re-elect or elect ones who have an agenda. The wealthy know that money and ads in the face will sway the masses.
funny how the hydro companies calibrate their own meters,, can you imagine if the fuel pumps were calibrated by their owners? and not verified,,,, hmmmmm
Santa Cruz County California Health Department Cites Smart Meter Health Risks in Report
http://lamesa.patch.com/blog_posts/california-health-department-cites-smart-meter-health-risks-in-report
That article was filled with lots of “maybe’s” and “what if’s”, not facts.
California has been flushed down the toilet, never to return…
I bet the study was done by liberals.
Now about your cell phone. keep talking
When no one in Maine smokes or drinks and every eats healthy and exercises everyday. THEN we can waste our time looking for risk associated with these things.
Kudos to Maine’s Supreme Judicial Court!
On July 11, forty-one international experts published a commentary that raises serious questions about the safety of Smart Meters. For more information, see …
Smart Meters: Correcting the Gross Misinformation
Quebec-based magazine La Maison du 21e siecle asked physician David O. Carpenter,
former founding dean of the University at Albany (NY)’s School of
Public Health, to comment on a letter published in the Montreal daily Le Devoir
last May 24. This letter claimed wireless smart meters pose no risk to
public health. Some forty international experts contributed to the
following rebuttal.
http://maisonsaine.ca/smart-meters-correcting-the-gross-misinformation/