CFACT grassroots coordinator Tom Deweese presented testimony on “smart” electric meters in Virginia. Smart electric meters enable governments and utilities to throttle down or shut off your power. Shutting off your power is one tactic utilities are developing to keep the grid running when intermittent wind and solar stop producing electricity.
CFACT testimony on Virginia regulation of “Smart” Meters
My name is Tom DeWeese, president of the American Policy Center and National Grassroots Coordinator of CFACT – the Committer for a Constructive Tomorrow.
My purpose today is to speak against Dominion Energy’s application concerning the use of Smart Meters. More specifically, I speak against the very use of Smart Meters on private homes.
First, Dominion claims that Smart Meters provide for cheaper energy costs, one reason being that they do not require a team of meter readers to come directly to homes to obtain use information for billing.
This claim is completely false. I have resided in a very rural area for over 20 years. I have an analog meter and have never seen a meter reader approach my home. Yet, I receive a monthly bill detailing my use. Obviously, the electric company is able to gain that information without the expense of meter readers.
The extra charge to those who seek to opt out of having a Smart Meter is simply a tax to punish those who do not accept the politically-motivated claim of human caused Climate Change.
Those like Dominion, in promoting the use of Smart Meters, claim the purpose is to protect the environment. Those promoting this political agenda claim that “The National Academy of Science indicates warming has accelerated during the past two decades.”
I call on Dominion to explain conflicting reports from NASA, Hadley Climate Research Unit, and others which agree that there has been no detectible global temperature-increase for over 16 years, even as atmospheric CO2 has increased by 10%.
In addition, in a study by the University of Chicago, it is found that Smart Meters don’t actually improve energy efficiency, so forcing them into use simply appears to enable bad utility behavior for little benefit to the grid.
The real purpose for the use of smart meters is to protect Dominion Energy from its misguided process to replace sound energy policy with wind and solar, they provide next to nothing to the power grid. Solar and Wind are a part time source of energy. When the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine, not energy is created. No modern society can exist in such a situation.
To protect the grid from collapse during major hot or cold days, the Smart meters give the power company the ability to shut down energy use – at the very times consumers need it most.
As a wireless technology, smart meters emit a form of electromagnetic radiation (EMR). This has a dangerous effect on those who experience electromagnetic sensitivity – especially when hundreds of smart meters are installed in neighborhoods. Their health and ability to live in their homes is severely threatened.
There have also been reports of Smart Meters catching fire and further endangering the homes.
It is the purpose of the Virginia State Corporate Commission, a regulatory agency dedicated to serving the public interest, to assure safe, reliable, and reasonably priced services provided by public utility companies.
Therefore, I call on you to not only prevent Dominion Energy from the ability to charge higher opt out fees, but to prevent Dominion Energy from enforcing the use of Smart Meters on anyone.