- Do I have the right to have my “smart” meter changed for an analog meter?
- Is this legal? Will I be arrested? Will my electricity be cut off?
- How can I have it changed for an analog?
- How can I find an electrician to help me?
- How can I protect myself against charges of tampering?
___________________________________ BACK TO FAQ INDEX
First read this section on other ways to get a “smart” meter removed from your home. Then read these posts about what has happened to some people who have been open with PG&E about changing their own meter.
Also, please view this video which details at length how to go about the changing process, and here is a site that offers a kit to help you do so.
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Q: Do I have the right to have my “smart” meter changed for an analog meter?
Stop Smart Meters! asserts that you have the basic legal right to safety and health in your home. Read about the opt out now in place for PG&E customers (Feb 2012.) PG&E and other utilities claim that only they can change your meter. Nonetheless, for PG&E customers, the change back to an analog may be scheduled for months away, and for someone adversely affected by their smart meter, this may be too late. For ratepayers in other states, where there is no option to refuse, they may have no other recourse than to effect this change themselves.
Basically, there is the law and then there is utility company policy. The law states that if someone or something is on your property (whether you rent or own) and you don’t want them (or it) there, you have a right to get that person-or that device- off your property. The utility’s easement typically only covers maintenance and access to read your meter, NOT installation of a communications device on the side of your home. The utility messed up when it failed to ask permission, and now they are suffering a predictable backlash against their arrogant policy of “implied consent.” The utility is NOT the government (despite what they may think)- they are a private party bound by local, state, and federal law. They can respond to you refusing access for smart meter installation or having your meter swapped out in several ways. They may threaten you with jail, service disconnection, or fines, but they are bluffing! They cannot have you arrested unless they can prove you were trying to defraud them by tampering. They cannot disconnect the service of a paying customer according to state utilities code. They can only charge you more if your state PUC allows them to do so, and this is typically a lengthy process. So ignore their threats, stand your ground, and have that analog put back in its rightful place- on the side of your home! Then lock it up!
Protecting the health, safety, and security of yourself and your family seems to us to be one of the most basic of human rights.
Q: Is this legal? Will I be arrested? Will my electricity be cut off?
We aren’t qualified to give you legal advice, but we can tell you what we’ve heard about. We know that no one so far has been arrested for changing their meter back to an analog. When during December 2011 PG&E cut off several customers’ electricity for changing their own meters, bad press quickly brought them to heel, and those customers got their lights switched back on in a week. Electricians tell us that making upgrades to a homeowner’s electrical system can sometimes entail a meter change. PG&E says you must contact them first before making this change.
Pay your bills and/or send them money to cover estimated bills for the period in question, based on your bills/usage in previous years, same month. Don’t allow the utility to cut you off for non-payment!
People who have had meters changed in California have sometimes ended up with the utility sending out a meter reader, and then they pay ahead by a number of months (to avoid charge of nonpayment, which IS grounds for being cut off) or send in a photo of their meter’s reading at an agreed-on date to the utility. Sometimes the utility accepts this, and sometimes they fight the person, threatening disconnection and/or legal charges such as meter tampering. Such charges have not been filed so far, and such a charge would entail proving the customer had intent to defraud the utility or steal electricity.
We know people who have made such a change, and results have varied. These are people in good standing with their utilities, people who pay their bill. This woman in SoCal, for instance: http://emfsafetynetwork.org/?p=5783 . She was threatened with the police and with disconnection—a traumatic and frightening threat to have to endure—but this has not happened (late Sept 2011). It would be a PR nightmare for a utility if they followed through with something like that. StopSmartMeters.org would certainly help publicize any such threats or actions, as we did for this woman. Here is a collection of posts about this.
There are issues that people have run into in the process. The “smart” meter belongs to the utility, so people changing a meter have had to decide how to keep the SM safe and make it right with their utility. One person said he thought he would send it back certified insured mail.
Also, there have been issues with the different readings on the two different meters. One woman had to pay a high bill one month, but it came down next month, and she just lumped it. People have documented every step of their process (photo, video), so they can protect themselves from any bogus charges of tampering for the purposes of electricity-theft. These people are not thieves or criminals and have tried every alternative working with the utility or state agencies to protect their health before taking this step.
If you decide to have an analog re-installed, we do recommend that you secure that meter from tampering or trespass. There are some ideas here. Every bit of your electrical system on the home side of the meter belongs to you, as well as (of course) the surrounding walls and the air. You have a right to tell anyone (besides a cop with a warrant) to leave the premises and they must comply or they are guilty of trespassing.
Current state of the Opt Out in California (post).
Q: Can I change it myself for an analog?
All electrical work on your home should be addressed by a qualified electrician. We don’t recommend that any person work on their own electrical system by themselves.
Q: How can I find an electrician to help me?
Asking friends or neighbors for recommendations is a start. Calling electricians in your community is another route.
Q: How can I find an analog meter?
Most electricians know which electrical supply stores carry analog meters. People have found them online by searching. Currently, because so many analogs have been removed, there are many fully functioning analog meters around. You can call order quality analog meters from Real Goods. See this post. Protect it with one of these ideas.
Q: How can I protect myself against charges of tampering?
Although we are not legal experts, it seems that the charge of “tampering” means you have to have had intent to defraud your utility or steal electricity. That is not your intent, and so it seems to us a charge of “tampering” would be difficult for them to prove from your behavior, as long as you are methodical. That said, you may want to seek legal advice.
Document your repeated requests to your utility for an analog meter. Document your illness from the “smart” meter. Show that you have made every attempt to go through the legal means to relieve your distress. Preserve anything that belongs to the utility carefully. If they take you to court or charge you fines, we will publish an account and publicize your story to the best of our abilities.
But so far, no one has been charged with a crime for changing a meter, nor fined, though threats and intimidation seem to be utility standard procedure. Here is one woman’s still-evolving story. Here’s a collection of posts on the matter.
What if I’ve notice that a smart meter has been installed on my home and know that it was not there before. I was warned about this smart meter by a friend and at that time there was no smart meter connected to my home when I checked. Today I found on the 16th of October that one had been placed on my home. This has happen within the last three weeks. What can I do?
The smart meter can still be affected by a EMP or kids with a coil of wire and a battery close up.
It may be possible to trip the relay and turn off the power using a coil of wire or make it read incorrectly, or change the rate tables or calculations inside (alter memory bits by EMP).
If it’s still receiving signals the possibly of it being commanded from remote may still be possible.
At any point, the transmitter may be able to be commanded on, and the power company is therefore just playing with you.
I would demand the mechanical meter back and not stop till they put it back.
I had my old meter installed . because I could not sleep. and I was getting many headaches. i live in a mobil home park and because there are so many mobil homes that have the smart meters . I’m still being affected . I live in Maine where do I go to air this concern ?
In Maine, please contact:
Eliza Boxer-Cook
http://www.smartmetersafety.com
eboxer [AT] maine.rr [DOT] com
I already had one installed. Is there a link to a step by step paper or something that will walk me through the process of having it switched back? Thanks!!!
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thank you! i called the pge hotline and got on the list!! im soo glad i found this out, my little girl sleeps right next to this nightmare device!
Prior to the installation of the device, we had no electrical problems. A few days after the “smart meter” was installed we noticed one circut kept being tripped. I replaced the breaker to it. Then a second breaker kept tripping, I changed it. Now the lights on the first breaker/circut flicker all the time. I changed the bulbs, and they flicker…
The second breaker I changed has my kitchen refridgerator on it, it trips and then approx 30 seconds later it turns on again……
Here in Las Vegas NV we can get the old analog meter back onto our homes if we pay a “enrollment fee” of 110.00 and a monthly service fee for the meter to be personally read, at a 15.00 fee BUT it is a digital meter, not the origional analog ones they took off the house. They charge us for usage. they charge us to cover the added costs of a summer they didnt buy enough power so they had to buy it at massively higher rates and instead of the company losing money from their screw up they make us pay them back for the additional costs….. If the rate is 0.03 a kwh, it should be that AND ONLY THAT and it should NOT matter what time i use that kwh either. The Nevada Energy is going to bleed us of every extra cent they can get…. Wait once a house is completely self sufficent and makes more electricity than it uses (solar panels etc) Nevada Energy will charge a fee for them having to pay you the money it owes for the extra electricity YOU sold them. Then if the house never uses a single KWH in a month they will charge a “NON USAGE” fee !!! If you disconnect from their grid, they would then charge a “no-service” fee !
They are worse than a gang, as a gang only hurts you right now, they dont rob you of your future like NV Energy tries to with the help of their little friend the PUC
oops I made a mistake, I said “Here in Las Vegas NV we can get the old analog meter back onto our homes ” this isnt the case….. as i stated later it is a alternate digital meter not the orgional analog meter…
My Analogue Meter is on a telephone pole 5 feet from the house and the meter sits on a metal box, how am I stop them from changing it to a smack us meter. I have notes on the meter telling them to stop and No trespassing. But if I am away when the sneeky snake people come they will still change it. The Rats.
Should I get foil ready?
I refused the smart meter and have had signs up around my meter and on the fence gates. Again this morning the Oncor showed up and I said no smart meter. He told I have to because there are no more meter readers. I still declined and he then told me the next people I will see are there lawyers.
I have 3 smart meters in my kitchen with the fuse panel and breakers for 3 apartments…not my choice… my landlord let them in although I did line the doors with tin foil…. yikes…. I think I`m scared now…… HELP….
DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT CITIZENS CAN DO ABOUT PREVENTING SMART METERS FROM BEING INSTALLED IN PA AS OF 1/5/2013? WHAT LAW THAT I CAN DOWNLOAD/PRINT WILL INSURE OUR PROPERTY RIGHTS AGAINST BEING FORCED TO HAVE THIS HAZARD INSTALLED?
My first thought when smart meters were being installed was that there was a potential risk of fires; so far I have not been wrong. I have further evaluated the situation and have come to the conclusion that smart meters also have the potential to cause shift in the foundation of buildings/houses. Smart meters emit electromagnetic energy; it has been noted that prior to any earthquake, there is shift in the earth’s magnetic field. This type of technology is not only dangerous to the planet but it is illegal technology. It is illegal technology because it has no grounding, all technology that concerns electricity have to be grounded by law. How these vultures get away with this, I simply do not now. The Federal government of Canada has just given billions of dollars to a wireless company to install wireless radio service on Canadian Navy ships. This investment provides no new jobs into the economy and will eventually drive up the health care cost as sailors begin to develop radiation sickness.
These companies have very aggressive lobbyist and our governments are not taking the time to do the research or to obtain objective reviews on the dangers of such technology.
I am EMF sensitive and I do not wish this illness on an enemy if I had one. your whole life is turned upside down, one is always one step away of ending the suffering. I lost my job, live on disability, I have to have my grocery delivered, and all other things I need delivered to me. I hardly go out into the community and have difficulty even living in my home.
Please stop the smart meters. Please stop the madness, stop buying cellphones and other wireless devices that work off cell grids! We the consumers have the power but over the last two decade we have given it away. I see people complain about smart meters yet they talk about their wi-fi and iphones. Stop the madness now!
I just realized that i have two smart meters where I live. I called today to have one removed
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I had a “smart meter” on my home and started experiencing unexplained headaches as well as my wife. My son has frequent nose bleeds another symptom caused by the meter. I recently contacted the electric company (Oncor) about the situation and was told it was mandated and they refused to remove it. I purchased an analog meter and notified them and gave them time to remove it without fail. I removed it and mailed it to them. Two weeks went by with my analog meter on then right before my wife came home they cut my lock ignorned my no trespassing signs and left my meter on the ground. I am in the process of trying to cut their locks and get my analog meter back on my house. Is there anyone in Texas experiencing similar situations I’m in the Central Texas area? HELP!!!!!!!
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I am happy to pay PG&E to come put an analog meter back on my house (even though it’s $254!!!!!!).
What I object to is the punitive monthly fee of $51. Does anyone know if i continue to pay my electric bill minus this $51 whether they will or have the right to cut off my power?
Is that Portland Gas & Electric ?
The reason that I am asking is that I live in northern California and served power by Pacific Gas & Electric (also called PG&E).
I never did get a smart meter, nor did many of my neighbors, but I had to pay a one time opt out fee of $75 to grant a meter reader access my property to install a tag on my meter that says, “opt out”. To me. that seems expensive to let someone from PG&E onto my property for 5 minutes to put a tag on my meter, but it is well worth it to me considering the thousands of dollars I will save by not having a smart meter keeping track of how much electricity that I use during their new “peak pricing” hours.
Oh, also the monthly charge here in California is $10 per month to read the card that I set and leave on the fence after reading my own meter.
There are over 15 meters on my street that still need to be read manually, so for PG&E to come up and read my card on the street, I am doing the meter readers a favor.
You know how these corporations are, they hire some bean counter to come in from Japan and claim that they know long it SHOULD take to do a meter read, but in some areas, the bean counters estimates are just a pipedream.