By: Kathleen Pierson

Kathleen Pierson — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 03:47:28 +0000

SoCalGas did the same thing to us just before Christmas 2015. I had them remove a “advanced meter” they had placed without my knowledge or consent. My oldest son is severely autistic and suffered his first seizure right after they placed the meter. They said that I had to pay a $75 initial opt-out fee and then $10 per month for a couple years if I didn’t want the new gas meter. I told them that I was never even informed about them placing this on my house, so I obviously didn’t opt-in. They said that the opt-out fee was approved by the CPUC and is mandated. I told them that I’m not paying it and they said that they’ll send someone out to disconnect our service the next day. They kept their promise.The SoCalGas guy asked me if I wanted to change my mind and accept the “advanced meter” to avoid disconnection or write him a check. I refused to do either and we managed to make it 2 days without hot water or heat before my kids ganged up on me and told me that I was ruining their Christmas. I succumbed to their protests and paid the extortion fee as well as a reconnection fee which was something like $300. The energy mafia sent Vinny to break my knees, or maybe just my bank account. The Energy Policy Act says that these devices aren’t mandated, but are to be offered to customers upon request. WTF! They go around bullying and trying to intimidate people into accepting this technology that has no safety studies and is, as most people now know, an extreme health threat. They’re trying to convince their customers that they’re federally mandated and they’re not. Even if they were mandated, we should never cooperate with unjust laws. They can’t just make these laws that don’t serve us (only serves them and their corporate masters) and expect us to abide by them. Do we not have a right of ownership to determine what goes on our homes if something is obviously harmful? We need a class action lawsuit against these energy companies or a mass action where we all have these damn meters taken off our houses and stop paying their extortion fees. What would they do then?

Comments on: Southern California Gas Disconnects “Opt Out” Fee Resister; Fairfax, Sebastopol Face Forced Smart Meter Deployment

By: Kathleen Pierson