Unhappy Duke Energy Customers in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. Are you one of them?

Cincinnati: Ohio Duke Energy customers now have an “opt out” for smart meters.

On January 24, 2017, WCPO Cincinnati reporter, John Matarese produced a story about Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky customers who had contacted him about astronomical utility bills. “Why Your Duke Bill’s So High Despite Warm Month” 

He also posted a link for the story on his Facebook page on the same day. There were over 500 comments posted and over 700 shares.  Duke Energy took no responsibility.

On April 19, 2017 similar complaints were reported by Duke customers in Terre Haute and Greencastle, Indiana for the same time period.  Duke Energy handled the situation very differently: “Early 2017 was ‘perfect storm’ for Duke Energy.  President says several issues led to blizzard of complaints”

Billing complaints aren’t isolated to Duke Energy.  A recent Dutch study revealed that over a six month period, nine of the most commonly installed “smart” meters had measurement errors between 30% and 582%.

Since 2012, John Matarese has produced other stories regarding issues with Duke Energy AMI “smart” meters:

2012:  “Don’t Want Smart Meter – Power Shut Off”

2013:  “Smart Meter Makes Touch Lamp Go Crazy”

2016:  “Duke Energy to allow Smart Meter Opting Out”

The Ohio Duke Energy “opt out” program formally went into effect in September 2016. The PUCO case record is still open and comments are still being added. The tariff was only written for the electric meter. However, customers have reported that they’ve also been able to have the transmitter from their gas meters removed after filing a complaint with PUCO.

Some Duke customers have allegedly not received a call back from Duke after requesting their meters be replaced.  They are encouraged to contact the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO). They are also encouraged to share their stories at the Stop Smart Meters Ohio Facebook page.

There have been reports that employees have told them that they don’t have “smart” meters – that they have “AMI” meters (the same thing by a different name). This has also been deterring customers from “opting out”.

Duke Energy also has “smart” meters installed in Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina.  There have been complaints filed in all states but so far Ohio is the only one with an “opt out” program

Speak out and demand meter choice and freedom from unwanted surveillance, health and safety hazards, and overcharges!

Posted in Citizen rebellion, Democracy, Indiana, Kentucky, neighborhood organizing, Ohio, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

A Growing Smart Meter Resistance in the Bluegrass State

You may be wondering, what is going on with smart meters in Kentucky?  A helpful supporter sent us this update to post about organizing efforts and where things stand with regard to smart meter resistance in the bluegrass state.

2017 – What’s up in Kentucky:
Over the last few months, angry utility customers in Kentucky have organized and obtained legal representation because of issues from newly installed TOU “Time of Use” AMI “smart” meters. Both groups have Facebook pages:

Glasgow Citizens Against the New EPB Rate Structure has almost 1400 members. Concerned Kenergy Corp. Customers has over 3700 members.

Utility customers all over Kentucky have been fighting for utility meter choice since roll out started several years ago.  Last year all complaints were lumped into one case file:  Case File 2012-000428

Unfortunately when the PSC finally made a decision, they left it up to utility companies whether or not to offer “opt outs” to their customers.  Here are some links regarding this decision: (1)  (2)  (3)

Kentuckians are still fighting though.  Here is a petition started earlier this year. A state bill was also introduced in February to make these meters optional.

Duke Energy has AMI “smart” meters installed throughout much of Northern Kentucky. On January 24, 2017 John Matarese of WCPO TV interviewed business owners from Florence, KY who had complained about high bills despite a warmer than usual month.    After the story was posted to John’s Facebook page, there were over 500 comments and 700 shares from other Duke customers in Kentucky as well as Ohio and Indiana who stated they were experiencing the same thing.

As of September 1st, 2016, there has been a Duke Energy AMI “smart” meter opt-out in Ohio. Here is a link to the case record which is still active:  Customers and consumer agencies are still trying to get the fees eliminated and/or reduced.

  For more information about Kentucky’s fight against smart meters, visit one or both of the Facebook page links provided above.

Posted in Citizen rebellion, legal issues, neighborhood organizing | 1 Comment

Justice for Smart Meter Crimes Against Rebecca and her Heart

Rebecca’s Justice, Rebecca’s Heart
A Smart Meter Medical-Legal Case for us all

Join Rebecca: Let’s get the California Supreme Court to legally protect our rights in court as we face continuous exposure to unwanted RF radiation. Rebecca was seriously injured and lost her health and home in 2010 after a bank of smart meters were installed on the wall of her condo in San Diego County.

She has been fighting for almost 7 years. Join her campaign.

We enhance our ability to protect ourselves from and be compensated for radiation injuries in court, by building on success. One case establishes precedent for all future cases. Legally, we stand on each other’s shoulders by creating case law as a foundation. Rebecca’s Justice is applicable not only in California, but many other states as well.

Please click here to go to Rebecca’s Justice gofundme page. Together let’s crowdfund and support Rebecca’s legal expenses, and allow her to prevail in court. For more information, please contact: rebeccasjustice@gmail.com.

Posted in California, Electro-Hyper-Sensitivity, health effects, radio-frequency radiation, San Diego County, SDG&E | Leave a comment

CA Bill SB 649 Would Force Transmitters Outside Your Home

Tell California State Senators: “NO” on SB 649- NO Small Cell Invasion

California pending legislation SB649 would streamline placement of ​5G ​small cell Distributed Antenna System​s​ (DAS) on electric and light poles in front of businesses and residences, even while physicians are raising the alarm about the health dangers of the technology  This bill eliminates local control and jurisdiction with regard to DAS ​placement ​throughout the state of California. Read more about the bill and take action at the Scientists for Wired Tech site.

Ellen Marks of the California Brain Tumor Association says:

PLEASE WRITE TO (YOUR LEGISLATORS) NOW (AND ASK THEM TO VOTE NO ON SB 649)- DO NOT WAIT FOR THESE MILLIMETER MICROWAVE ANTENNAS TO BE INSTALLED OUTSIDE YOUR HOMES.”

While cities and counties can presently refuse telecommunications equipment on their own property for any reason including health damage, SB 642 is a sneaky attempt by the wireless industry to change the rules of the game.  The bill would strip local governments of their property rights and force them to ignore safety, aesthetic, health and other issues and approve all wireless company applications along public streets and properties. The California State Assn. of Counties has written a letter strongly opposing SB 649 that raises these issues.

The wireless industry has made some specious claims in support of the bill, including that “a DAS box is only the size of a pizza box” (this claim was thoroughly debunked here).

UPDATE: SB 649 passed the Governance and Finance Committee on April 26th unanimously with no mention of health or environmental effects. Current status here.

Please write and/or call the senators and tell them to vote ’NO’ to CA Bill SB 649. You can also “tweet” them, or meet with them in person. Legislator contact info is here.

Points to help you draft letters, make calls and/or give testimony at the hearing, provided are some sound bites for you to give to the Governance & Finance Committee:

  • Taking away property rights will result in lowered property value
    Lowered property value will then lead to lowered property tax revenues.
  • US NTP $25 million dollar study proved RF emissions from ​2G causes DNA breaks, cancers of the brain and heart.
  • Over 220 international scientists have sent an appeal to the WHO that RF emissions are already out of control, and this statement was made two years ago.
  • Increase in health care costs due to growing health problems in the population.
  • Lowered productivity at work due to negative health impacts from the increased wireless radiation exposures
  • Lloyd’s of London and Swiss Re, two major insurance companies of the world, will not cover medical expenses incurred due to exposure to electromagnetic radio frequency radiation (EMR) (i.e. cellphones, wifi, cell tower, antennas, DAS, IoT devices, smart meters, etc.)
  • Environmental devastation from loss of oxygen producing foliage due to damage of trees and vegetation from EMR exposures
  • Environmental devastation from astronomical increases of approximately 124,416 lbs. of CO2 per city every day, or 1.6 trillion lbs. of carbon per year nationwide emissions from powering up the 5G DAS infrastructure 24/7 (and this does not include the carbon footprint created from all the other IoT network and clouds)
  • Fiber optics is the best and only solution.  They are energy efficient, less vulnerable to shut down due to EMP or hacking, and do not create hazardous RF emissions that cause damage to health and the environment
  • Russia has denied 5G rollout in their country.  Instead, they are utilizing fiber optic cables to deliver the internet to every private resident.

If you have any questions about the above please email Mark at mark.graham@scientists4wiredtech.com

Posted in California, Citizen rebellion, radio-frequency radiation, Smart Grid | 2 Comments

“NO 5G” Rally in Washington DC April 20th

An Alert from Whatis5G.info:

PLEASE JOIN US FOR A RALLY OUTSIDE THE FCC ON THURSDAY, APRIL 20th

The rally will take place from 9:00 – 10:15 am (at 445 12th Street SW, Washington, DC) after which people are encouraged to attend the 10:30 am FCC meeting which is open to the public. During this meeting, the Commission intends to address, “impediments to 5G infrastructure” – which presumably includes those who oppose the infrastructure in their neighborhoods.  Link to FB post.

We have 3 asks:
1.  We say NO to small cells beaming radiation into our homes 24/7
2.  NO to the wireless industry preempting local zoning rights
3.  And YES to ONE BIG DIG for Fiber Optics: All homes, businesses and farms should be connected via safe, reliable, secure, and healthy Fiber Optics.

THANKS AND PLEASE SHARE WIDELY !!!

More details will be posted on the What is 5G and the Internet of Things Facebook Page and on the 5G website at this link.

If you have any questions, please feel free to message us on the What is 5G FB page or through the website, at rethinking5g@whatis5g.info. Finally, if you need accommodations, we may be able to make arrangements for low EMF housing.

Posted in Citizen rebellion, Democracy, Environmental Concerns, FCC, Federal Government, health effects, neighborhood organizing, Washington DC | Leave a comment