2015-12-24 BC Hydro keeps no records on smart meters that have burned or failed

  • New studies confirm that children’s brains absorb far more RF from cell phone than adults’ and far more than previously thought. Standards for use of wireless devices need to be revised and parents need to be educated.

 

http://ehtrust.org/new-state-of-the-art-research-shows-childrens-brains-absorb-higher-doses-of-cell-phone-radiation-than-adults/

http://www.naturalhealth365.com/brain-emf-radiation-1680.html

 

 

  • Martin Pall has published a report on the relationship of exposure to low levels of microwave radiation and neuropsychiatric problems.    Much of the research was done decades ago. Why has it been ignored?

 

“One of the citations from the previous paragraph, Bise (1978) reviewed earlier studies of low level microwave frequency exposures in humans and concluded that such EMFs produced the following neuropsychiatric effects: headache, fatigue, irrita-bility, dizziness, loss of appetite, sleepiness, sweating, difficulty of concentration, memory loss, depression, emotional instability, dermographism, tremor, hallucinations and insomnia. The strong similarity of this list from 37 years ago and the list in Table 4 should be noted. The Bise (1978) list is based on occupational exposure studies whereas the current list in Table 4 is based primarily on EMF exposures from cell/mobile phone base stations, from heavy cell phone usage and from smart meters, three types of exposures that did not exist in 1978. The strong similarity between the Bise (1978) list and the current one 37 years later alone produces a compelling argument that the 11 neuropsychiatric effects found on both lists are caused by exposure to multiple types of low-intensity microwave EMFs.”  Pg. 7 of the attached report.

 Click here to see the report NeuropsychFin

 

  • As you all know, I have received many fire reports from the provincial fire commissioner that give as the “igniting object”  of the fire “malfunction of electrical distribution equipment”, and nothing more.    There is nothing more in most cases because there is no smart meter – as the fire inspector told me, Hydro removes the smart meter from the fire scenes before an inspector arrives, which is against the law.   Therefore the fire report give as the cause of the fire “undetermined”. Without the ability to inspect the smart meter, even if the inspector suspects that it caused the fire, he must put “undetermined”.

 

To get information about the details of the failed distribution equipment, I have asked BC Hydro to tell me what the equipment was that failed. I’ve always given names of the home owner, the address of the fire, and the date, along with the fire report. In every instance BC Hydro has refused to provide any information siting the Freedom of Information Act, saying it cannot provide personal information of a third party. I ask what personal information, since I have given it all, and what I am asking pertains to their equipment. They refuse.

So I submitted a formal complaint to the Privacy Commissioner who checks into breaches of the FOI.    My complaint was that BC Hydro is misusing the Freedom of Information Act to refuse to provide information to which I have a right.  After many months, I was told on Wednesday, Dec. 23, that BCHydro has no reports to give. They do not keep records on failed meters.    How very convenient. BC Hydro told me separately that they do not test or inspect any failed meters but merely return them immediately to ITRON for replacement. No records, no evidence,  no proof that these meters are dangerous.

Len Garis, the former chief of the BC Fire Commissioners, was commissioned and paid by BC Hydro to write a report on whether the smeters were safe or not. He looked at the raw numbers and because fewer electrical fires had been reported, he declared that this proved there were no smart meter fires. He also said that any fire attributed to failed electrical distribution equipment would be directly relevant to the smart meter.

“On a more specific level, electrical distribution equipment generally made up a very small percentage of the overall residential structure fires in both groups (0.4% and 0.1% in the pre- and post-meters, respectively). It is likely that these types of fires are most closely related to the meter base, which is directly relevant to the smart meters.”  Pg. 3 https://www.ufv.ca/media/assets/ccjr/ccjr-resources/ccjr-publications/Smart+Meter+Report.pdf  (please note this report looked at figures from  mid-2010-mid-2012 during which time very few smeters had been installed. He said the same thing in his next report.)

It appears to me that we can draw but one conclusion from the fact that there have been many fires attributed to “failed electrical distribution equipment”, and that is that these devices are dangerous, defective and must be recalled. If they were not, I am sure that BCHydro would allow the fire inspectors to inspect all smart meters at the scene of the fire to determine if or why they caused fires. It is not our responsibility to prove these are dangerous. Rather it is BCHydro’s responsibility to prove they are safe by allowing, as required by law, a professional electrical engineer licensed by BC to inspect the smart meters in conjunction with the meter base that was designed, tested and certified to hold an analog and nothing else.

 

In 2016, I hope everyone who reads this will write to the BCUC (commissioner.secretary@bcuc.com, Patrick.wruck@bcuc.com), John.horgan.mla@leg.bc.ca , your MLA, and the media (contacts are on www.stopsmartmetersbc.com ) Share this information or any other information about fires that I have included in updates over the last year. I ask that this be your New Year’s Resolution. Remember, the power of people is greater that the people in power.

 

  • BC Hydro’s Affordability Program for Low-Income Customers:

The BC Public Interest Advocacy Centre is asking BC Hydro to put an affordability program in place for their low-income customers. As part of the rate design proceeding, they plan to put forward evidence the increasing unaffordability of BCHydro rates for low-income residential ratepayers. If you have been disconnected by BC Hydro because you were unable to pay your bill, or you are low income and are falling behind on your BC Hydro bills, please contact BCPIAC at 604-687-3063 or support@bcpiac.com.

BC Public Interest Advocacy Centre
208-1090 West Pender St., Vancouver, BC V6E 2N7
Coast Salish Territory
Ph: 604-687-4134
Fax: 604-682-7896

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Happy Holidays!!
Newsletter prepared by Sharon Noble

 

Smart Meters, Cell Towers, Smart Phones, 5G and all things that radiate RF Radiation