1) Cisco, the company that makes the collectors to which $$mart meters in the mesh grid “report” and from which it receives info/instructions from BC Hydro, uses BC Hydro as one of its “successes”.
2) In Arizona, utility companies want to increase fees and rates for customers using solar. This tactic certainly discourages use of renewable energy in combination with the utility to feed in surplus power or as backup. This could push customers to go entirely off the grid, exacerbating the death spiral that seems inevitable as rates and concerns for the environment increase.
3) From a member’s Facebook on Monday, Feb. 22:
“I told BC Hydro that I absolutely insisted on an analog. They said they would “try”. I’m not sure what I would have done if the installer phoned and said he only had a digital meter available. But when he did phone, he did reveal at that time that he had an analog. I also insisted that they phone ahead. He did, but only the evening before the morning he arrived! Less than 24 hour warning! He left his cell phone. I phoned. He didn’t answer. I left a voicemail. Next morning, he phoned back. All good. He did mention that he missed an earlier ferry sailing because another customer couldn’t make it until later in the day.”
4) “$$mart” lighting via the internet of things. Why? And what does this mean for microwave radiation?? I don’t pretend to understand this but I am very leery of anything “$$mart”.
“Cree has partnered with tech company Cisco to provide SmartCast Power over Ethernet, which is part of the Cisco Digital Ceiling framework, “which connects disparate systems into a single IP network to create smart, more secure, seamless connected building systems.” Using an existing Ethernet framework rather than separate data and high-voltage power connections, Cree’s SmartCast PoE will be able to work straight out of the box and make use of existing data infrastructure.”
http://cleantechnica.com/2016/02/23/cree-announces-smartcast-power-ethernet-enable-internet-things/
5) Audio, slides and Q&A from a teleconference held on Feb. 16/16 is now available.
“Wireless Technology & Public Health: Health & Environmental Hazards in a Wireless World”
http://www.saferemr.com/2016/02/wireless-technology-public-health.html
Letters:
– http://emrabc.ca/?page_id=6682 
From: X
Sent: February 21, 2016
To: John Horgan, Leader – NDP Official Opposition <john.horgan.mla@leg.bc.ca>
Cc: Sharon Noble
Subject: Lithium Batteries and Smart Meters
Dear Mr. Horgan:
As you are probably aware, $mart meters are equipped with lithium batteries. Lithium batteries, as well as other batteries, give off gases. The batteries are designed and manufactured like a hot water tank with a pressure release valve to exhaust the built-up pressure because they heat up during usage. Smart meters exposed to the elements are more likely to be fire hazards than those in a sheltered area.
The gases from a lithium battery are extremely poisonous, explosive, corrosive and conductive when enclosed inside the meter. The gases they give off corrode and short out the circuit board in the meter, and can cause explosions and fires.
Now I hear that some insurance companies may not cover the loss of a house if the fire was caused by a $mart meter, and the Liberals are allowing BC Hydro to place these bombs on our houses. Not only that, but they put a muzzle on BCUC so that they can’t help us, the public, for which they were initially brought into being. Also, why is Hydro allowed to come in after a fire and take the meter away before it can be examined by proper officials? That’s conflict of interest. It should be done by a private firm, at arm’s length, and one that cannot be bought. These smart meters that are being forced on people represent a real danger, and the worst part is the government is allowing it, all because of the mighty $$$$.
The government seems to love to pass bills, so how about presenting a bill that stipulates BC Hydro cannot remove the smart meter where there has been a fire, until a complete and honest investigation is done by the proper, independent authorities?
My knowledge of lithium batteries comes from hands-on experience with transmitters and lithium batteries when I worked in the maintenance side of the aviation industry for 28 years.
In 1975 Transport Canada issued orders that all aircraft must have E.L.Ts (Emergency Locating Transmitters) installed. These E.L.Ts contained lithium batteries as they were supposed to operate for 48 hours at minus 50° F. Shortly after the installation of the E.L.Ts, they started to give off poisonous gases & explode. In a small plane, all you could do is open a window and hope for the best if you were up in the air.
That was1975. Now comes 1977 when Transport Canada issued a bulletin that all E.L.Ts had to be removed from the aircraft because of the poisonous gases and explosions. I have had some experience with tear gas and lithium gas, and I would prefer the tear gas over the lithium gas.
For your information, other situations showing the danger of lithium batteries are the Boeing Dreamliner which was grounded due to lithium batteries igniting; hoverboards causing fires; laptops that do not have sufficient airway under them have ignited, as well as some cell phones. Some items containing lithium batteries are no longer even allowed in an aircraft.
Is the NDP willing to fight with us now against these potentially dangerous smart meters?
I am more than willing to talk to you about any of this at any time. My phone number is xxx-xxx-xxxx.
Sincerely,
X
___________________________________________________________________________
From: XX
Sent: February 23, 2016
To: smartmeters@bchydro.com;
Subject: meter replacement
Good afternoon Mr, Sanders,
In response to your letter of February 9, 2016 re replacement of my existing analogue meter. We wish to have it replaced by another analogue meter. If you see the enclosed note, they still can be installed if any home owners request them according to Minister Gordon Hogg.
If you have any questions please e mail me at your convenience and please note, I have put a note by my meter so anyone coming for an exchange will know of my request.
Regards,
XX
PS Please respond in the next 2 days at the latest that you have received this e mail.
= = = = =
Dear Honorable Gordon Hogg,
We are writing today to express our deep dismay that the BC Hydro Smart Meters “Choice Program” has not been carried out in good faith, and to request your assistance in rectifying this.
According to information conveyed by you, in the Peace Arch News January 30, 2013, those customers of BC Hydro who choose not to have a Smart Meter installed on their homes will not have one installed without their consent.
http://www.peacearchnews.com/news/189112621.html : ( quoted in part below in blue)
Hogg told PAN Wednesday that he stands by the information sent out by his office to the constituent, which was verified with Coleman’s office.
The information provided stated: “Individual home owners who had not yet had a smart meter installed on their home, would not have to have one.
“BC Hydro may be contacting those ‘hold outs’ one last time and if you say ‘no’ and do not consent – that is the end of it. You will not be ‘forced’ into having one or be in fear of it being installed when you are not home.”
Asked for clarification, Hogg referred to a press release and and Jan. 23 op-ed piece issued by Coleman.
“‘BC Hydro will not install a new meter without the homeowner’s consent’ – that’s the key message,” Hogg said.
Acknowledging Coleman’s description of a process of addressing customers’ individual concerns as a prelude to final installation of smart meters, Hogg said he feels the message that an opt-out is possible is not getting out.
“I don’t think that’s been conveyed appropriately,” he said. “I understand that people will not have any meters installed without their consent, and that, ultimately, people will have an opt-out.”
Unfortunately, the “Meter Choice Opt-Out” program does not seem intended to honour the choice of those BC Hydro customers who wish to refuse a smart meter be installed on their homes. This is demonstrated in the correspondence received by us from BC Hydro February 9, 2016 informing us that a transmitter/radio-off meter will be installed on our home (a copy of that file is attached) , and the Feb.16, 2016 e-mail reply from BC Hydro’s Smart Meter Program’s “Michael” to our Feb. 12, 2016 e-mail response to the above attached letter (both e-mails included below). Adequate numbers of certified analogue meters have not been provided for these customers’ long term needs by BC Hydro (and the option to not have a “smart meter” on one’s home is not portable….it is a one time choice that is exclusive to the home where the account is when the choice is made; if an Opt Out customer wishes to move to another home, the option to refuse a smart meter dies). We faithfully pay the “Legacy” meter fees required to retain our “legacy” mechanical analogue electricity meter. We have already had one mechanical analogue meter exchanged for the same type 18 months ago.
This has not turned out to be a ‘’’Meter Choice” program at all. A transmitter/radio-off smart meter is still a smart meter. If we wanted a transmitter/radio-off smart meter, we would have opted for that in the beginning. We did not, as we have legitimate concerns about the electromagnetic interference (dirty electricity) any transmitter/radio-off device or digital legacy meter introduces to our home, as we explained (not for the first time) below in our Feb.12, 2016 e-mail to BC Hydro. It seems to us that this ‘’”Meter Choice” program is rather more a Machiavellian attempt to coerce our compliance with use of technology that we know is not safe for our health nor our home, nor secure: exercises to wear us down with repeated events to which we must respond. What happened to your statement of January 2013 : “BC Hydro may be contacting those ‘hold outs’ one last time and if you say ‘no’ and do not consent – that is the end of it. You will not be ‘forced’ into having one or be in fear of it being installed when you are not home.” ?
Why has BC Hydro been allowed to harass its customers with repeated attempts to coerce us to accept something to which we are very clearly and consistently opposed? Where is the good faith on the part of BC Hydro, as previously conveyed by you, our own MLA, , to carry out the Meter Choices’ program without forcing us to have such a meter installed on our home? We would greatly appreciate your assistance in this issue.
XX
Sharon Noble
Director, Coalition to Stop Smart Meters
