Reports of Dangerous ComEd Smart Meters being Installed Without Proper Notice: OpEd

Although many homes and businesses in Highland Park have already had a smart meter installed, it has come to my attention that ComEd is not following its own set protocol of notification. When your City Manager spoke with a ComEd representative about the protocol that would precede the installation of Smart Meter, the following schedule of notification was to occur: ComEd will notify customers at 90 days, 60 days, 30 days and 10 days in advance of the replacement by telephone. Do Highland Park residents really know the dangers associated with smart meters? For those resident already outfitted with a smart meter, or those who shortly will be, the dangers noted are ones you could face in the future

The National Institute for Science, Law, and Public Policy, states: “Smart Meters are a story or hoax based on specious claims about energy benefits. State and local governments and ratepayers have been MISLED about the potential energy and cost saving benefits being paid for with taxpayer and ratepayer dollars.

Following are ten reasons to be concerned and take action against installation of a smart meter on your home or business?

Number 1—A Class 2B Carcinogen (which is the International Agency for Research on Cancer a division of the World Health Organization category for RF/Microwave emissions from smart meters) is being mandated on ALL homes.

Number 2—Public Health: Some people develop symptoms immediately after installation from the RF/Microwave Radiation being emitted by the smart meters. Most will develop neurological symptoms later from long-term chronic microwave exposure. Infants, children, pregnant women, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems are the most vulnerable. Pets are also suffering from the RF exposure.

Number 3—Technology vs. health: Frank Clegg, former President of Microsoft Canada states, “I’ve been in the technology industry all my career, my concern is nobody can say that it’s safe. Scientists have demonstrated that radiation emitting devices can cause DNA damage. And, from a biological standpoint, RF radiation can cause and does cause harm to humans.”

Number 4—House Fires: ComEd is using GE Smart Meters, the same manufacturer that has had hundreds of smart meters explode off homes in California. ComEd is touting UL testing as an assurance of safety. This is not realistic as there is no way to fix the design (without surge protectors), electronic components, and materials which are combustible. Smart meters as a whole will arc, spark, and explode. It is just a matter of time before it happens again in Illinois.

Number 5—Expensive Electronics: Smart Meters have been known to “Fry” electronics and other home appliances.

Number 6—Cost vs. Benefits: Northeast Utilities in Massachusetts reports “There is no rational cost justification for Smart Meters. The costs are currently astronomical, while the incremental benefits for customers are small in comparison." Results of Ernst & Young cost-benefit analysis report on Smart Meters, “The costs of a Smart Metering system clearly exceed the potential savings for consumers with low annual consumption levels. It would be disproportionate and economically unreasonable to require all consumers to install such meters."

Number 7—Personal Privacy: Smart meters collect Detailed (granular) Data of activity within the home, transmit this data through a wireless mesh network from home to home and then on to ComEd. Your household data is available to you on the Internet to monitor your usage, but nothing on the Internet is safe from hacking. And the data is stored by ComEd somewhere, forever. This leaves your private household data accessible to interception.

Number 8—Third Party Usage of Data: Data is a “gold mine” the Utilities. They are devising ways to use and share the data that comes from your personal household. This can be for many reasons, usually advertising and marketing of other products. Lisa Madigan, Attorney General is “urging Illinois residents to do their homework on smart meters, how they work, what type of data they collect, how the data can be used and if you authorize it, who can access it.”

Number 9—Burglary: A single smart meter can be hacked, the house alarm system turned off because there is a remote disconnect switch in the smart meter, and a thief can enter the premises. A smart meter-hacking thief will know when you are home or when the house is unoccupied, such as the family is on vacation.

Number 10—Homeland Security: Wireless data transmissions from billions of smart meters nationwide makes the Smart Grid a target for foreign and domestic cyber-attack. The Smart Grid has already proven to be a target with hundreds of attempts for interception each year. ComEd is adding 4,000,000 new access points by connecting every wireless smart meter in its Illinois service territory to the internet.

How did we get to this point—a wireless device with all these risks to life and property being mandated on our homes with no true permanent opt-out allowed?

It is difficult to comprehend that any member of the General Assembly who voted for the Smart Grid bill or voted to override Governor Quinn’s veto could have known the dire consequences their decision would present to ComEd customers.

It is difficult to fathom that parents who know there is “no safe level of RF/microwave radiation for children” are not being allowed to protect them from this danger to their health and well-being.

It is difficult to believe that after hundreds of fires caused by smart meters have been reported across the country that homeowners are not being allowed to keep their property safe from a fire hazard.

Yet, as it stands now, the mandate for smart meters supersedes parental rights and homeowner rights where health, privacy, and security are concerned. Julie Morrison and Scott Drury must take action in their respective chambers to push for a permanent op-out of ComEd smart meters. Ask Ghida Neukirch to warn residents about the consequences associated with smart meters and to inform residents about the delay option.

Take action without delay:

• ComEd: to request a delay until 2018 (866) 368-8326.
• State Senator Julie Morrison (847) 935-5200
  
• State Representative Scott Drury (847) 681-8580
• Ghida S. Neukirch, City Manager (847) 926-1000