Kathryn Burnham And Larissa Johnston, Times Colonist, August 28, 2011
With smart meters rolling out across the province, some households are taking active steps to block the change at their homes. However, B.C. Hydro maintains there is no other option and that every house will have its old meter changed to the new Wi-Fi meters.
The hydro company has dealt with only a "very small number of folks who have had issues with smart meters," said Gary Murphy, B.C. Hydro's chief project officer for smart meters. About 900 customers, of the province's 1.8 million, have asked not to have their meters changed.
Customers who call with concerns are addressed on a per-customer basis, said Murphy, who says there is no "do not install" list. Yet, "the installation of meters to these customers' homes has been delayed," he said.
Kelly Green is one customer who thinks her complaints are not being heard, and is unaware if her meter will be changed now, later or never. She has received a form to arrange a discussion with a B.C. Hydro representative, but has not been told if her installation is delayed, she said. She is also frustrated that B.C. Hydro has given her a deadline to respond, after which point a smart meter will be installed at her home.
"I have a problem with B.C. Hydro dictating how they will respond," Green said.
"They get to tell us how they will communicate to us," she said. "When it comes down to it, you never get any options."
Customers have one option if they do not want a smart meter beside their home: they can pay to have the meter moved to another point on their property. The homeowner need only call an electrical contractor, Ted Olynyk, the B.C. Hydro manager of community relations for Vancouver Island, has said. B.C. Hydro says customers will receive notification a few weeks in advance of when their meter is changed, but don't need to be at home for the installation to take place. The process takes about 10 minutes, but the hydro company says power at the house will be out for only one minute.
Some homeowners are also taking action to stop the installation by blockading their meter. Karen Weiss has installed a plywood box over hers.
The "No Smart Meter" sign posted on the box reads: "My fundamental democratic right to protect my health from a possible carcinogen, specifically radiofrequency electromagnetic fields emitted by your wireless smart meter, supersedes any right you have to install a wireless smart meter on my property."
Many customers have expressed concern that radiofrequency electromagnetic fields have been categorized as a class 2b carcinogen by the World Health Organization, meaning it is possible, although studies have not proven, that they cause cancer.
However, the Wi-Fi meters emit a radio frequency that is well within the Industry Canada standards. B.C. Hydro says the radiation from the smart meter - which only transmits information for an average of one minute a day - over its 20-year lifetime is less than the radiation of a 30minute cellphone call.
The box at the Weiss home, or any other home, will not be removed by Corix Utilities, the company in charge of the installation, said Ron Bowman, vice-president of Western Canada measurement for Corix.
He said Corix and B.C. Hydro will follow up with homeowners who leave notes or blockades on their meters.
kburnham@timescolonist.com
ljohnston@timescolonist.com
© Times Colonist (Victoria) 2011
