PSC Candidates MUST Promise Smart Meter Opt-Outs

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, July 20, 2012
By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Good morning, Jim. The Public Service Commission is a powerful government agency that regulates utility companies. Its five commissioners are elected to six-year staggered terms and two incumbents are running for another term this year.

In Metro Atlanta PSC District 3, Republican Primary Incumbent Commissioner Chuck Eaton is opposed by Matt Reid and the winner of that race will face Democrat Stephen Oppenheimer in November. Incumbent Stan Wise of the Western PSC District has no Democrat opposition, but Republican Pam Davidson is running against him in the Primary. Please research the incumbents, as well as their opponents, before deciding how to vote.

Although the PSC is responsible for regulating utility companies, protecting consumers from harm should be equally important. So, I’ll be looking for incumbents and other PSC candidates who promise to introduce, support and pass a smart meter opt-out regulation to prohibit service stoppage for consumers who reject smart meters. Incumbents and aspiring candidates should be informed that providing a smart-meter opt-out would conform to federal law that, actually, directs utilities to install a smart meter ONLY for consumers that request time-based billing AND ask for a smart meter.

If simple upgrading had been the goal, utility companies could have chosen digital meters that do not emit radio-frequency radiation. Instead, they chose remotely controlled radio frequency radiation emitting smart meters that are known to be dangerous health hazards. Since completing the smart grid with smart meters seems to be the “at-any-cost” goal, consumers are often told their electricity will be cut off if they refuse the smart meter.

The smart metering section of the U.S. Energy Policy Act of 2005 requires utility companies to get PSC approval if they want to transition from analog meters to smart meters, but that never happened in Georgia. Georgia Power DID get permission to UPGRADE their equipment, but did NOT get permission to use smart meters.

All candidates for PSC MUST promise to require utilities to give consumers an opt-out of smart meters. Commission Chairman Tim Echols is the ONLY PSC commissioner who has worked for a consumer opt-out. So, let’s elect the two candidates that promise to pass a consumer opt-out and hold them to it if they are elected! For Georgia Insight I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol correspondent.