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Dominion
Power of Virginia is following the
trend that is occurring across the
country and is now offering a smart
meter opt out to customers! The opt out does
not allow you to keep your analog
meter, but transforms a smart meter
into a "non-communicating meter".
This option is only available to
residential customers who do not
have electric service on dynamic
pricing, time-of-use-rates or
customers who sell generation back
to the company. Buyer beware
though, YOU
must ask to receive the opt out.
They will not
routinely inform people of the option.
When they notify customers that they
are upgrading their analog meter they
advise the customer if they want more
information to access their website https://www.dom.com/about/conservation/smartmeter-faqs.jsp
and read about smart meters. That is
where the customer will find the opt
out information. You must call them
at 1-866-566-6436 and request an opt
out letter. Upon receiving the letter
you must then sign it and mail it to
them before they will deactivate your
smart meter's communicating devices.
Once deactivated there will be no
radio frequency radiation emissions
from the meter, nor data storage, and
it will then be called a
"Non-Communicating Meter".
An employee of
Dominion will then have to read the
meter to bill you. They will
be going before the State
Corporation Commission of
Virginia(SCC) and requesting to
charge extra for this but in the
interim the company will not assess
a separate charge to opt out. Virginia
residents will have the ability to
comment on the fees at a currently
unscheduled public hearing.
We will notify you
when this will happens. Please
take action and let them know no
additional fees should be assessed
to opt out of smart meters. Please
send a letter if you can't attend
the meeting.
The Center for
Safer Wireless, along with other
customers of Dominion who were
concerned about the health impact of
the radio frequency radiation, safety
and security of the smart meters, had
supported Senator Garrett's bill that
he presented in January, 2013 to the
VA Senate Commerce and Labor Committee
asking to be given the right to opt
out of the smart meter installation
and keep our analog meters. The bill
failed to pass at that time. Dominion,
knowing that their customers wanted
this choice, decided to move forward
and give this new option to their
customers.
Concerns remain
about the non-communicating meter
creating harmonics on the electrical
wires, also known as dirty
electricity, resulting in health
problems for the customer. It is not
known if these meters will possibly
cause fires and power surges as, at
times, the wireless smart meter did.
The public would be better served if
the analog meters remain on homes
until a better digital meter is
available that is as safe for the
public as the analog meters are.
Please let us know if you encounter
any health problems with the
non-communicating meter.
Remember that we
must inform others in Virginia of this
choice to stop the spider web of radio
frequency radiation from penetrating
our world. Make sure you pass this
information to your neighbors,
friends, and family and suggest they
join the Center for Safer Wireless
email list to stay current on the
smart meter opt out provision.
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