WHERE IS FORTIS’S OPT-OUT PROGRAM?
The B.C. Utilities Commission (BCUC) has ruled that Fortis B.C. must provide a good opt-out program to its power customers. BCUC has determined the amount of the Opt-Out program and informed Fortis in early January 2014. I am writing this letter because of my concern that Fortis has not informed its customers or the Media of this important program.
This program is for those customers who choose to not have a radiation emitting AMI Smart Meter in their home. BCUC has ruled that there will be a one time only charge of $60 for the Opt-Out program plus an additional charge of $18 each time the meter is read. When Fortis installs the AMI Smart Meter it will be turned off, provided you have applied for the opt-out program. If you apply after installation it will cost $88.
When I checked with Fortis, I was informed that installation would begin in the next few months. They also had no set schedule to inform their customers of the Opt-Out Program that is available. There is no application form to opt-out. If you decide to opt-out, you should phone Fortis at the number on your power bill, ask them to put your name and account number on the opt-out list. Also, ask for the name and employee number of the person putting your name on the list so you have proof of your application. I have registered to Opt-Out but have a lock on my Analog and a sign which states that this is my Private Property and because of health concerns I will be keeping my Analog meter.
Fortis may then send you information about how wonderful their AMI Smart Meter is but in fact, there has been no long term studies to prove the safety of these to the human body. The meter will pulse and radiate our homes and our bodies every 60 seconds constantly 24 hours per day, and you can’t turn it off. The World Health Organization has recently classified this type of wireless as a possible carcinogen. I trust their judgement before I can trust Industry.
Independent experts who have studied radiation and the effects on the body have said that Smart Meters may be 50 times more powerful then the Cell phone. The pulsing radiation of the AMI affects the “whole” body at a cellular level and you cannot turn it off only turn it off if you opt-out.
Two of the well known independent researchers are Dr. Magda Havas, a Canadian researcher and Dr. Daniel Hirsche, a top radiation expert in the United States, at the University of Southern California.
Thousands of Electrical customers, both BC Hydro & Fortis BC have put locks on their analog meters. Fortis may say that they will turn your power off but in fact this is probably illegal, because BC Hydro has an estimated 85,000 customers with locks on their analogue meters , and their power has not been turned off. One customer who actually tampered with her smart meter by removing it, did have her power turned off. Any Fortis BC customers wanting to view options for locking your Analog or Digital meter can be found by searching Google “smart meter locks”.
Judy Nicholas