Digital News Report – Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) will continue with the installation of their SmartMeters throughout Santa Cruz County. Many communities in Santa Cruz and the state of California have resisted the installation of smart meters.
A group of concerned citizens was formed to fight the installation of the meters. The Stop Smart Meters organization says that meter installation is mandatory. In a recent release the group said that resisting the installation will prompt the utility to turn off your electricity.
“While PG&E makes public statements… about how our customers can benefit from SmartMeter technology the reality is that they are threatening the public with disconnection of electrical service,” the Scotts Valley group said in a statement on Tuesday.
The activist group says the smart meters are a threat to public health, safety and privacy. Others worry that the new technology will result in higher rates and costs based on time-of-day usage.
PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG) says that the meters, which are equipped with radio frequency transmitters that allow for two-way communications between the home and utility, will help “customers use less energy and save money”.
Although Capitola, Watsonville, and Santa Cruz County had imposed temporary moratoriums on the new meters, the final authority in this matter is the utility.
Besides electric smart meters, the utility has begun to install smart natural gas meters as well.
By Greg Cook