CAPITOLA, CA– Yesterday afternoon we received yet another report of exploding smart meters- this time in Capitola, CA:
“On 5.12, the Smart Meters blew off my house and about 100 neighbors, just like in Stockton. I didn’t see any mention of the Smart Meters blowing up in Capitola on 5.12 on your website and feel like PG&E just brushed it under the rug. My washing machine broke in the process and PG&E is not helpful at all.”
This follows a similar incident in Stockton, CA in March where meters blew off houses and many appliances were damaged after an electrical surge.
Utilities kindly correct us if we are mistaken, but this is not a phenomenon affecting glass and steel electromechanical analog meters. It’s too bad that we have such corrupt “oversight” that has not only allowed utilities to deploy this untested, hazardous technology on nearly every building- in violation of numerous laws- but then destroy millions of safe meters making it harder for policymakers to order a recall (which of course must be done).
Sounds like a stitch-up and believe us- it is.
Capitola was one of 15 local governments in California to pass an ordinance banning the meters back in 2010 when we had just started our campaign. If PG&E and the corrupt California Public Utilities Commission had respected local law in 2010/11, smart meters may not be exploding on people’s homes today.
If the Santa Cruz County Sheriff had protected public safety and enforced the law rather than protecting and escorting those who violated it. If the Sheriff had not arrested us for civilly disobeying and rightfully blocking what we knew then was an unsafe deployment, the exploding meters and chronic RF sickness that have become part of the California landscape in 2015 might have been avoided.
How many millions of unsafe meters are sitting on people’s homes right now, waiting for a surge that can instantly transform them into incendiary bombs or flying projectiles?
This morning, we called PG&E for comment (they always love to hear from us), and asked what the cause of the problem was, and asked for evidence of any similar incidents with analog meters. They said they would call us back. (they haven’t yet)
We also contacted the Capitola City Council as well as state legislators for the area, State Senator Bill Monning and Assemblymember Mark Stone and have demanded an independent statewide investigation into these incidents.
We will report here what their responses are, and any updates or more information that comes in. If you were personally affected by this incident or know someone who was, we would like to hear from you.
If you are living in the area, please contact your elected officials and ask them to step in and protect the public’s safety.
State Senator Bill Monning (831) 425-0401
State Assemblymember Mark Stone (831) 425-1503
Capitola City Council (831) 475 7300
Capitola City Council Meets at 7pm Thursday May 28th at 420 Capitola Ave. Speak up and encourage action!
Hundreds of thousands of smart meters have been recalled in Saskatchewan, Oregon, Florida, and Pennsylvania because of fire risk. People have died and homes have been destroyed.
One thing is for sure- the only thing the California Public Utilities Commission is protecting is corporate utility profits.
Update May 22nd 10am: We have not heard back from either PG&E or state legislators. Nothing to see here folks. Just 21st century utility dysfunction. The cost of “progress” perhaps?
Update May 27th 9am: Still no word from either PG&E or state legislators. Since the facts are damning, they’d obviously prefer to sweep their incompetence under the rug. Pathetic.
http://stopsmartmeters.org/2015/05/21/hundreds-more-smart-meters-blow-off-wall-in-capitola/
Wheels Coming Off Smart Grid as PG&E Smart Meters Explode/ Burn/ Smoulder in Stockton, CA After Crash Causes Surge
STOCKTON, CA — Numerous media outlets are reporting that an inebriated driver in Stockton hit a pole yesterday, causing a powerful electrical surge that led dozens of “smart meters” to explode or catch fire.
Excerpt from the Stockton Record on the exploding smart meters:
“Stockton fire Capt. Bryan Carr with Engine 6, one of several fire crews dispatched Monday morning as dozens of electric customers began reporting explosions, smoke or the smell of burning wires, described the scene as “unreal” when his engine pulled onto Fairbury Lane, a residential street in southeast Stockton. Expecting to pull up to a specific address, Carr’s crew was greeted by a number of residents out on the street wondering why his engine wasn’t stopping at their house.
“In some cases, meters were literally blown off the panels. People described it as hearing a whirring sound like the meter was speeding up, then like an explosion. Some of the meters weren’t blown off, but they were fried and the glass was gone,” Carr said.”
This is not the first time that smart meters have shown their vulnerability to electrical surges. In September 2011, a surge in East Palo Alto, California caused dozens of smart meters to fail. Despite this and hundreds of other incidents involving fire including where people have died, the California Public Utilities Commission has not even officially looked into the matter much less taken action to protect public safety. Utilities around the world continue to deny any problem exists and have been seizing meters involved in fires before fire investigators have a chance to do their work, drawing public protests from Quebec’s firefighters.
It has been widely recognized that smart meters – with their plastic housing and complex circuitry- are more vulnerable to fire and heat than traditional electromechanical analog meters, built solidly of glass and metal. Many utility industry observers have said they could not recollect past surges damaging analog meters the way that smart meter have been affected.
Utilities are seeking to collect money for the “privilege” of using an analog meter- or even worse- in some areas- attempt to forbid their use entirely. Will ratepayers foot the bill to replace these $500+ smart meters every time there are surges in the network and they start popping like corn again?
The condition of analog meters in Stockton is not known. If you are in the area and have reports, please comment below.
More coverage:
http://www.news10.net/story/news/local/stockton/2015/03/30/stockton-crash-power-outage/70673802/
