The following is testimony and comments that I presented to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in the Smart Meter “Opt-Out” Proceedings. Many other California citizens also presented testimony and gave public testimony of how they were harmed by wireless smart meters. After nearly 3 years of delays, the CPUC judge – Amy Yip-Kikugawa – gave PG&E everything they wanted. However, the proceedings will continue because of fraud and backroom dealings that are coming out in the press (see below).
Chapter 2 outlines the personal impact and costs that wireless “smart” meters are having on families throughout California (and where ever smart meters have been installed). The proceedings and this testimony include the ability of communities and multi-unit buildings to opt-out together and the legality of charging fees in order for citizens to protect their health and privacy.
Click here to view my 2012 testimony: Testimony to CPUC October 2012
Click here to view my November 2014 comments to ALJ’s Proposed Decision: Comments to CPUC November 2014
As you can see from the following video, CPUC President Michael Peevey is not exactly the most admired person in California. In a recently leaked tape from a CPUC staff meeting, he was called an “untouchable mafia boss” by his own employees. His connections and corruption have been well documented, and his behavior is certainly fitting of such a moniker.
Whether you consider the San Bruno pipeline disaster, the recent “judge shopping” scandal or the unfolding “smart” meter debacle, Peevey has done more damage to California during his 12 years heading the CPUC than any person in recent history. This is what happens when a former CEO of a major utility company (Southern California Edison) is put in charge of regulating the very utilities he used to lead. The fox has indeed been guarding the hen house…. and it’s time for the corruption to end.
In the following video (at 42 min and 11 seconds), Peevey has another emotional outburst at a public meeting where dozens of people are sharing their stories of being injured by wireless “smart” meters. He yells at the injured people to “Shut Up”.
UPDATE (October 2014): It seems even Michael Peevey knows when to throw in the towel. As this San Francisco Chronicle editorial states, Peevey has decided not to seek reappointment to the Commission (was he told he would not receive it anyway?). He has done enough damage and his exit was long overdue.
UPDATE (November 2014): After 2 full years of delays, the CPUC judge Amy Yip-Kikugawa has finally announced her proposed decision. She has given the utilities everything they wanted (including millions more than they asked for) and nothing to the public. According to her proposal, the extortionate “opt-out” fees are here to stay, there will be no community or multi-unit building opt-outs, and she determined that people who have been injured have no recourse with the CPUC – even though its legal mandate is to provide safe utility service.
What could she possibly be thinking? It’s as if her ruling were written directly by PG&E executives. Stranger things have happened lately at the CPUC.
What she has not explained is how anyone can decided any of these issues when the scope of these proceedings would not allow the discussion of health and safety. Over 500 people gave heart breaking testimony before the judge describing how their lives had been ruined (disability, displacement and degraded health) once wireless “smart’ meters were installed in their community. Yet, she had the audacity and cold heart to state in her proposed decision that “It’s in everyone’s best interest to move toward smart meters.”
It is always telling when a subject is not allowed to be discussed – under any circumstances. This often shows the Achilles heel of governing structures because it shows where they are the weakest. By not allowing discussion of health and safety issues related to wireless smart meters, the California Public Utilities Commission has become completely derelict in their duties. Their primary mission is to ensure health and safety of citizens, yet they have completely and criminally failed to perform their duty.
The truth will eventually come out. It always does. The only question now is how many more people will be injured before it does.
Section 3 of my November 2014 comments detail how the current science shows that a wireless smart grid can no longer be considered safe: Comments to CPUC November 2014
Stay tuned to see where this all goes….
Here is Peevey’s farewell newscast summarizing the corruption allegations against him and the CPUC. The next time we see him in the news may be with handcuffs on.
UPDATE (January 2015): The SF Chronicle reported yesterday that Peevey’s home was raided by federal authorities to take computers, disk drives and smart phones. It appears that the corruption is coming closer to being unmasked. The intervenors in the CPUC smart meter case have also filed for a rehearing. Considering that Peevey obviously obstructed justice in this case, there will eventually be a full accounting for what has happened the past 4 years in California with regard to wireless smart meters.