Monday, September 15, 2014

Smart Electric Meters Not Safe?

From the Reno Gazette Journal:
Almost two years after he issued a report finding "no systemic fire problem" associated with NV Energy's installation of smart meters on homes across the state, Nevada Fire Marshal Peter Mulvihill said new information has come to light that warrants further investigation into whether the meters are safe.
Mulvihill acknowledged that the data he relied on to determine that NV Energy's smart meters did not pose a fire threat was incomplete, but said his findings were valid at the time.
Now, with Reno and Sparks fire departments reporting a spate of recent blazes associated with the meters, Mulvihill said it's time to reassess the situation.
"As of January 2013, there was no evidence a meter caused a fire," Mulvihill said. "Since then, four incidents have been documented. Time has passed and additional information is now available.
"It certainly is worth further investigation."...
Although Mulvihill has information on four fires, Reno and Sparks fire chiefs say their jurisdictions have handled a total of nine blazes associated with the meters since 2012.
NV Energy steadfastly maintains that its smart meters — manufactured by North Carolina-based Sensus — have been found to cause no structure fires.
Fire investigations generally include two components: the origin of the fire, or where it started; and the ignition source, or cause of the fire.
In the Reno and Sparks cases, the smart meter has been determined to be the origin of the fire, but the actual ignition source or cause could not be determined, largely because the meter itself is consumed.
"The information they provided to us is that the origin is within the meter itself," Mulvihill said. "We don't know why it started in the meter at this point in time."...
Most recently, 61-year-old Michelle Sherman died after sustaining fatal burns in a July 27 fire at her Rhinestone Circle townhome that Reno investigators say started at the smart meter. The cause itself remains "undetermined."
http://www.rgj.com/story/news/2014/09/15/state-fire-marshal-smart-meters-warrant-investigation/15698635/
So, not only are the meters intrusive for privacy, they also be dangerous as well.

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