Northern VA EMF and Smart Meters

Smart Meters Are Here!

Yes they are here...I just did a post on Technology and Augmented Age and now the flip side.  You will find lots of info I will post on here about health, Family, Environment - especially in Northern VA, where we live. I feel it is my duty to share with you what I find and if I can save one person, provide one solution to one family, I would have made an impact with the time and  efforts I make to bring these kinds of information to you so you can make your own INFORMED decisions.  We have to work together to keep our  neighborhoods, homes safe and healthy. For our kids, for our family and for our community! 

You have seen my posts of Various different "energy stressers" and issues. We try to bring balance to a home through Feng Shui/Vastu/Elemental Balance but we have other things to look at too, such as Geopathic stress, Unhealthy technologies that are being "SOLD" or "Pushed" into our homes.  And Smart Meters, I believe are just that!  

I know lots of people think Smart "Appliances" and "Smart Homes" are the NEW trend, but are they worth the hype? Are they worth  your health? 

Here is my latest research and findings on Smart Meters! Of course a lot of these come about when we talk to friends, clients and notice things in the environment.

When you notice a family with 2 kids that are showing developmental and emotional issues, you need to look 360!  We had one family who had 2 young kids, one was disabled and the other having issues. When we looked at the outside of the home, the power lines were entering into the home on the wall of the home where children slept. This was one of the older homes and transformer was literally outside the wall where the crib was placed. When we looked at the EMF ratings, we realized this was a major issue. I am not going to tell you this was the reason as I don't know or can prove it but the parents hadn't thought of it or even noticed it. They had no clue about EMF or its potential impacts - especially on developing babies.  I want to educate moms, parents and others to notice these things in their environment. Sometimes we need to learn from our lessons to move to better places.  

That brings me to Smart Meters! 

Smart Meters in Northern VA

Smart Meters are here and they are being installed!! But you can opt-out - if you meet the requirements. And you may have to pay extra if you decided to opt-out . See images below for the current and in-progress  Northern VA and Smart Meters section  and Herndon Smart Meter   and  a very interesting documentary that will EXPAND YOUR AWARENESS!

I started my search to find out more about the history of Smart Meters. I found some interesting history on the InsideNova website in an article titled "Dominion Pilot Program to Install "Smart Meters" inside the Beltway" from May 15, 2013. In this article, it talks about how Dominion Virginia Power had started to roll out installation of Smart Meters as a pilot program that will affect 200,000 inside the Beltway! I guess the pilot test was beneficial, because they are still installing units in 2018 and 2019.

Installation started in Old Town Alexandria and expanded from there. All of Arlington's 85,400 meters were to be switched out for Smart Meters. From the map, you can see that the Tysons Corner/McLean areas are "in process" and according to the 2013 article, 11,500 meter upgrades were to be done in the 4th quarter of 2013. It also said they would mail out notices.

Fairfax County, according to the article, had NO ROLE in Dominions smart meter initiative? So Dominion Power has the right to install things in your home and change the way it's running it's services to make it easier for them to control. How do you feel about it? Instead of drive-by readings from employees, the system will connect to your smart meter (basically your home) to Dominion's power. I am trying to look at it as a Yin/Yang approach. I can see their point of controlling and measuring, and having to hire people to go read meters. They also state that they will be able to pinpoint outages and restorations faster and with more precision.

From the 2013 Article: "Since 2009, Dominion has deployed about 100,000 smart meters as part of pilot programs across the commonwealth, including a test in Falls Church.  If the utility decides to take the upgrade statewide, it will need approval from the State Corporation Commission. The utility has about 2.35 million customers across the commonwealth, including 835,000 in its Northern Virginia service area.
The new technology is not without its critics, who voice concern both about privacy and health issues. Unlike with previous pilot programs in other parts of Virginia, customers in the local area can “opt out” and receive the same new meter, but one without a radio transmitter. For now, at least, there will be no extra charge for those opting out.
Utility-backed studies suggest that cell phones, microwaves and even TV remote controls expose the public to more energy than the meter will. “The privacy concern is the one that is probably more realistic,” said Kaufmann, but she quickly added that smart meters do not retain any personal information, and are protected by a double-encryption system. So far, “just a handful, not many” customers have voiced the desire to opt out, Anderson said."

YES! - But it's not that easy. Download this PDF to read more.

We had to fight to be able to opt-out. They are not done yet though and we may have to pay extra if we do opt-out. I am sure there are other ways they will want to penalize us from not following the herd/norm. See Dominion Energy's requirements below.

So reading this, i had some questions.

• What are reasonable times?  
• So the company at anytime, can stop offering another solution? 
• They can modify their terms at anytime. 
• They can make us pay extra for wanting a healthier option so they can have their convenience? 
• And we have to agree to how they will control our power, our usage data, and info?

Hmm....

Smart Meters for Northern VA Inside the Beltway

Check out the InsideNova-Article

Virginia citizens fought back and won the right to OPT-OUT and keep their standard meters but many do not even know about it still. This enables them to protecting their privacy,  have less impact on their health with radiowaves and EMF, and "potentially" lower electricity cost. I have to say Potentially because I don't have any proof or knowledge except from what people claim. But if you think about it logically, they now have min computers being installed in your homes, these last 5-7 years vs 20-30 regular meters, They need power and radiowave signals to communicate with the grid, who is going to paying for it? Of course the clients! They may increase the base rates so as not to show it as an increase in the cost of these meters but we are all adults, we can deduce the impact. Someone has to pay for it!

Dominion Energy also came came up with another offer for those who may think about opting out - According to FairfaxFreeCitizen.com  this scheme to control electricity consumption is called "Smart Cooling Rewards".  The rewards are $40 at the end of each year that a household volunteers to participate in the program. 

Dominion Energy recently came up with another scheme to control electricity consumption, Smart Cooling Rewards. The rewards are $40 at the end of each year that a household volunteers to participate in the program.

But what is the program about and how does it work? Dominion Energy installs “a switch on or near the outside of your air conditioner or heat pump system. How convenient and generous, $40 for the privilege to sweat to death in summer time or freeze to death in winter time when the mother ship decides to cut off your power in order to save them the headache of having to buy more expensive electricity during peak seasons or perhaps build excess capacity storage.” ) quoted from the article.

So basically the switch allows Dominion power to automatically "cycle" clients central AC for a few hours when the electricity is high demand.  For some people this may be no big deal, but if you have equipment or are caring for people, this may be an issue. I don't know about you but I would like to be able to control what happens in my house. I am already paying for power and I don't want someone else to be able to control or even hack into the controls of my home. This just gives another potential hack inlet/outlet for unwanted control/hacking/privacy. You may feel different. 

Oh, did I forget to mention that they can come and inspect at anytime, but wait - they won't charge you for the Inspection. It is a FREE Inspection? You may also be required to do some maintenance or weather proofing on your home to be in compliance and only then will you qualify for the rebates. Some people won't mind it but if you worry about your health or your kids health, you may want to think twice. Even if you don't care about the health, think about privacy and control. We will all do what we think is the best option for our family. I am just bringing in some information you may not be aware of. 

Dominion Power does offer a non-communicating meter option as the opt-out for customers. The non-communicating meters are smart meters with two-way communication and data storage disabled.

Installation Updates

View a map of smart meter locations to see if you are in a smart meter area.

Smart Meter Locations

What Are the Benefits of a Smart Meter?

Additional Information

Whether or not smart meters are really a health hazard is one issue and whether or not you should have a choice in accepting one is another. It is a fact that smart meters have burned homes to the ground as well as other issues that are highly documented. As a matter of fact, there are entire regions such as in Canada that have outright banned them because of their dangers! What's your opinion on smart meters? I'd like to know!