Some Virginians choose no electricity over ‘smart meters’

Over half a dozen Virginia residents have been living without electricity since November 9 after refusing to have “smart meters” installed in their homes, according to Children’s Health Defense. 

Smart meters are equipped with a router that communicates with the electric company, automatically notifying the provider if there is a power outage. But smart meters also transmit daily data to the company about the customer’s power usage and allow the provider to shut service off remotely, leaving some residents uncomfortable with the device. 

“Smart meters also enable us to turn your electric service on and off without having to send an employee to your home or business,” says Dominion Energy on its website, adding that the program “means fewer trucks on the road, reduced emissions and less impact on the environment.” 

The company boasts it has already installed over 1.5 million smart meters throughout Virginia and North Carolina after a proposal to roll out 1.1 million smart meters was approved by the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC). 

Dominion intends to deploy smart grids, or technologically advanced, high-tech power grids, for its 2.3 million residential customers by 2024. 

Other electricity providers have also implemented smart meters to help the environment though with some unfortunate results that show the downside of using smart meters or smart thermostats. 

During the summer, thousands of Colorado residents who had opted-in to an “energy-saving” plan suddenly found their “smart thermostats” locked at 78 degrees Fahrenheit, Frontline News reported at the time. 

“By participating in AC Rewards, adjustments are made to your smart thermostat during the hottest summer days,” explains XL Energy on its website. “When the demand for electricity is the highest, you'll help us manage these peaks and ease the strain on the electrical grid. You'll be cut back on the time your central air works to cool your home with control events.”  

These “control events,” says Xcel Energy, can occur at any time, but participants can opt out of them manually if they choose. However, “On rare occasions, system emergencies may cause a control event that cannot be overridden.”  

That “system emergency” reportedly happened in August, the first time in the program’s six-year history. Despite the temperature climbing into the 90s, an unexpected outage in Pueblo combined with heavy air conditioning usage led to the company locking 22,000 homes out of their thermostats which were automatically set at 78 degrees.