Two years after it completed its rollout of smart meters, Georgia Power is offering an opt-out of the devices. Approved as part of the December rate case, the opt-out provision allows customers to pay $19 a month to retain an old-style analog meter.
“We have heard from a small group of customers with strong concerns,” said Georgia Power spokesman John Kraft. “They feel strongly, and we wanted to be able to respond to their concerns with an opt out. At the same time we have to recover the costs.”
Smart meters emit non-ionizing radiation, as do cordless phones, cell phones and wireless routers for computers. Consumers who want to opt out say the risk of that radiation is too great, or at least not well enough understood. A 2012 Georgia Senate bill co-sponsored by Pooler Republican Buddy Carter provided for a free opt-out but was opposed by Georgia Power and never became law.
The utility installed about 2.4 million smart meters across the state from 2007-2012.
About 490 customers “for one reason or another refused or turned our people away when we went to install the meters,” Kraft said.
Most of those refusals were concentrated along the coast and in south Georgia, where the smart meters were rolled out last.
Public Service Commissioner Tim Echols said he is more concerned about devices other than smart meters.
“Consumers would be wiser to move their router away from the bed or away from children and turn it off at night,” he said. “This is emitting the same type of non-ionizing radiation. If you look at the warning that cell phone companies give you, they talk about placing it on your ear or belt and that continued exposure could have consequences.”
Still, he had advocated for a smaller smart meter opt-out fee of $10.
“It is not perfect, but (it’s) something I bugged them about and $19 was the best I could get,” he wrote to Terri Keller, an anti-smart meter activist from Kingsland. The opt-out applies only to Georgia Power, not other electric providers.
Keller never did get a smart meter.
“Goodness sakes, no,” said Keller. “We even put a fence up.”
The Kingsland resident and her husband Dan spoke before Savannah City Council against smart meters in 2012 and mounted an internet campaign at www.stopsmartmetersgeorgia.org.
She continues to advocate against smart meter installation pointing out concerns about cancer and other health risks of non-ionizing radiation on children and the elderly. She applauds states such as Vermont that allow a free opt-out.
“I’m glad there’s going be opt out, but they need to go much further,” she said. “They need to make it free.”
Georgia Power plans to send information about the opt out to customers in March, Kraft said. Those who want to have a smart meter removed before then can call 800-642-5172 to get that process started.