Phil Mandsager’s March 28 Tribune letter about unnecessary smart meter radiation signals every six seconds was verbally confirmed by Freeborn-Mower Cooperative Services. They may read meters every hour, but constant radiation may continue. Due to topographical obstructions, your meter will likely collect signals from other meters, then re-transmit to the next meter, in “daisy-chain” patterns; to meters readable by Freeborn-Mower — based on documentation they provided. If you’re near the top of that chain, your meter will be collecting or transmitting more/longer signals. I haven’t read anything that changes your meter’s six-second transmissions. 

Utilities have green energy problems. Wind and solar power are not always available. Only temporary power storage can effectively fix that problem, matching supply with demand. The smart meter solution is wrong! The only reason to collect your exact usage by times:  future electric rates based on when used; substantially higher prices during peak alerts; green energy not available.  It is easier, very profitable and forces conservation through high prices than to build electric storage systems that manage power when green energy is  unavailable. Smart meters do not fix the problem, but only make high-price options possible! Price penalties will always be used first. It’s profitable/easy. Environmental concerns legitimize money grabs. Incentives to fix real problems through temporary power storage are removed. Consumers have little control over when power is needed.

Consumers may be forced to constantly check the utility website to verify when green energy power is available, restrict activities during off-peak hours or pay penalties. Smart meters provide each consumer’s exact use so they have ultimate control. Can your family change personal schedules/activities/work/school hours just to use electricity during available green energy/off-peak hours? Big Brother is watching! Freeborn-Mower alleges that prices are set until 2018, with restrictions thereafter. But, large cash rewards make penalties impossible to resist; excuses to conserve/reduce fossil fuels provide justification. We need renewable energy and conservation, but don’t need unnecessary radiation, business disruptions, loss of privacy and required use of energy-burning technologies just to get there. Smart meters encourage their failure to build temporary power storage — required to even-out society’s power usage.

The only reason smart meters monitor usage is every six seconds is to force you to stop usage; bill substantially higher fees when green energy can’t produce power.

Demand utilities manage power through temporary storage systems —  matching power usage with supply. If utilities need usage by times to manage power, they can get community-wide usage information. Meters at substations, at telephone poles, where only multiple-user information is collected, would provide equivalent data — avoiding  EMF radiation, loss of privacy, and prevent abusive pricing. Meters at businesses/residences should only provide monthly usage.

Over-the-air television/radio reception will likely be affected by these signals. Burglars/hackers/terrorists may use the system to disable power and determine best times to strike.

Transmissions can be influenced by the city which holds Freeborn-Mower’s franchise. Call Freeborn-Mower and council members and demand transmission limits once per month.

Richard Becker

Albert Lea