“I understand that the Public Service Commission posted a notice on their website informing customers of the opt out option, but that action really is insufficient. I have been receiving calls from constituents who do not want these smart meters and were never aware of the option to opt out or found out when it was too late. Expecting people to be suitably notified while browsing the Commission’s website is unrealistic - there needed to be further notice,” Delegate McDermott stated.
Additionally, Delegate McDermott expressed concern over Delmarva Power’s handling of the issue. While Delmarva Power has stated that they have given their customers notice, Delegate McDermott believes that the power company did not do its due diligence when notifying their customers of their ability to opt out of the smart meters.
“It is my understanding that the company posted a note on their website giving the customer’s notice to opt out, while the notices sent to their customers merely talked about the pending installation of the smart meters,” Delegate McDermott said. “While that measure may seem adequate to their company, sufficient notice was not personally given to Delmarva Power customers.”
“The notification process has been wholly inadequate and further action needs to be taken by both the Public Service Commission and Delmarva Power,” Delegate McDermott added. “The fact that customers have to pay $75 to opt out of something they were given insufficient notice about is completely absurd. While I do not approve of the opt out fee, if the commission is going to charge it, they have to make it their duty to adequately inform Maryland customers of all available options.”
“At the end of the day, I do not agree with how the customers were notified of their ability to opt out of smart meters. More importantly, I do not agree with customers being charged to reject something that they do not want,”Delegate McDermott concluded.
Delegate Glen Glass (R - Harford & Cecil) has sponsored HB-332 which would eliminate opt out fees. The bill is awaiting a vote in the House of Delegates.
Delegate McDermott is awaiting a response from both the Public Service Commission and Delmarva Power. A website (marylandsmartmeterawareness.org) has been established to provide assistance to those wishing to opt out of smart meter installation. Forms and addresses are available on the site.
16 comments:
This is a Communist agenda...In Europe...they do they same thing...you will freeze in your homes...
The more I read about smart meters, the less I want them. I have contacted my provider Choptank electric and told them both by email and phone, I don't want this.
I've said it before, NOT EVERYONE is online with a computer.
I had a number to call to "opt out". It was published some time ago on Salisbury News. I called it. Thought the matter was handled because we don't want a smart meter. But I happened to be home one morning went a Delmarva Power worker knocked on the door and said he was here to install the new meter. He didn't call it a smart meter. I said, No Way. I opted out. If I wasn't at home that morning we would have a smart meter now whether we wanted it or not. So they will probably come back sometime and we won't be home and then the new meter will be installed. It's just not right!
We sent the proper paperwork and they installed it anyway! Yea Im pissed and they will not do anything about it.....I was also told it was suppose to improve "accurate" billing....Yet for the last four months my bill was "pro rated" ...How was it prorated??? they take the average of the 3 most expensive months. So as it stands right now I have at least been over billed by $1,500 dollars ....but rest assured I was told "it will work itself out in a month or so.....So much for "Smart Meters"
We were not home when a smart meter was installed on our home. We went to Delmarva Power and told them we didn't want it, and they told us that it would cost $75 to opt out and $17 per month, every month after that. All I can do is assume about the $17 - don't know what that's for. Anyway they did give us an address and told us to write a letter to opt out. I told them the thing is already installed and they said you still have to write a letter to opt out. So round and round we go.
I want to know the justification for the $75.00 'opt out' plus the monthly fee assessed.
The 17.00 is the "reading charge" ...but...Why are you going to charge a "reading charge" if you're just going to pro-rate the bills anyway..Are they going to reimburse me for the ele they are using to broadcast the signal they use to "improve my billing and usage"???
Years ago I had to read my own meter and that was fine...I can read it now too
From: Delegate Mike McDermott
Anyone who has experienced problems with the opt out option...please feel free to contact my office in Annapolis at 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3431 and we can help.
Will the price be going down???
8:43. That is a big lie, they cannot control your electric unless you sign up for their energy program. You are mixing two different things to try and scare people. Typical of the tin foil hat group
Sbynews posted a letter to opt out and where to send it.I copied it,filled it out and kept it on hand and when the meter man came to the house to change the meter I asked him if I opted out what would happen? He said you would be charged a monthly fee for the meter reader every month and the a fee to reinstall a new meter later. So I allowed him to install the change. Later I read if your meter was on the outside of your home there would be no problems with it.
We have a smart meter & it was estimated due to the weather (so the bill said). When I contacted Delmarva Power, they said the technology for them to read the smart meter is not available in this area yet. Of course, they estimated it way over what we actually used.
They should give us the option to read our own meter and only charge us the 17 dollars twice a year when they can come out and read them to verify that they are correct.
They installed meters in our neighborhood just last week. They went door to door and if you were not home they installed them. They knocked on my door so lightly if I had not been sitting right at my computer at that exact moment I would have never heard them. My 2 little yapper dogs that were 5 feet away didn't even bark.
1030AM....So tired of hearing about the tin foil hat theory. No one REALLY knows what damage the smart meters are going to do so not sure why all you Smart meter lovers don't understand that. They have been known to cause health issues in lots of people and fires in their homes...but guess not proven enough. So in the meantime, maybe you need to put your tin foil hat on because YOU really don't have the answer to all these stupid smart meter concerns!
8:00 So you have to revert to telling people they can turn your electric off with these meters without your permission? That is a lie.
The truth is they can only do that if you sign up for the special energy program program not because you have a smart meter.
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