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Utilities dispute smart-meter radiation claims - Tulsa World: EnergyClick Here NewsSportsSceneBusinessCommunitiesBlogs OpinionWeekend Weather Photo Video Databases Obits Calendar StoreToday's Headlines My Subscription E-edition SubscribeContact Us Welcome! Login Signup21 Free Unlimited testsDealsSearch for stories and photosEnergyWhat's the frequency?: radiation claims disputedUtilities dispute smart-meter radiationclaimsUtilities insist smart meters not harmful to humansStoryComments (5)RecommendPrintImage (2)0Font Size:521Utilities dispute smart-meter radiation claimsFollow UsFacebookTwitterLatest Local OffersKwik Kar 5 OFF OIL CHANGEGet 5 Off an Oil Change!Patty & Terrie's Pet Grooming15% OFF coupon for NEW pawsCarpet One Save Up To 50%AEP-PSO field revenue specialist Brian Gross changes out old meters for smart meters at aUniversity of Tulsa campus apartment complex while field services supervisor Mike Ruleynotes final readings on old meters. CourtesyPosted: Saturday, December 7, 2013 12:00 am Updated: 8:16am, Sat Dec 7, 2013.Save up to 50% on carpet, hardwood,laminate, vinyl, ceramic and more - allbrands, all styles, all colorsHahn Appliance Pre BlackFriday SalePre Black Friday Sale! LaundrySpecialsBy ROD WALTON World Business Editor s-dispute-smart-meter-radiation-claims/article ment-area[12/9/2013 6:56:05 PM]Search

Utilities dispute smart-meter radiation claims - Tulsa World: Energy5 commentsAEP-PSO, which plans to install more than500,000 smart meters systemwide over thenext few years, denies that those devicesemit radio frequency radiation at a highenough level to make people sick.Joe Esposito of rural Owasso displays his“Faraday cage,” an aluminum device designedto block electromagnetic emissions, which hesays is needed to protect his family. Espositosays the new smart meters being installed byAEP-PSO can cause radio frequency radiationsickness. CourtesyView all 2 images in gallery.One of the Tulsa-based utility's customers,and apparently others who are battling thestate's largest utility - OG&E - over similarissues, say otherwise."There's not one study to prove it's safe,"Owasso resident Joe Esposito said in a callfrom his cellphone Friday. "It's killingpeople."On the contrary, American Electric PowerPublic Service Co. of Oklahoma says thestudies prove that the RF signal from smart meters is safe. An Edison Electric Institutestudy in 2011 indicated that the RF level is multiple times less than that emitted by otherdevices, the utility says."The scientific evidence does not support that concern from those opposed to smartmeters," said AEP-PSO spokesman Stan Whiteford. "The strength (of the radio frequency)is less than what you find in baby monitors and certainly cellphones. . The concern iskind of misplaced."Champion Buy 2 get 1 FreeBuy 2 windows get 1 free of equal orlesser valueMarc Miller Front End AlignmentFront-End Alignment 49.95 View more local offersPopularCommentedStories97-year-old Cushing man charged withkilling granddaughterSapulpa dancer, 13, details 'terribleexperience' in HoustonSapulpa teen, dance instructors say encounterwith Houston police was racially motivatedPolice say woman left two toddlers homealone, went to barAnother hotel announced today fordowntownMorePhotosAEP-PSO will spend 120 million to replace all 520,000 existing meters systemwide withadvanced devices by 2016. The utility already has rolled out pilot programs for smartmeters in Owasso, Sand Springs, Okmulgee and the University of Tulsa.The intent of smart-meter technology is to promote energy efficiency. Once installed, thedevices can provide real-time data online to allow customers to better control energyusage.VideosFeatured BusinessesKwik Kar of ield Plumbing & DrainOpponents fear that those smart meters, which use radio frequency to communicate thedata, are making them sick. KFOR-TV in Oklahoma City aired a report last summerfeaturing OG&E customers who complained of nosebleeds and other ailments after theadvanced devices were installed.OG&E spokesman Brian Alford echoed Whiteford's comments on the safety of smartmeters, noting they were usually only on for several minutes a ampion WindowsSunrooms Roofs .com/tulsaLawn m"We have great confidence in the technology," Alford said. "It meets all the standards ofthe FCC (Federal Communication Commission)."Southern AgricultureThe KFOR report also featured Esposito. On Friday he recounted the experience of feelingpain in his mouth and groin immediately after AEP-PSO installed smart meters in Owassoin mFind a local business Esposito crafted a sheet of lead around the meter to block the radio emissions. He also hasbuilt a "Faraday cage," which is aluminum screening that blocks emissions, to protecthimself and his family in their e ment-area[12/9/2013 6:56:05 PM]

Utilities dispute smart-meter radiation claims - Tulsa World: Energy"I didn't need a pharmaceutical for my leg or my teeth," he said. "I just need to stop theradiation."Some counties in California and other entities have either banned smart-meter installationor are examining the issue. Other studies have found the devices less harmful, including a2011 "White Paper" from the Edison Electric Institute.Radio frequency radiation exposure drops "significantly" as distance from the transmitterincreases, the EEI study found.Calendar"Smart Meter exposures even at close range and with exaggerated duty cycle are manytimes less than other household devices and are compliant with FCC limitations," thestudy states.In fact, it added by paraphrasing from an earlier California study that radio frequencyexposure "of a person talking on a cell phone and a person 3 and 10 feet from acontinuously operating smart meter would result in Smart Meter RF exposure of 125 to1250 times less exposure than the cell phone."Esposito isn't buying it. He said utilities have a vested interest in rolling out the wirelessmeters."If you really understand what's happening here, it's deception," he said. "There's a lot ofmoney in this."Indeed, AEP-PSO's 120 million price tag for the smart meters will likely be passed on tocustomers after the devices are fully rolled out in 2016.December 122232425262728293031today's eventsbrowsesubmitToday's E-EditionWhiteford noted that AEP-PSO and other utilities are aware of the health concerns andbelieve the overwhelming evidence would debunk any fears if people would pay attentionto the facts."These meters have one of the weakest RF signals," he said.Smart meters already are installed at millions of sites nationwide and overseas.Another criticism, independent of health concerns, is that the devices do not produceenough energy savings to make them worth the cost.Rod eter Network in Oklahoma.OG&E: State's largest utility has installed about 850,000 meters across service area inOklahoma and Arkansas.AEP-PSO: State's second-largest utilty has installed 30,000 smart meters in pilot programs.Major rollout to replace 520,000 old meters statewide begins in late 2014. Work in Tulsastarts in e ment-area[12/9/2013 6:56:05 PM]

Utilities dispute smart-meter radiation claims - Tulsa World: EnergySmart-meter network in OklahomaOG&E: State's largest utility has installed about 850,000 meters across the service area inOklahoma and Arkansas.AEP-PSO: State's second-largest utility has installed 30,000 smart meters in pilotprograms. Major rollout to replace 520,000 old meters statewide begins in late 2014. Workin Tulsa starts in 2015.Recommend0521DiscussPrintSimilar StoriesMost ReadOil: Price falls slightly; natural gas soars on weatherTulsa-based Matrix Service buys U.S. subsidary ofNorwegian construction firm for 80.3MAmerican Airlines ends bankruptcy, merges with USAirwaysInvesting: Five stocks to sellInsider overview: Kimberly-Clark Corp.97-year-old Cushing man charged with killinggranddaughterSapulpa dancer, 13, details 'terrible experience' inHoustonSapulpa teen, dance instructors say encounter withHouston police was racially motivatedPolice say woman left two toddlers home alone, wentto barAnother hotel announced today for downtownJoin the conversation.Anyone can post a comment on Tulsa World stories. You can either sign in to your Tulsa Worldaccount or use Facebook.Sign in to your online account . If you don't have an account, create one for free . To comment throughFacebook, please sign in to your account before you comment.Read our commenting policy.Welcome to the discussion.Screen Name or EmailSign up for email newslettersEmail: Enter EmailPasswordForgot?Remember me on this computerLoginSaveBreaking NewsDaily HeadlinesLatest Headlines at 4 p.m.DailyDealTulsa.com OffersOU SportsOSU SportsNeed an account? Create one now.5 comments:TU SportsHigh School SportsFood & RestaurantsRonW Ballew (Photo: Chem Trails Over Lawton) posted at 1:36 pm on Mon, Dec 9, 2013.Weekend: Things to DoHome & GardenPosts: 857A previous article said that the smart meters will let the power companycut off your electricity remotely. This will let the power company useDowntown TulsaReal le ment-area[12/9/2013 6:56:05 PM]

Utilities dispute smart-meter radiation claims - Tulsa World: Energyrolling blackouts to manage peak usage of power instead of buildingmore power plants to meet increasing demand.Log In to report.LinkAdvertising OffersContest AlertsReplyJean Taylor posted at 12:06 pm on Sat, Dec 7, 2013.Posts: 978Why, do you think, does AEP-PSO want smart meters on every house?For one thing, electrical rates charges will cost more during peak hours,and less during non-peak hours. It's not just a way to force people toconserve energy, it's a plot to generate more revenue.Second, if anyone wanted to, they would know when you were home.Or, not at home. They'd know exactly what room of the house you werein. They would be able to tell about how many people were in the homeat any given time. Do we want that much surveillance and invasion ofour privacy? Will such info be abused or given away? Think of theNSA. and their overreach and invasion into our telephone calls,computers, and God knows what else.Smart meters are not needed. We wouldn't miss them if they were gone.They HAVE been proven dangerous to human and pet health, and thatfact has been well documented many times over the last 80 years.But don't take my word for it. You can check it out for yourself.Log In to report.LinkReplyread more (about 2 more lines)Jean Taylor posted at 11:55 am on Sat, Dec 7, 2013.Posts: 978AEP-PSO claiming smart meter microwave radiation is safe, and theyhave studies to prove it, is bogus. Where did those studies come from?Scientists hired by the electrical power industry, or thetelecommunications industry? Which by the way, spent 2.3 billion inlobbying fees over the last decade.Electrical magnetic Microwave radiation is not safe at any level. That isthe God's honest truth. But modern industry is so intertwined anddependent on it for their economic survival, that it will never be banned.But smart meters are one thing we can do without. It's exposing us tounnecessary and dangerous EMF and ELF microwaves for their ownselfish reasons. AEP-PSO can say their studies "prove" electromagneticmicrowaves are safe until they're blue in the face, but that won't make ittrue. There have been studies done since the mid-1930's until today thatprove absolutely otherwise. AEP-PSO and others who depend on EMF,Wi-Fi, ELF microwaves, and/or RFID chip transmissions are worriedabout legal liability So they come up with these bogus "studies"Log In to report.LinkReplyread more (about 10 more lines)Gordon Mills posted at 9:57 am on Sat, Dec 7, 2013.Posts: 657Maybe this is why there is so much craziness submitted on theTulsaWorld website.Log In to report.LinkReplymark omeIlIa posted at 7:21 am on Sat, Dec 7, e ment-area[12/9/2013 6:56:05 PM]