Category Archives: FIRES

SaskPower’s CEO resigns over dangerous Smart Meter program; should BC’s Bennett be next?

PRESS RELEASE

After eight smart meter failures (minor fires with little damage and no injuries), an immediate independent investigation of the Saskatchewan smart meter program was demanded.

Installations ceased, and smart meters were ordered removed from homes.

In a highly critical report released on Oct. 27, Sask Power was found to have implemented the program without considering public safety a priority.

Upon release of the report, the CEO of Sask Power, Mr. Robert Watson, resigned immediately, without severance.

READ FULL PRESS RELEASE HERE

Truth About Smart Meter Fires and Failures in BC

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AUGUST 19, 2014

Energy Minister Bill Bennett and BC Hydro say there have been no smart meter fires in BC. http://tinyurl.com/kvc4bdf

That is not true.

Evidence gathered only in the past five months proves that this is not true. See the full report here: http://tinyurl.com/ocmm7tm

We all have heard of the fires and failures in Saskatchewan and Portland, Oregon. There have been more fires in BC than in either of them. Then why haven’t we heard about them? Because they are not being tracked. And why they are not being tracked is a major component of this report.

A second component, and even more important, is irrefutable proof, derived from FOI reports and media sources, that fires and failures have occurred in BC and, unless action is taken immediately, will continue to occur.

Before the smart meter fires and failures can be tracked, the fires must be provided a code. But to be provided a code, there must be an admission that these incidents occurred. If an authority doesn’t wish to admit that smart meter fires actually occur, then no code is forthcoming. Which is the case.

That is the first order of denial.

Next is to target the only agency with the mandate to oversee the operation of BC Hydro … the only agency able to prohibit any perceived irregularities … and, by an act of the legislature, to specifically deny that agency, the BC Utilities Commission, the ability to do its job. Such is the purpose of the Clean Energy Act and Directive 4.

Finally, and this is not a pro-active hampering of agencies, as in the case of BCUC, but a failure to clean up a long-identified inter-agency quagmire. This is a situation in which one agency fails to communicate with another, and another with another, all involved in some measure with smart meter fires and failures … the resulting muddle serving to obscure the existence of smart meter fires and failures.

The evidence is clear. Smart meters are fire hazards and as such put into jeopardy the life and property of those who live in BC. It is incumbent upon all elected officials to act on that evidence by removing the ITRON smart meters and replacing them with analog meters (analogs are available in the U.S.). Should they fail to demonstrate the same degree of responsibility and care as do the governments of Saskatchewan and Portland, Oregon, then they will be held responsible morally and legally for the consequences.

The current document proves that ITRON smart meters do cause fires and failures in BC. The next installment will provide evidence documented by electrical engineers explaining why they occur.

 

Sharon Noble
Director, Coalition to Stop Smart Meters
director@stopsmartmetersbc.ca

Read the Executive Summary Here

Read the Full Report Here

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BC’s Energy Minister admits Smart Meter FIRES … but will do nothing

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Energy Minister Bill Bennett admits to smart meter fires in British Columbia, but rather than do anything, he expresses disappointment that Saskatchewan is taking action to protect its citizens.
On July 30 Saskatchewan Energy Minister Bill Boyd called a halt to the smart meter program, demanding removal of 105,000 meters after 8 “failures”, that include fires and exploding meters.
www.globalnews.ca/news/1483134/saskpower-ordered-to-remove-all-smart-meters-in-the-province/
“I think the concerns about safety are paramount here, the concerns are significant enough, anytime families are at risk in Saskatchewan, actions have to be taken and that’s why we’ve directed SaskPower accordingly,” said Minister Boyd.
In British Columbia, where we’ve had more “failures”, which have also included fires and exploding meters, Bill Bennett and BC Hydro consistently have refused to acknowledge the danger and, instead, put the blame on homeowners’ meter bases and wiring.

It doesn’t matter why a home burns after a smart meter has been installed – whether it was because the inexperienced installer damaged the base or that the meter heated up due to design flaws.

The fact is that property and lives have been put at risk and our government is refusing to protect us.
Bennett is sorry that Saskatchewan is taking this action.

““It’s unfortunate that Saskatchewan is doing what it’s doing…”
Why? Because it shows that some provincial governments are more concerned about their citizens than others.
It puts BC to shame.

www.cknw.com/2014/07/30/while-saskatchewan-yanks-its-smart-meters-bc-wont-do-the-same/
Finally Bennett is admitting there have been fires due to smart meters in BC. This is a first, but it’s way too late.
Fires have been occurring for the last 3 years, and Hydro and Liberals have denied it. The evidence has been hidden and people have been living with a fire hazard on their bedroom walls. He’s told Hydro to find out how many have occurred. That may be difficult because no agency is tracking them.
Why is Bennett asking for a count? Is it just because he feels he must do something? Saskatchewan doesn’t know why the meters have caused fires – they are taking action because fires have occurred. We have had many fires and incidents in BC, and nothing has been done to protect us. Instead the program has been protected with lies and cover-ups.

Do we not deserve the same precautionary action as Saskatchewan?
The Coalition to Stop Smart Meters asks,

” Please tell us, Mr. Bennett, what is the right number, how many homes must burn before you will stop this dangerous program??”

 

Sharon Noble
Coalition to Stop Smart Meters