On September 27, 2023, the three members of the RI Public Utilities Commission made a momentous decision to authorize RI Energy's AMF (Advanced Metering Functionality) proposal to deploy "Smart" Meters on every RI home and business starting next year. Unfortunately for Rhode Islanders, this fateful decision will have negative consequences.

The Commissioners made this decision in spite of receiving extensive public testimony describing the predictable harm from large scale deployment of this infrastructure. "Smart" Meters continuously emit pulsed/modulated radiofrequency/microwave radiation, which has negative biological effects. "Smart" Meters cause fires and property damage, as well as have privacy and security risks. These risks were expertly documented in the public comments submitted to the RI PUC. All of the public testimony can be found at the bottom of this link: https://ripuc.ri.gov/Docket-22-49-EL

In a statement during the final day of Hearings on September 27, 2023, Chair Gerwatowski stated:

"When while we would certainly be concerned if we had a record of witnesses coming in saying that the company was proposing to invest in something that created a significant health and safety issue, we would certainly consider that in the context of whether it's prudent to go forward with that particular technology, but we are not a safety agency that evaluates and studies whether a particular technology is right or wrong or raises safety issues."

Because RI Energy/PPL discussed and dismissed the harms brought up by informed members of the public, and because no intervenor objected, the Commissioners dismissed the evidence presented by knowledgeable members of the public and accepted at face value the false assurances of RI Energy.

RI Energy's reassurances to its customers that the radiation emitted from "Smart" Meters is so low-level that it cannot possibly have a negative impact on health, fly in the face of thousands of scientific studies published in peer-reviewed, non-industry funded journals. These research studies establish that this radiation is biologically harmful to people, wildlife, pollinators, plants, and trees. Some symptoms experienced by children and adults when a "Smart" Meter is attached to their home are: insomnia, headaches, nosebleeds, anxiety, depression, cognitive impairment, and ringing in the ears. This radiation pulses 24x7, leaving the body no time to rest and do cell repair, which leads to chronic illness for many.

A forensic engineer, a safe technology advocate, and I made an APRA (Access to Public Records Act) request to the RI PUC on July 2, 2023. The email chain regarding the APRA request was put into the public record in the docket for RI Energy's proposal, found at the very bottom of the same link provided above.

In making the records request, we wanted to know if the RI PUC had received a report from an independent engineering firm that the fire/safety issues with the Landis + Gyr "Smart" Meters proposed for RI did not pose the fire risks that other such meters had exhibited. We also requested independent corroboration that the Landis + Gyr meters do have a 15-20 year service life, as RI Energy/PPL asserted.

From the Chief of Legal Services of the RI PUC, we learned that there were no documents affirming that independent engineers had verified that fire risks with these meters had been assessed and eliminated, or that the longevity of the meters is 15-20 years.

Based on information from "Smart" Meter deployments in other communities, these meters, which are essentially computers, only have a 5 to 7 year useful life. The anticipated financial return on the sizable investment of 153 million dollars is therefore in serious question.

Chair Gerwatowski asked Mr. David Bonenberger, the President of RI Energy, if his company had looked into alternatives to the Advanced Metering Functionality proposal.

Mr. Bonenberger answered, "I am not aware of any other solution that could surpass the benefits of AMF."

Mr. Bonenberger did not provide any reference to the sterling success that Chattanooga, Tennessee has had since 2010 with their Fiber-Optics to the Premises metering infrastructure throughout the city.

See the webinar: "Gig City Goes Quantum: The Amazing Chattanooga, TN Fiber Network Success Story!" https://thenationalcall.org/resources/

There is indeed an alternative to the AMF/"Smart" Meter infrastructure, an alternative that is not only safe, but also fast, reliable, secure, energy-efficient, and future-proof: Fiber-to-the-Premises.

All of this leaves Rhode Island ratepayers and residents with a momentous decision to make.

When RI Energy sends out their PR brochures about the benefits of the wondrous "Smart" Meters they will install on your home, Just say No. You have the right to Opt-Out. Please urge your neighbors to do the same--the radiation emitted from "Smart" Meters transmits for more than 1,400 feet, and can penetrate brick walls.

The health and safety risks of "Smart" Meters are well-documented in the detailed public testimony submitted to the RI PUC. These risks have been dismissed by the Commission, but they cannot be discounted.

Sheila Resseger, co-founder of 5G Free RI is a board member of Toxics Information Project and a retired teacher for the RI School for the Deaf.