The island’s sole electricity provider Dominica Electricity Service Ltd. (DOMLEC) has assured the public that the AMI Meters (Smart Meters) installed on their homes are safe.
DOMLEC has taken the initiative to install the meters on homes in Dominica but some have raised fears that they may not be safe.
These fears have their roots in the US and Canada where there has been public outcry on the potential health effects of these meters. According to reports they emit radiation similar to that of mobile phones, microwaves and wireless internet.
But Public Relations Officer at DOMLEC, Adina Bellot-Valentine has said that the devices are safe and Dominicans should not be concerned.
“I have spoken to the engineers and they pointed out that an AMI meter uses quarter of a watt from emission whereas a cell phone uses four times that amount so those emissions coming from the meters are nothing harmful to humans,” she told DNO.
She noted further that the meters are attached to the homes of customers whereas cell phones are carried around and have more frequent contact with humans than a smart meter.
AMI, or Advanced Metering Infrastructure, yields data that, according to reports, can enable and empower customers to identify opportunities to reduce their energy use and to track the results of such changes.
Utility companies say when they install AMI for their customers, they make energy use more visible.
British newspaper, The Telegraph, has reported that utility companies in the US have been hit with multi-million dollar class action lawsuits from people who have had the devices installed in their homes.
These people are worried about the build-up of such devices in the home since they claim to be sensitive to electromagnetic fields, saying it gives them symptoms such as nausea, fatigue and headaches.
“Regulators say smart meters are safe but protesters point to the American Academy of Environmental Medicine’s opposition to the devices,” the Telegraph article said.
My health had been greatly affected by those so called. Smart meters I moved now I’m fine. I live in the us so dominicans should refuse it. What happen to the days dcans took to thee streets? Has this evil dictator skerrit cast a spell on u guys? I’d. Think with the availability of info on the internet ppl would educate themselves
As I read most of these comments here, I decided to google for some information for myself. What I found out is that, the good of this device mentioned in the news article is in the interest of its supplier, but many of those who have the service are very unhappy.
Here is a short example below:
I had no idea that a smart meter would pose a hazard to my health when I agreed to let them install one on my home.
Shortly after the smart meter was installed my health took a terrible downturn. I began having heart palpitations, trouble sleeping, unexplained anxiety attacks, dizzy spells, nausea and fatigue. I have been battling anxiety for months and I had no idea why. I’ve never had these types of symptoms plague me like this before.
Then I found out that so many others have had the same reactions to smart meters in their homes and neighborhoods. Smart meters need to be outlawed and all of them must be removed at once.
There are enough toxins in our food and the environment without this happening too. I hope I am able to get mine removed, but from what I’ve read Southern California Edison isn’t cooperating. H .M. Orange CA
And so I will only ask our God of Life to watch over my people in Dominica. O dear Lord! Help us!
Yes. Thousands of people are getting sick – ear noise, heart palpitations, nauseau and much more – and smart meters are part of a worldwide surveillance grid. Big Brother is spying on you!
Hello people of Dominica,The smart meter is safe.But your electric bills will be sky high just
ask the people of ontario canada.yes am a home owner in ontario and dominican.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyhYUG19d7U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zouAPfI8EkU
Why are Smart Meters introduce in the COD check links and join the conversation to Tell DOMLEC No to the installation and implementation of Smart Meters on your house/ home.
—— this ” smart” meter works for DOMLEC.
Ask the E.U COURT at Luxembourg!!!!
You are missing the point, this is about a “slight of hand” trick not hazardous emmissions. The slight of hand is that Domlec is going to be able to view everthing about every house and their usage. Just another instance of Big Brother getting into everyones lives.
THE COMPANY WAS JUST LOOKING FOR SOMEWHERE TO DUMP THEIR RUBISH AND AS USUAL DOMINICA IS ALWAYS ON THE LIST.
Ok ok. So… If any has issues with this meter, i suggest they forsake all form of technology. infact dont even go in the sun, stay in a cave to avoid the radiation from it.
There are diff kindas of E.M.Ws. Educate yourselves.
The energy produced from a cell phone can cause your cancer cells to activate. Even that depends on ur molecular make up and weak points.
If this meter outputs 1/4 of that, then quit your btchn. =_=”.
Seriously, you wud be the same set of ppl to be with cells all day and then crying bout some new meter.
Your really better off tell radio stations to close down. O_O. I think the yearly induced waves are affecting your brains. maggots.
Here is another link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ionX4ckX8e8
Here is my final Say on the subject, after this I will simply read what everyone else knows, as I said I do not know much but here it is I will be brief:
Analog meters have one primary purpose: to tell the consumer or meter reader how much electricity has been used since the last reading.
Digital Metering: Multifunctional and Interactive
Digital or ” smart meters” on the other hand, provide additional functions, including interactive two-way communication. The smart meter not only records electricity use, but it passes information about consumption between the home to the electricity supplier daily over a wireless digital radio frequency network.
It does not identify the individual appliances, and by the way every radio or Television in your home must have an RF (Radio Frequency) within in order for it to operate, the same applies to a cell phone.
A home energy management system with compatible, interactive devices connected to advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) can potentially offer energy management benefits. For example, smart meters may one day enable consumers to program electricity use for non-peak hours when power is available at lower cost. This interactive capability could also allow utilities to manage energy use and adjust loads during periods when there is danger of a potential system overload or failure due to higher-than-normal peak demand, such as during periods of extremely hot or cold weather.
Anticipated Benefits Versus Potential Problems
Some individuals are concerned about potential problems with the smart meters that are part of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI). Health activists, consumer watchdogs, and privacy advocates have raised three main areas of concerns:
Mind you the fear comes from the so called consumer watchdogs, who were the same ones who told the world that cell phones causes cancer.
Consumer watchdogs question the accuracy of smart meters, and whether billing errors are more likely.
Health advocates are concerned about potential risks related to the effects of low-level radiation, which is produced by the smart grid’s wireless radio frequency network. This issue is similar to the controversy regarding cancer and the use of cell phones.
Privacy advocates are worried that information gathered by smart meters and other smart grid devices will be misused. One two and three are the only major concern, as far as I am concerned the meters are installed outside of the house the only way radiation from that can damage a persons health they would have to stand under one from today to the day they drop dead.
One receive more radiation from a Television in their living room, or from their microwave daily than what they will receive in a live time. I made a schematic diagram of the meter available, to DNO, if they publish it those people who has electronic and engineering background can say what amount of danger the found hidden within.
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
When they did safety test for smart meters, they only measured the meters – not the grid – the worst radiation and RF pulses (tools in warfare) are in the grid itself – the electric poles and lines. This is a mandatory worldwide surveillance grid, so why bother the World Health Organization to due the additional studies they said were warranted for the smart meters which they acknowledged were Class B Carcinogens with links to childhood leukemia, brain tumors, etc.
That is a lie and pure propaganda. There are strong EMF’s (electromagnetic fields) being emitted from these devices which endanger your health.
They also serve to monitor the activity and usage of electricity in your home. If you want Big Brother in your home…..this is it. They can shut off your electricity any time they like and say that you use too much.
In some places in the U.S., people protested having these on their houses and the electric companies had to back off and give the consumers an option. The option was to pay $5 more a month so that someone would have to come out and read your meter.
Okay, well, since everybody is in Dominica seem to have a link to the news about the danger which I missed, I will call Southern California Edison, and find out about this mystery.
If that’s the case then the millions of people whom Edison install these meters on their homes, that mean all of them are already dead people. So, in the City of Hawthorne where I conduct by business, sooner or later everybody in that city, will be dead, from meter detecting what kind of appliance is in use.
Boy, you people are something else, Some people have more than one refrigerator in their home, maybe a deep freezer too, if a person has a five bedroom home it is likely there is Television in every room, if their is a Basement, their will be a Television down there plus a refrigerator, they all are connected to the source, since electrical wiring in a home is wired in parallel, telephones using AC as a source to support cordless phones, are also connected to that same source, the stove, fax machines ect, ect, Clocks, in spite of that this magical meter is capable of identifying which appliance is operating and when.
Does that make any sense?
Everything I mentioned is in my house, and they are all are plugged into the source, as long as they are connected, to the source even if they are turned off, the power supply which converts AC to DC, in the appliance is consuming some amount of AC electricity.
How cam this meter identify them individually?
Mine runs day and all night, and when I want to play on my computer, I have three PC’s basically turned on at the same time, I use tow of them to monitor DNO, and one that I utilize for my business, which I do not use to go on the Internet.
Anyway, I was informed by someone in Dominica, that there is an African Doctor practicing medicine who has some kind of machine and all he does is strap a cuff on to peoples arm, and without asking the patient a single question his machine identify’s what’s wrong with his patients.
Hahahahahahahahahaha, I do not know, maybe in Dominica with all things equal that might be true, but I have yet to discover such technology out here, so perhaps our country is more advanced than the rest of the world. Maybe I am just behind the time!
Someone talk about some California Valley, I know of a San Fernando Valley, Cochlea Valley, Moreno Valley, and San Gabriel Valley, but I never heard of a California Valley!
Where is that California Valley Located?
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
Good morning sweet Dominica. Hello Mr Tetemaque I know you are an educated man but I am a bit surprised that you never heard about such meters. Now you said you are involved in real estate in California and you rent apartments to people but don’t you know if your apartments have such meters. Now are your tenants light bill included in their rent or do they pay their separate light bills. Also President Obama gave all the States and Territories money to upgrade the power grid. The smart meters are the first step in moving in that direction where the companies can monitor electricity usage and they can redirect power to different parts of the grid if there is a problem. Anyway thanks I hope you learn something from us. You are not behind the time rather you should open your eyes and mind in that way you can broaden your horizon. Thanks again.
Dear Tony, why should you be surprised I have not heard about the Smart Meters, when I specifically said those meters were installed on my buildings by Southern California Edison.
What I said is that I have never heard anybody complain about getting sick as a result of them.
Tony if the fear is about radiation, you can calm your nerve because you are exposed to me radiation emission from your Television set in your home, and your Micro Wave oven every day than what you will ever receive from a Smart meter in your entire life time.
Besides the meter is installed on the outside of your house, to be exposed to any radiation emitted from it you would have to be in direct contact with it okay.
As I stated in one of my post, I have submitted an electronic schematic diagram to DNO of the meter, I have not seen any component used in the meter that is not already in use, in everything electronic in peoples homes already, the only difference is that they are utilized to do a different functions in this case.
The only thing special or different about these digital meters are that they have a two way communication system built into them, they utilize an RF (frequency) but you have that in your Cell Phone, Radio, Television, even the Radio in your car, without that your Radio could not receive any reception.
Tony the whole thing is nothing more than fright hype, created by the same people who are arguing that Cell Phones cause cancer to the brain.
Now how many people in Dominica you know got cancer in their brain due to the use of a Call Phone?
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
Hi Mr Telemaque since I can’t attached my response to your post dated Feb 26 I will post it here. Anyway am not to concerned about radiation from the meter rather I stated what I learned from a pamphlet the Con Edison/National Grid sent me after I declined to have a smart meter installed at my residence. The smart meter is to help the companies better control the distribution of electricity if there is a power surge or disruption of service then they can redirect the flow to other parts of the grid. There were a number of articles in the New York media concerning possible side effects and interference with medical equipments, ex: Pacemakers. I never said the meters make people sick but there are concerns out there that our people should be concerned about. Also I will accept that I did misquote part (meter installed in building)of your article therefore I apologize in that respect. Thanks .
I live in Los Angeles. Thousands are protesting these meters, people are getting sick, I have to sell my home and get off the grid…. Why look to the corporation for your answers?
Admin, youhave an Imposter using my Internet name, and I do not like this one bit. maybe I could put a restraining ot=rder on your Impostrer who has stolen my internet name., you should not allow imposters to steal other people’s name. This is peter karam and I am the only person online known as the PEDRO. Admin, do somethng about this thief. tell him/her get their own internet name. please fix this urgently, as this causes me deep stress when all my people barge me with telephone calls.
If only you knew the imposter you could sue him/her.
I agree. It is not fair to use someone’s name to post comments giving others who are unaware of it the impression that you posted the comment. You could use an initial with your name.
=_=. I swear. Go play an MMO or sumthing. Learn the harsh ropes of the net. >=P. Then u can re-aquire ur “rightful” name.
sir DNO has an email adress….and i know u know better than that
That ‘Miss AMI’ Domlec have, she ‘tif’ (thief) like nobody business.
This AMI meter should be a voluntary thing, ‘if you want it you accept it’, not ‘want it or not you will still get it.’
You are wrong. Businesses are finding easier, faster and less costly methods of operating. Consider the cost to the customers do not decrease but increase.
This is the era we reside in. If the enterprise decides that this is their policy from now on, you cannot refuse it. You are obligated to accept it. Every customer must accept it. There is no such thing that one accepts it and another does not. Understand that smart meters are easier for the company. They also do not have to go inside your house to read them. It is convenient for them to read the meters. Also, this will decrease tampering of the unit. They know what they are doing. It will benefit them in many ways.
They are a utility company to benefit you – not them! Do some independent research!
Hello my people. Well many thing have been said about this type of meters. I reside in NYC and Con Edison came to my home to install said meter but I declined. I then received a pamphlet which explained how the meter works and it described a chance of side effects. The main thing it does is that it can track which appliance is in use and the amount of electricity used by each appliance. The main reason is that they do not have to send a meter reader to your home because they can read your meter from their office which would mean less employees. It’s simply a way of saving money for the company and they can tell if you are home based of the electricity history usage of your lights and appliances. They can also turn off any lights or appliance in your home.
Then i do not want this meter! This is some real crud. THat’s basically compromising your location. THat is my biggest prob here.
I have a friend in the USA who had a very bad car accident. My friend has a great deal of titanium in her neck and back. My friend lives in The California Valley in a beautiful home, since she has had a Smart Meter installed in her home and is on the grid she has been terribly, terribly sick since the Smart Meter has been fitted to her home! There are a great deal of articles out there about Smart Meters and the bad affect they have on our health and privacy! I am very worried especially for the people living close together in wooden homes! If people are beginning to feel sick and had diarrhoea it could be because of the Smart Meter. This is very serious. We are a nature island what on earth are we doing with Smart Meters.
The bottom line…..why can’t we take the regressive step and have the analog meter back?
It looks like the US government does not care. It should ensure that those meters are health-wise unsafe. The material must be cheap and inferior. Where was it made? I will not speculate but you should have an idea of what country went through my mind.
If this occurred in Canada, they would be immediately taken out. The enterprise would be sued. I am surprised that the US government allows this type of meter to be attached to the homes.
That is me too. I have had two head injuries and so my blood brain barrier is compromised. Smart meters were installed in my neighborhood in August 2012 and since then I cannot sleep and am super sick. My house is in escrow.
There really is concern out there about the digital Smart Meter system:-http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2012/12/121212-smart-meter-privacy/
The Public relations officer should absorb seriously the true concerns of the people in the USA and Great Britain who have found that a lot of people have been made sick from the digital meters on or around their homes!! National Geographic has also written a enlightening article on the subject of SMART METERS and their impact world wide! Big brother is watching you! I have an overseas friend who cannot sleep on the grid in her home in California because of the SMART METER in/on her home. My friend had a bad vehicular accident and as a result has quite a lot of titanium in her neck and back. My friend is physically sick sleeping in her home because of the new pulsating electricity log keeping. A large amount of Dominican folk live in very small wooden homes in close proximity; I would imagine they are in serious hazard from these Domlec gadgets. The people of Dominica should be concerned and the lady in control of public relations for DOMLEC needs to do some homework before making the comments she has made in this article!! We should be allowed to go back to the analogue meter if we so choose, this will safeguard our health. Why on earth should we have this system in the Nature Island ?
Copycat of other countries whether it makes people sick and kill them. Sadly, this is what it is. Those meters should have a silencer. They should not disrupt customers’ peace of mind and happiness. They appear to be defective. I wonder if they are rejects which were bought. It could happen just as purchasing defective vehicles, those that were involved in accidents and were repaired and laying them on unsuspecting West Indians at an exorbitant cost.
The government should have them inspected by an overseas expert. Of course, this venture could be expensive.
“These fears have their roots in the US and Canada where there has been public outcry on the potential health effects of these meters.”
You know sometimes I get the feeling, that a lot of people in Dominica simply like to lie!
I reside in the United States. I am involve in Real Estate, I have many buildings, apartments which I rent to people, they all have smart Meters installed by Southern California Edison power company which is an company operating Internationally!
I have never heard of any fear talk by anyone of such meters!
That is a lie; nothing more than an exaggeration by these people operating DOMLEC: what danger does these meters present that could be evaded by the older ones which are analogue, these new ones are simply digital?
That is the only difference, so it would be interesting for DOMLEC to explain the public danger the people fear!
Where has DOMLEC got this nonsense from?
We go in and out of Canada at random, we have relatives in Canada with the same installed on their homes, no one ever complain!
We no longer exist in a an analog world, the world has long gone digital, piece of electronic equipment manufactured these days are digital, Every Radio and Television Station especially Television stations has converted to digital Transmission, so if there is danger in a mater which current flows throw, and the number of units the costumer consumes is dangerous, or hazarded to the health of the home owner, then the signal received on Television in our home is also hazardous to our health.
If you want to scare people, perhaps you need to warn them from radiation that me harm them from your high tension towers, and those big old transformers you all have allover the place, with the liquid in them when they leak all over the place causes cancer, there more hazards you have not mentioned okay!
And if you all wish I detail it from an scientific, and engineering point of view I can accommodate you!
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
Admin: The story did not come from DOMLEC. They are in fact denying that smart meters are harmful. Here is the link to the original source of the story:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/financialservices/utilities/Business-energy/9053100/Smart-meters-for-energy-to-be-voluntary.html
Smart pants….maybe you should read this from The Telegraph newspaper in London. This is where the DNO story has its roots it seems.
Read and educate yourself….and stop trying to make people in Dominica look stupid.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/financialservices/utilities/Business-energy/9053100/Smart-meters-for-energy-to-be-voluntary.html
Dorival; number two smart pants: Haahahahahahahahahahahah!
I told you already it takes one to know the other.
I no longer live in Live in England, I left there a long time ago. I reside in California, in the city of Los Angeles to be precise. ” DOMLEC” made a claim, which I have not heard of in California, nor in Canada, as I said I have the digital Meters installed on my buildings, dating back around two years or so, none of my tenants died as of a result of a digital installed meter on the buildings or their apartment.
So, I have no need to go to read anything from any tabloid in England!
If anything the new digitals are much more accurate than the old analog meters, in that the meter reader can indeed read a hole number, unlike the old ones they could not always do that, so what they did is that if a pointer was between eight and nine, they would systematically select the highest number which is nine, if it is between the numbers 4 & 5, even if it was closer to the four, they would chose the five, therefore the coustomer always come out the looser.
We have that indicates ” less than and greater than; we also have less than or equal to, or grater than or equal to: with the old digital meters the way reading is taken it is always grater than the actual unit the consumer used.
What you guys in Dominica does not understand is that if an electric company install any sort of electrical equipment in or on your home, and it causes any form of medical discomfort, or damage to any of the occupants, that could cost them plenty of money, as in dollars and cents!
The rubbish you read, and hear is not likely to happen in the United States that easily, company’s do not simply make things and sell without extensive testing. They have to be environmentally tested, and there are environmental laboratories where such are tested, past the test, and must be URL certified before they are installed into the environment (people’s home).
Rather than reading crap from tabloids and such perhaps you should subscribe to some scientific electrical journal which could better keep you informed, and that is if you have the technical training and knowledge to understand what you read.
Do not view the last paragraph as an insult eh, only a figure of speech, second smart parts I hope you understand!
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
lol.
I think you are exhibiting a high level of ignorance and stupidity to make these wild generalizations that they are only digital . Do you know that they send out information which is collected at Domlecs office and so you can go on the internet and check you balance in terms of units remaining . People like you who happen to be abroad really think Dominicans are stupid and don’t know what they talking about . Where have you soon all the transformers that are leaking all over the place . You are mis-informed and don’t try to comment on every issue that DNO puts up . It is said its better to remain quiet and let people think you are stupid than to open your mouth and leave no doubt.
Mr Know it all: A little research on the internet would have shown you that these fears do exist in the US. In some circles there are fears that this radiation may be even more that that posed from other devices. Indeed, here is one such quote, cited by stopsmartmeters.com:
“The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM), an “international association of physicians and other professionals interested in the clinical aspects of humans and their environment,” have released recommendations for patients with a broad array of illnesses and symptoms to avoid exposure to digital smart meters now being deployed internationally by governments and utilities.
The recommendation, which includes reference to 20 peer-reviewed studies showing biological harm from wireless technologies, indicates that patients with neurological, neurodegenerative diseases, genetic defects, cancer, and other conditions would benefit from avoiding pulsed RF radiation from smart meters.”
Furthermore, some of the argument is that those devices emit radiation at a regular rate and beyond the control of the consumer. Now as to whether it is scientifically justified or overblown or whether Mr John Public on average does not care is a point of contention. But to claim that Domlec is stirring up or making up something and being anti progressive is nonsense. Domlec by the way has not done a good PR job to deal with it. There is even a whole industry of protective devices that are available for purchase that you can put around the Smart Meter to minimise radiation levels.
http://www.lessemf.com/smart.html
There are numerous articles online with some studies claiming it should be of concern, others not. Example:
http://www.earthcalm.com/emf-dangers/smart-meter-health/?gclid=CJSxnNy20rUCFQeznQodrmUA6w
http://sagereports.com/smart-meter-rf/
http://stopsmartmeters.org/2012/07/14/doctors-warning-american-academy-of-environmental-medicine-recommends-patients-avoid-smart-meter-radiation/
It is debatable whether the effects of Smart Meters are of concern as a serious health issue. There are many articles advocating need for caution as well as those studies which dispel the idea that it should be of concern.
What I would be more concerned about is whether Domlec’s equipment has the sort of specifications that could cause violations of recommended levels. The bottom line is however, that even in North America there may not be strict enforcement of safety standards for such devices. This does not mean however that they are inherently safe across the board.
You upsetting peter karam change your name lol
Hello Mr Telemaque. Well for you to tell us that you are involved in the real estate business in California and you never heard of any complaints in regards to this type of meter is simply unbelievable. I would suggest that you check the New York Times, NY Post and NY Daily News for past articles about the meters and possible side effects. Also I see we making progress since you didn’t accuse our Police, Politicians and Government of corruption this time. Thanks.
Why dont you research before you just post. there are concerns about smart meters here in the US there are current concerns by persons about the safety of these meters. Its not because you have not heard of it that there are none. in seattle there were recent complaints about the disappearance of birds that persons have related to these meters and they are currently researching it
And also did dyou read the story. you seem very confused. you are saying that these meters are safe which is the same thing that DOMLEC said but you claim that they are lying.You seem very confused.
here is a link from the US http://www.komonews.com/news/local/192619811.html
I really think you need to read this story again are you agreeing that these meters are unsafe since you keep saying that domlec made a claim. The only claim they madeare that they are safe
Those are not facts. There is information on both sides.
Really and every body in DA have three mobile phone in their possession and multiple microwave ovens in their houses?, oh oh we all going to die from excess radiation, all you duck.
Concerned about radiation from smart meter and no concern about all the cigarettes and ganja they smoke and whisky, rum and nani they drink
dominican complain to much all they do talk talk talk go to work people.
People should be concerned about a proliferation of electro-magnetic devices and their concomitant emissions. One device may not be a problem, but when you include cell towers, phones, WI FI, blue tooth, and all the other supposed conveniences of modern life they have an impact on our personal electrical systems.
Stupees
In these economic times people will try and dock the paymets of their bills> Dowasco should have the same for water
they will – guaranteed. this is a mandatory world wide surveillance grid which will include water, gas and electric by 2018.