HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-03-10 Rebecca Melendez California Now Has Smart GridFrom:Rebecca Melendez
To:LPCtestimony; WPCtestimony; cdp@hawaii.gov; Planning General Plan; Villegas, Rebecca; Kimball, Heather; Kagiwada, Jennifer; Onishi, Dennis; Kierkiewicz,Ashley; Kanealii-Kleinfelder, Matt; Galimba, Michelle M.; Inaba, Holeka; Hustace, James
Subject:California Now Has Smart Grid & Broadband, Their Electric Bills Are Higher, Power Company Has FULL Control Over Everyone"s Power
Date:Monday, March 10, 2025 9:55:09 AM
Aloha,
Have you researched the serious consequences of allowing Broadband and Smart Grid to be developed? If not, youneed to.
My family lives in California, which now has Broadband and a Smart Grid, and their electric bills are much higher. I'mguessing this is because they have to pay for the constant Radio Frequency Radiation (RFR) and all the sensors that have to be
placed on top of the electric wires to communicate with all the smart meters that are now on all their houses andcommercial buildings.
Who pays for the millions of sensors that must be placed on all the electrical wires all over the island? I'm sure thatgoes on the electric bills. Not to mention the work involved because that will also go on the electric bill
Who pays for all the smart meters? They are another addition to the electric bill, I'm sure. This also takes away the jobs ofall those people who read the meters, so the electric company is saving money and making even more money through
the development of a Smart Grid and Broadband.
The electric company will also have full power over all our electricity because they will be able to lower community
power if other places, like the resorts, need more power. This is called an Electrical Power Monopoly. They will beable to lower the power to our refrigerators that could possibly allow food to spoil because they willl have full power
over all our electricity. This will be dangerous to our community.
My stepdad used an electric meter to see what the radiation read, and it was high, which meant it was a health risk. The
General Plan has NO health risk research.
In the 2045 General Plan page 149 30.12 Plan for broadband infrastructure to support smart griddevelopment: https://www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/308136/638597487229830000
30.3 Collaborate with utility companies to incentivize the underground siting of electrical and telecommunicationsfacilities within public rights-of-way
30.4 Continuously improve the use of broadband communications and digital technology to educate and provide
public services with a focus on digital access.
30.5 Siting of new communications facilities shall comply with performance standards and site colocation as
stated in the Code.
Page 150
30.b Develop standards for the siting and construction of wireless telecommunication facilities.
30.9 Alleviate barriers and assist broadband projects with navigating through the regulatory permitting process.
30.i Pursue partnerships and funding for broadband initiatives and deployments
30.j Support the coordination of infrastructure projects between the public and private sectors to create areas for thedeployment of broadband zones
30.k Seek federal and other opportunities for the funding of broadband infrastructure.
30.m Foster public-private partnerships to support the development and expansion of broadband infrastructure,
including community networks.
Have you read these websites proving the health risks of Broadband and a Smart Grid:
Here are links that explain the health risks of smart meters because they emit RFR (Radio FrequencyRadiation) waves. It's not wifi, and I will apologize to the community because I said it was wifi:
https://stopsmartmeters.org/frequently-asked-questions/radio-frequency-radiation-issues/ : "Q: My utility says “smart” meters emit less than my cell phone or WiFi. Is this true? In some cases this is true, and in some cases not true. The figures for RF exposure given by utilities are time-
averaged numbers which hide the peak power of the “smart” meter, and disguise the fairly continuous nature of thepulses. “Smart” meters are unlike cell phones or WiFi in their bizarre pattern of sharp spikes of RF.
Both of those consumer devices (cell phones and WiFi) can be strong RF emitters. But people are becomingincreasingly aware of the potential harm done by chronic exposure to RF radiation-emitting devices and are
taking steps to change how they use them. Growing public awareness of RF exposure has led people to choose awired internet connection or use a wired phone at home. But most people are not offered a wired “smart” meter. And
you can’t turn it off once it’s installed." https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/environmental-toxins/smart-meters-not-so-smart/#gsc.tab=0 : "Electric “smart” meters were installed in Cindy deBac’s Scottsdale, Arizona, neighborhood in 2012. She
recalls the day a new meter was mounted on her home as a sort of digital Pearl Harbor attack. “I’ve neverbeen so sick in my life,” she says. “Nausea, a crushing migraine headache, and painful heart palpitations laid melow right away.” https://smartmeterscience.substack.com/p/expert-letter-on-risks-of-smart-meters :
· “The Federal Communication Commission’s safety standards do not apply to low intensity RFR.
· There is no safe level of exposure established for RFR.
· People around the world are suffering from low intensity RFR exposure, being at increased risk of
developing both cancer and EHS.”
https://ehtrust.org/educate-yourself/health-risks-posed-by-smartmeters/ : “There is no doubt that smart and digital meters create pulsed RF emissions and these emissions, from the
smart meters’ antennas and the RF created by the SMPS, both enter the house’s electric system. The result is thatthe entire house is transformed into a radiating RF antenna.”
https://www.emfanalysis.com/smart-meter-health-effects/ : "In nearly every community where wireless smart meters have been installed, a percentage of residentscomplain of health effects that started after installation. The residents often did not know that smart meters had
been installed. The most common symptoms are:" https://www.safespaceprotection.com/news-and-info/health-warnings-on-smart-meters/ : "Groups such as, The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM), an international organizationrepresenting physicians who specialize in Environmental Medicine issued the following recommendationslisted below in their 2012 position paper, “Electromagnetic and Radiofrequency Field Effect on Human
Health. The AAEM calls for:
• Immediate caution on smart meter installation due to potentially harmful RF exposure• Accommodation for health considerations regarding EMF and RF exposure, including exposure towireless smart meter technology• Independent studies to further understand the health effects from EMF and RF exposure• Use of safer technology, including for smart meters, such as hard-wiring, fiber optics, or other non-
harmful methods of data transmission• Recognition that electromagnetic hypersensitivity is a growing problem worldwide• Understanding and control of this electrical environmental bombardment for the protection of society• Consideration and independent research regarding the quantum effects of EMF and RF on human health" https://www.sej.org/publications/tipsheet/many-are-claiming-health-problems-caused-smart-meters : "The concepts sound good to many people, but serious flaws are becoming apparent as utilities rapidly installsmart meters across the country, according to a rising chorus of critics. They are concerned about privacy(since they say utilities can interpolate many behavioral aspects of building occupants via the detailed
reporting of utility use), security (since any utility's system could be hacked), and accuracy (with reports ofvery inaccurate readings from a small percentage of meters). Each of these issues warrants investigation andcoverage.
Another major issue is possible human health impacts from smart meters. That is the focus of the remainder of thisTip.
SMART METER HEALTH IMPACTS?"
https://smartmeterscience.substack.com/
What is broadbandBroadband data transmission is represented by a large bandwidth. Consider the internet as a channel for datatransfer between two devices. In this case, the passway that the data is traveling over is broadband. Broadbandconnections come in a variety of forms: ASL, DSL, Cable, Fiber, etc. The goal of all these technologies is toprovide customers with high-speed internet. For example, the greatest technology available to users is fiberoptic lines, which provide high bandwidth and symmetrical speeds."
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/broadband.asp :
"What Is Broadband?
Broadband refers to various high-capacity transmission technologies that transmit data, voice, and videoacross long distances and at high speeds. Common mediums of transmission include coaxial cables, fiberoptic cables, and radio waves."
https://www.howtogeek.com/865706/what-is-wi-fi/ :
"The widespread adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) and smart home technology has internet service providers(ISPs) and integrators on the hunt for the most effective methods of broadband delivery for many scenarios.
The cable will be closer to the surface and more vulnerable to damage. In this case, a more expensive cablethat can withstand contact will be required. Cables buried in clay will also need to be of higher quality becausethe clay can hold stones and push them against the cable. In clay, the trench will also need to be muchdeeper.
In developed areas, the existing infrastructure can be problematic. Digging through concrete sidewalks androads is costly and disruptive."
https://www.prysmian.com/en/insight/sustainability/what-is-a-smart-grid-and-how-does-it-work
"What is a smart grid?
A smart grid is an advanced and digitally enhanced electricity distribution network that uses technology
and two-way communication to efficiently manage energy supply and demand. While traditional grids rely on one-
way electricity flow and limited monitoring, smart grids employ sensors and automation to gather real-time data on
energy usage and grid conditions."
https://www.rfwireless-world.com/Terminology/Advantages-and-Disadvantages-of-Smart-Grid.html
"Drawbacks or disadvantages of Smart Grid
Following are the drawbacks or disadvantages of Smart Grid:
➨Continuous communication network should be available.
➨During emergency situation, network congestion or performance are big challenges in smart grid system.
➨Cellular network providers do not provide guaranteed service in abnormal situations such as wind storm,heavy rain and lightening conditions.
➨Some smart meters can be hacked which can be used to increase or decrease the demand for power.
➨It is expensive to install smart meter compare to traditional old electricity meter".
A smart grid uses sensors throughout the grid. "Smart sensors are devices that take information from aphysical environment and use embedded microprocessors and wireless communication to monitor,examine, and maintain various systems." https://www.fierceelectronics.com/electronics/what-are-smart-sensors
https://blushield.com/blogs/education/the-health-safety-and-privacy-concerns-of-smart-meters :
"Of course, just like 5G, smart meters are advertised to mainly benefit the end user, but the truth is that theuser is ultimately put at risk in several ways, and the biggest benefits are reaped by the power companiesand the government.
Have you researched what Broadband and a Smart Grid will do to our island???
Because the ONLY people who will seriously benefit from this will be the power company, and they alreadyhave power outages:
https://www.kitv.com/news/local/rolling-power-outages-possible-on-big-island/article_1811581e-cae6-11ee-
bec6-bf9467cc02f6.html?
fbclid=IwY2xjawIqwUNleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHQKMTNPT8EedBYRidyQEoPWlese5n4dRl-
6FeuHh1nYCoQ8kqtESAhgXjw_aem_9WNsZM4cllevOmbCMPZGNg
Rolling power outages possible on Big Island
By Island News Web Staff
Feb 13, 2024 Updated Feb 13, 2024
"HECO is asking all customers on the Big Island to reduce their electricity use from now until 9 p.m. That's because
independent power producer Hamakua Energy unexpectedly tripped offline late this afternoon and Puna
Geothermal Venture is operating at a reduced capacity."
If HECO doesn't have enough backup generators when some need repair, that's a problem.
https://www.khon2.com/big-island-news/heco-initiates-30-min-rolling-outages-after-loss-of-generators/
"BIG ISLAND NEWS HECO restores power after initiating emergency outages on Big Island by: Elizabeth 'Ufi
Posted: Jan 30, 2024 / 09:43 AM HST Updated: Jan 30, 2024 / 04:15 PM HST
An unexpected loss of several large Hawaii Electric generators left some residents on Big Island without power for
parts of the morning on Tuesday, Jan. 30."
https://bigislandnow.com/2024/02/13/hawaii-island-customers-asked-to-reduce-electricity-use/
"Hawai'i State News Update: Hawaiian Electric initiates rolling outages throughout Big Island February 13, 2024 ·
5:23 PM HST
* Updated February 14, 2024 · 4:21 PM
The emergency outages are being initiated in various areas around the entire island to prevent loss of power to an
even greater number of customers. The timing and extent of the outages will depend on the amount of demand on
the system and the availability of generators.”
https://www.khon2.com/local-news/heco-releases-conservation-alert-for-big-island/
“LOCAL NEWS
HECO issues rolling power outages around Big Island by: Emily Cervantes Posted: Feb 13, 2024 / 05:11 PM HST
Updated: Feb 13, 2024 / 09:12 PM HST Hawaiian Electric initiated rolling outages for Big Island after several large
generators became unavailable and reduced output Tuesday night.”
https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/local-news/2024-02-13/residents-on-hawaii-island-and-oahu-are-asked-to-
conserve-water-amid-power-outages
"Here's how power outages can have repercussions for Hawaiʻi's water supply Hawaiʻi Public Radio | By Savannah
Harriman-Pote
Published February 13, 2024 at 10:59 AM HST
Water departments on Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island have advised customers to conserve water ahead of possible
storm-related power outages this month.
But what does the power grid have to do with the water supply?
It is impossible to separate Hawaiʻi's power system from its water system, said Kawika Uyehara, deputy director of
Hawaiʻi County's Department of Water Supply."
Please Vote Unfavorable for Broadband and Smart Grid.
Thank you,
Sincerely,
Rebecca Melendez