WREC SMART METER OPT-OUT

Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative serves customers in Hernando, Citrus, Sumter, Hillsborough,, Pinellas & Polk counties.  Customers (members) should be able to OPT-OUT of smart meters.  Nearly all other Florida utilities such as Tampa Electric Company (TECO), Florida Power & Light (FLP) and Duke Energy have made this option available to their customers.  Homeowners and business owners should have the right to decide what technology is installed on their property.  People have different reasons for not wanting a smart meter which include, but are not limited to:

• PRIVACY:  Surveillance devices violate our 4th Amendment right to privacy in our home guaranteed under the United States Constitution. 

• SAFETY:  Such devices are fire hazards and have been responsible for thousands of fires, explosions, and other serious safety problems.

• HEALTH:  The WHO considers RF radiation to be a Class 2B carcinogen. Exposure is cumulative and common symptoms include:  tinnitus, sleep disruptions, neurological dysfunction, headaches, eye problems, fibromyalgia, and palpitations.  Many people already have health-related symptoms due to the vast array of RF-emitting devices that have inundated our lives.  

• ACCURACY:  Smart meters may inaccurately represent electricity usage in comparison to reliable, accurate analog meters.

• SECURITY:  “Smart meters” and the “smart grid” risk national security and reliability of the electricity supply by opening a new portal to hackers and criminals.

The health aspect for some residents is critical, making this change a high priority!  Thankfully, WREC is a cooperative and has a long history of showing concern for their community.  We are asking them to expand their service to include a smart meter OPT-OUT option for those members who wish to do so, whatever the reason.

Any donations go directly to Change.org for the promotion of this important cause.  Thank you for signing!

Carrie Perez, Certified EMF Consultant