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By Gagandeep Ghuman
Published: May 5, 2012
When BC Hydro engineers come to install smart meters at the Paradise Valley home of Ferdinand Vondruska, they shouldn’t expect a warm welcome.
What they should expect is regular metres wrapped in a protective metal, and an unapologetic Vondruska, who is even willing to take BC Hydro to court.
“BC Hydro has no right to come to my property, and if they do, I will take them to court,” Vondruska, who owns a 20-acre property in Paradise Valley, said.
BC Hydro has started installing smart meters in Squamish and the Sea to Sky Corridor, said Cindy Verschoor, a BC Hydro spokesperson.
She said installations started a few weeks ago in the region. More than 1,000 meters have been installed, while there are 24,000 that are waiting to be installed.
“We have been talking to consumers about smart meters for about three years now, and we go with advanced notice,” she said.
Vondruska is one of several British Columbians who resist smart meters fearing the exposure to the radio frequency will have health consequences.
Vondruska runs the C-Dar Lodge Farm, a biodynamic demonstration farm that has two homes, one lodge, and eight analog meters to service them all.
Vondruska said he does “highly sensitive” research on soil revitalisation, samples of which are taken to the University of Colima in Mexico to help with soil fertility in that country.
Vondruska fears the electric impulse from the smart meter will meddle with the soil samples.
“It’s like poking someone with the needle, the soil life will die and the enzymes won’t grow,” he said.
Fear of radiation by BC Hydro meters is completely unfounded, said Verschoor.
They have been considered safe by every local, provincial, or federal agency that has examined them.
“If you stood in front of smart meters for 20-years, it would be the equivalent of the radio frequency of a 30-minute cell phone call,” she said.
She also said smart meters have some of the world’s strictest radio frequency regulations.
Switzerland has a precautionary limit of 4.5 μW/cm2 for highly sensitive areas like schools and hospitals. Smart meter signals at the same distance are less than 2 μW/cm2, she added.
She said about 99 per cent of the population is willing to have the meters installed, but there is the one per cent that resists.
BC Hydro won’t force customers to accept it, but will try to dissipate their misgivings about it.
Those who resist, however, increase the cost of service for others, which is inevitably transferred to those who have accepted the meters, the spokesperson added.
Don Patrick says
Just sitting here on my deck wondering about the first brain tumor and you bring in a story like this. I have the new digital meters and find them easier to read and to get daily results… Since my monthy consumption equats to $700.00 to Hydro always interested in those that feel the lowest hydro rates in the world are too high…other our subsidized province to the far east. The item in this story that is more interesting is the transfer of soil over the borders between Canada & Mexico. Maybe a Genset is the answer.
David says
LOL. Are you kidding? Someone is worried that a minute amount of radiation from an electronic device is going to adversly affect soil micro-organisms? What about the massive radiation coming from Hydro lines? What about cellular transmissions? Not to mention the gigantic mix of weird chemicals spewed into the world’s air daily. It is to laugh!
Sasha says
Don’t by that crap that B.C.hydro is feeding the population. Where is the proof i.e. seal of approval, all the tests that have been performed world wide, and considers the smart meter to be dangerous. Electrical engineers are opposed so are scientists. Have you all done your home work? Something is entering your world in the form of a meter that can now take complete control of your household. Wake-up you are being deceived. Fraud and deception, plus scare tactics, by cutting off your electricity, is nothing more than extortion, as a well known detective has stated. So do your homework please!!!
Tania says
You are being deceived right under your nose. World wide the problems keep pouring in. Millions of people now are against these meters. There is so much information available that will open your eyes. Please take the time and go ” Globally”. Why do you think, that their are ” 50 moratoriums “”requested and more coming up??? Thanks to our ” Mayors”, who stand behind their citizens, but insist more research on these meters. Once these meters are on our homes, you no longer have control of what is going on inside. The Smart Meter will do that for you!
who stand only not behind their citizens, but like to know how safe they really are?