http://www.mtlebanon.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=462
Here is what Columbia Gas has on their website:
http://www.columbiagaspa.com/en/infrastructure-upgrade/automated-meter-reading.aspx
There's quite a bit of controversy surrounding "SmartMeters" in California. This article from January speaks of the battle: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/31/science/earth/31meters.html?pagewanted=all
More research needs to be done. This came from a Lebo Citizens blog reader:
Personally, I'm up in the air about "SmartMeters." One one hand, I think it's good to use technology but on the other, there are groups who will use this technology to jack up rates (our President has even spoken of how under his plan, rates would necessarily skyrocket). I'm also not too keen on the fact that there are privacy implications (although more so with the electric "SmartMeters"). I also know that no encryption is unbreakable. All it takes is a motivated enough person to break that signal and you could have chaos.
I'd say for the reduced cost it will have for the Gas company, they should be thinking about rate reductions but that will never happen.
I'm not an radio frequency expert but I've dealt with radio frequency quite a bit in my job. If the gas "SmartMeters" work as Columbia Gas implies they will, it won't be as bad as what PG&E is doing in California. The PG&G "SmartGrid" has all of the meters talking to each other and they are broadcasting over long distances. Columbia Gas implies that the meters here only have to broadcast to the road (the key word being implies).
I would like to see more information though before they put something so controversial out there. Information on what radio frequency is being used and the signal strength would be a good step. Also, it would be good to know if the signal is one way or two way (are they using it to cut or limit service?). I am contacting Columbia Gas to ask them these questions as I feel they are important questions. If I get an answer, I'll pass it along.
