Submissions to Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC)The AEMC on 3 November 2022 published a draft report (Draft Report: Review of the Regulatory Framework for Metering Services) requesting feedback from stakeholders on the effectiveness of the framework for competitive metering services that commenced operation in the National Electricity Market (NEM) on 1 December 2017. The draft report set out the AEMC’s recommendations for accelerating the deployment of smart meters across the NEM and included the following recommendations:The draft report sets out the AEMC’s recommendations for accelerating the deployment of smart meters across the NEM, including the following key recommendations: ∙ a new pathway to 100 per cent uptake of smart meters by 2030 in NEM jurisdictions; ∙ enhancing metering arrangements and addressing problems with current arrangements, including amendments to the National Electricity Rules (NER); ∙ transitional measures to support customers through the accelerated smart meter deployment program; and ∙ new requirements to enable new customer benefits to be realised from smart meters. Amongst other submissions from stakeholders Energy Queensland (Energex and Ergon Energy) provided this submission dated 02.02.2023 https://www.aemc.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-02/energy_queensland_submission.pdfThe final report from AEMC report dated 30 August 2023 can be found here:
https://www.aemc.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-08/emo0040_-_metering_review_-_final_report.pdfTo ‘reduce barriers’ the AEMC adjusted the metering framework . Included in this was : The Commission recommends the removal of provisions in the NERR enabling customers to opt-out of a new meter deployment under standard retail contracts. Retention of the opt-out provisions could lead to customers indirectly incurring metering costs without access to the benefits, such as more accurate billing. It could also create inconsistencies with other reforms that address the multioccupation issues.The Victorian Auditor General reports on the Victorian rollout.
https://www.audit.vic.gov.au/report/realising-benefits-smart-metersFire RiskA Current Affair report https://youtu.be/4e71qAr_qGk?si=fm9rwyB35eY_LTdTHealth The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) website states : Smart meters measure electricity usage and communicate this information back to the supplier using short bursts of radio waves or low level radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic energy (EME).There is no established scientific evidence that the low level RFF EME exposure from smart meters causes any health effects.The main health concern appears to be the development of electrohypersensitivity (EHS) which is triggered by exposure to EMF . A report published in the la Maison website and written by a group of scientists and health professionals caution is warranted “because the growing variety of RF/microwave emissions produced by many wireless devices such as smart meters have never been tested for their potential biological effects.” The report however does talk about well-known bioeffects stating “While the specific pathways to cancer are not fully understood, it is scientifically unacceptable to deny the weight of the evidence regarding the increase in cancer cases in humans that are exposed to high levels of RF/microwave radiation.” And “This radiation sends signals to living tissue that stimulate biochemical changes, which can generate various symptoms and may lead to diseases such as cancer.”It further references Australian Associate Professor of neurosurgery Vini G Khurana’s reporting that adverse neurological effects have been reported in people who sustain close proximity to wireless meters especially under 10 fee (3 Metres). “A wireless smart meter produces radiofrequency microwave radiation with two antennas in approximately the same frequency range (900 MHz to 2.4 GHz) as a typical cell tower. But, depending on how close it is to occupied space within a home, a smart meter can cause much higher RF exposures than cell towers commonly do. If a smart meter is located on a common wall with a bedroom or kitchen rather than a garage wall, for example, the RF exposure can be the same as being within 200 to 600 feet distance of a cell tower with multiple carriers.”Full report here:https://maisonsaine.ca/actualites/smart-meters-correcting-the-gross-misinformation
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