On January 7, 2022, the State Corporation Commission (SCC) approved Phase II of Dominion Energy Virginia’s ten-year plan to transform its electric distribution grid. The plan includes deployment of Smart meters throughout the state as part of its Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), which is a two-way communication system to collect detailed metering information.

Energy companies in Virginia had already been deploying AMI smart meters as pilot projects prior to their official approval by the SCC.

This map illustrates the plan for deployment of Smart Meters in Virginia:

Dominion’s plan for deployment of Smart Meters in Virginia from from https://www.dominionenergy.com/projects-and-facilities/electric-projects/smart-meter-upgrades

Virginia legislators are serving the interests of utility companies, not citizens

VAMFA members worked with Virginia State Senator Amanda Chase (11th District), who on January 30, 2023 introduced SB 849 in the Labor & Commerce Committee.

The bill would have:

  • Prohibited public utilities from installing smart meters on the premises of customers without first obtaining their consent.
  • Required public utilities to offer to remove a smart meter that was installed without the customer’s consent and to do so without charging the customer a fee.
  • Prohibited utilities from:
    • discontinuing service to a customer who does not consent to the installation of a smart meter,
    • charging a fee, assessment, or higher rate to a customer who does not consent to the installation of a smart meter, or
    • providing or offering to provide discounted rates to a customer in exchange for obtaining the customer’s consent to install a smart meter.

Unfortunately, Senator Lionell Spruill was the only one of fifteen senators on the committee who voted in support of the bill. The rested voted to pass by indefinitely.

There appears to be conflicts of interest between the senators’ allegiance to their constituents and campaign funding they receive from Dominion Energy. Note the amount of campaign contributions they have each received from Dominion:

 

Related Information:

Dominion Energy Cuts Power To Virginians Who Reject “Smart” Meters – Children’s Health Defense Virginia Chapter (childrenshealthdefense.org)

View the Children’s Health Defense People’s Testament Show on Virginia Meter Issue

Virginia okays Dominion’s plan to deploy 1.1M smart meters | Utility Dive

VA Testimony of Anonymous