How to Opt-Out of a Smart Meter in North Carolina

Thanks to Mary Anne Tierney, RN, MPH of www.safetechkidsnc.org for this Information.

For a succinct, well researched and documented article on Smart Meter issues and how to opt-out in North Carolina, please read her entire article: Click Here

Excerpted from above article with some of my own editorial [NOTES]:

The Good News:  You can formally Opt Out at no cost!     After Duke Energy Carolinas sought to impose a one-time fee ($150) to opt out of a smart meter installation, the NC Utilities Commission (NCUC) ruled, in July 2018, that Duke Energy Carolinas cannot charge fees to opting out customers who present a “notarized statement from an MD licensed by the NC Medical Board that the customer must avoid exposure to radiofrequency emissions to the extent possible to protect their health.” [NOTE:  You will get this form in your paperwork from Duke when you initiate the Opt-Out process – make sure you use their form – Also  Make sure your doctor has it notarized.] [ALSO NOTE:  This is a very lenient statement.  Presenting to your doctor the letter here from the American Academy of Environmental Medicine may well remove any resistance your doctor might have to signing the above statement. 

To opt-out, we suggest these three steps: (Continuing from Tierney’s article)

Step One:  Call right away to be put on the “bypass” list!  If you are a Duke Energy Carolinas (DEC) customer, call 704-382-5009.  If you are a Duke Energy Progress (DEP) customer, call: 800-554-3297.  Ask for email verification of your request. When provided, laminate it and place it on your current meter.  Ask also for their procedures for completing the opt-out process!

Step Two:  Make an appointment with your family doctor or specialist, bringing with you the forms sent to you by Duke.  Have a notary witness your MD’s signature (though you need not be present at the same time).  Your MD’s office will need to send the statement to Duke.  The notarized letter does not require a specific diagnosis, nor does it require release of your medical records.  Use the AAEM letter above and AAEM position statement below as a reference.  Also use studies from the resources below to educate your MD.

Step Three:  Follow up with your MD’s office and Duke to verify the processes doesn’t get stalled somewhere.  If something is missing Duke will not necessarily let you know that the process has come to a halt.  Ask Duke when the opt-out meter installation will take place at your homes. 

Analog Option Needed!  There is no guarantee that the “radio-off” opt-out meters will be safe.  The safest bet is to request an analog meter option, as at least 15 states have.  Analog meters emit no RFR.  We must continue to ask NCUC for “True” analog meters as an opt-out option. [NOTE: Unfortunately, there are now what have been termed analog “stealth” meters.  These meters look like the old analog with a spinning disk and set of dials instead of an LED digital readout, but nevertheless emit radiation.  If you find an “FCC ID” number on the meter, chances are it will be emitting radiofrequency emissions.  More Smart Meter Information Here ]

Reliable websites with scientific studies on the health effects of wireless radiation (for your MD):

Ronald Powell, Ph.D., Harvard-educated physicist, retired from the National Science Institute, Executive Office of the President, and the national institute of Standards and Technology:  Ranking electricity meters for risk to health, privacy, and cyber security. https://www.scribd.com/document/289782183/Ranking-Electricity-Meters-for-Risk-to-Health-Privacy-and-Cyber-Security