Dublin Man In Meter Dispute With Georgia Power, Service Turned Off

DUBLIN, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A Dublin man is afraid his electric meter is causing him and his elderly mother health problems. Georgia Power is transitioning customers with analog meters to Smart Meters, and the concerned resident believes his new one has dangerous wireless transmissions.

Jerry Jones and his mother Irene Mays say ever since Georgia Power installed its new Smart Meter to their house, one that emits a radio transmission to read each day’s usage, they have been experiencing lack of sleep, ringing in the ears, and an overall decline in health.

I don’t seem to be able to get around quite as good,” 87 year old Mays says.

Jones says he wrote a letter to Georgia Power, asking them to remove the new meter and return him his analog meter. According to Jones, the address he sent the letter to in early March, was only a temporary address for Georgia Power. The letter was never received, he never heard back, so he took the meter off the house, and replaced it with a new analog meter.

Georgia Power came and replaced his analog meter with another Smart Meter. Jones stated he did not want the new meter, and says he and his mother almost immediately could not sleep once again. Jones then disconnected the Smart Meter, and told Georgia Power he would not use their services unless it was with an analog meter.

Georgia Power is currently transitioning its customers to the new Smart Meters, and no longer uses the old analog meters. Because of that and Jones’ persistence to use only an analog meter, Georgia Power has disconnected electricity to his home.

Jones now powers his house with a generator.

Jerry says he’s done his research on the new meters, and says they have not been thoroughly tested, and are known to cause health issues. A statement Georgia Power says, isn’t true at all.

A spokeswoman for Georgia Power says the new smart meters have been tested by the F.C.C., and emit roughly the same type and power transmission as a garage door opener or baby monitor.

Senate Bill 459 is currently waiting to be voted on in the Georgia Senate. The “opt out” bill would allow Georgia Power customers to ‘opt out’ of using the new Smart Meters, and instead continue to use the analog meters.