Roughly seventy percent of the homes in Vermont
have already been installed with smart meters which will let consumers (and
utility companies) monitor their power usage on a daily basis. With a smart
meter, consumers will be able to tell how much power they used doing laundry,
or cooking dinner, rather than just finding out how much they used per month,
in a bill.
Smart meters are not without controversy, though. Some people
are worried about the possible health effects from the Electromagnetic
Radiation emitted by the meters. Others are concerned that data collected about
homeowners will not be kept secure and private.
We talk to Chris Recchia, commissioner of the Department of
Public Service about how far along smart grid implementation is, and what
effect it will have on consumers, businesses and greenhouse gas emissions.
We’ll also hear from Allen Gilbert of the ACLU Vermont and Senator Robert
Hartwell from Bennington.
Do you have concerns about smart meters? Do you
already have a meter installed at your house? Post your stories or comments
about smart meters or email them to vermontedition@vpr.net.
Also, we tour the statehouse with Sergeant at Arms, Francis
Brooks, as he prepares for another legislative session. We’ll hear about the
challenges of the job and what it takes to keep the statehouse running smoothly.