Smart Grid debate turns heated

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Updated: December 19, 2011 8:13AM

A few hours after a group of volunteers filed a petition asking for a referendum on the Smart Grid project, the issue was the subject of a lively debate at the City Council meeting Tuesday night.

The $22 million Smart Grid project would see the installation of about 57,000 Smart Meters at residences and businesses around the city. Proponents say the program would modernize Naperville’s electrical system, increase reliability, reduce operating costs and improve efficiency. The project is funded partly by a matching federal grant.

Opponents, however, have said they have health concerns about the meters, think the project is too expensive and are also worried about the ability of people to hack into the system and glean information about residents.

The anti-Smart Grid group made its presence felt at the Council meeting, with the tone between them and Council members quickly turning acrimonious.

“Where are your numbers that there are very few people concerned,” Tom Glass asked pointedly.

Glass went on to criticize the City Council for limiting comments on the issue to 90 seconds.

When Councilman Bob Fieseler began questioning Glass on the address of one of the signers of the petition, City Councilman Doug Krause broke in and reminded Fieseler that Glass was speaking during public comment.

“If you want to file an objection, go file an objection,” Krause said.

Amber Schoedel said she had collected 352 signatures and that half of those she spoke with were unaware of the project. She also said that the radio frequencies emitted by the Smart Meters were the same as a cell phone, which she said had been categorized as a class 2B carcinogen by the World Health Organization.

Councilman Steve Chirico said that a person would have to stand in front of a Smart Meter for 100 years before experiencing the same level of exposure as a cell phone.

“You didn’t tell them that, did you,” he said.

After Councilman Grant Wehrli engaged in a heated exchange with Glass in the audience, he accused Schoedel of choosing her statistics selectively to make her case.

“Like you do, right,” she shot back.

Joanne St. Ives told the City Council that both she and her son had experienced adverse health effects from the radio frequencies that would be emitted by the Smart Grid system.

“We’re constantly being exposed,” she said.

“I can’t do anything about it.”