Nevada Energy Sends Three Armed Men to Disconnect Woman’s Power After She ‘Opts Out’
A woman living near Las Vegas has been living without power for more than a month because the electric utility, Nevada Energy, refuses to give its customers the choice to retain an analog style electrical meter.
Mona Orkoulas lives in the mountains outside Las Vegas, Nevada.
For years Mona worked on humanitarian projects in the Middle East: drilling wells, and providing drinkable water and renewable power to remote villages.
Now, it turns out that she may need some humanitarian assistance herself- right here in the USA.
The story begins when Nevada Energy (NVE) installed a ‘smart’ meter on Mona’s bedroom wall in January without permission, or even so much as a few days’ notice. Mona reports that she does not have any prior history of medical issues.
Shortly after NV Energy installed the smart meter, she started experiencing a range of adverse symptoms including headaches and tinnitus. A letter from Mona’s doctor to NV Energy reads:
“Neurological and cardiological findings may be associated with pulsed EMF… I recommend that this patient be allowed to have NVE reinstall an analog meter at her house.”
Mona called the power company, expecting that they would at least send someone out. Months later, frustrated after at least six failed attempts to have NVE address the problem, Mona finally purchased a standard analog meter and had an electrician install it at her residence.
She carefully photographed and recorded the readings on the old and new meter, to be sure that she paid for every kilowatt-hour used.
On August 6th, 2012 at about 10:30am, three men from Nevada Energy, armed with guns, arrived unannounced on her property, removed the analog meter from the socket, took both meters, and left her living without electricity.
Mona was in tears, visibly shaken by the encounter, and recalls asking the men, “Why are you on my property with guns?” Their response: “this is procedure Ma’am.” More than a month later, the lights are still off and Mona hasn’t budged. “They’re not putting that thing back on my house,” she says.
According to Angel de Fazio, of Nevada Stop Smart Meters! who has been on the front lines working to fight NVE’s smart meter program, “Nevada residents only won the right to be placed on the ‘delay list’, not a full ‘opt out’.”
In other words, NVE has a ‘delay list’ you can sign to ‘delay’ your installation date. But if the power company managed to sneak on your property and install a smart meter- even without permission- then your choice is a smart meter or no power at all, as Mona discovered. Even if you have a letter from your doctor.
Now NVE is accusing Mona of tampering with their equipment, which she says is ridiculous, because she gave them plenty of opportunity to remove the problematic smart meter.
“I had no intention of stealing electricity,” she says. “I just wanted the grinding noise and headaches to stop.”
California Penal code defines “tampering” as: “(carrying out)(1) specified acts with the intent to obtain utility services without paying the full charge.” Nevada laws are similar.
For the last month, Mona has been ‘camping’ in her house, unable to use her appliances, lights or hot water.
The laundry that was in the washing machine when they cut her power was locked in, and by the time she could get it out it was totally destroyed by mildew.
The NVE agents came without warning. The power cut has had a devastating effect on her life, she says.
“My business has taken a nosedive since I have had to travel into town to access my e-mails. My computer, fax machine, and printer don’t work. I’m cooking over a camp stove in my living room.”
Mona says “Some of us eat organic foods, buy our nice bottled waters, exercise daily, but where is the point in all of this wellness when we are forced to have a radiation box attached to our homes?”
WTF? ?