November 2nd, 2011 – Today one member of the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC),Orjiakor N. Isiogu, together with several of his staffers and representatives of all the utilities, held a public forum to hear citizen questions or concerns and to assist people with their individual utility bills.
There were a couple of questions from people concerned with how to pay their utility bills, and one question from a representative of the Sierra Club concerning why MPSC is not doing more to cut back on the use of coal in electricity generation.
The overwhelming majority of questions and statements, however, were from people taking the commission to task for failing to protect the public from the new ‘smart’ meters.
The Commissioner kept repeating that the Commission must “stay within it’s mandate”, the same answer he gave to the Sierra Club questioner. He seemed to be saying that concerns about people’s health was outside the mandate of the Commission which is only supposed to concern itself with the rate review process.
Many citizens expressed outrage over the assault on homeowners rights caused by these new devices that invade privacy and endanger public health.
The Commissioner expressed his willingness to talk with people individually on these issues, but did not promise any followup action.
There have been other such public forums in various parts of the state, and will be one coming up on November 8th in Ypsilanti.