Virgin Islands Smart Meter Lawsuit and Two Upcoming Smart Meter Presentations
One in MA, one in Canada, All Welcomed
I was searching the internet today for a story I remembered about a woman on oxygen who had died after her power had been cut off by the utilities, trying to verify if it was a remote disconnect or directly tied to smart meters
Some states have laws requiring a knock on the door, others do not.
I found another article instead courtesy co-pilot.
A recent U.S. case involving a smart meter and an oxygen-dependent woman has drawn attention to the risks of power disconnections for vulnerable patients.
Case in the Virgin Islands
In February 2025, a motion in a proposed class action lawsuit against the U.S. Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (WAPA) described the ordeal of Kathy Easterday, an 82-year-old woman with severe respiratory issues who relies on oxygen and a nebulizer. On January 27, 2025, her power was cut despite a medical exemption letter on file. The filing alleges that WAPA personnel removed her smart meter, damaged the base, and disconnected service. Easterday, confined to the lowest level of her home due to hurricane damage, had to crawl 33 steps in the rain and dark to reach the road for help. The motion claims she could have died on those steps or been hit by a vehicle. WAPA’s CEO was reportedly informed on the ninth day of disconnection but deferred to someone who authorized the cut, allegedly knowing she depended on electrical medical equipment
Other U.S. incidents
While not directly tied to smart meters, similar tragedies have occurred:
In New Jersey in 2018, Linda Daniels, 68, died hours after PSE&G cut off her electric-powered oxygen tank due to an overdue bill. She had just paid $500 two days earlier and was on hospice for congestive heart failure The Root+1.
In Texas in 2024, Judith Greet died during Hurricane Beryl’s prolonged outage when her oxygen concentrator failed without power poweredforpatients.org.
Key takeaways
Medical exemptions and smart meter removals can lead to life-threatening disconnections if not properly enforced.
Even with medical notes, utilities may still disconnect after warnings or due to billing disputes.
Smart meters, while improving efficiency, have raised safety concerns in some communities, though evidence remains mixed.
Advocacy groups and legal actions are pushing for stronger protections for oxygen-dependent patients during outages.
Oxygen-Dependent Grandmother in New Jersey Dies After Power Company Disconnects Her Service The family of a New Jersey grandmother who was dependent on an electric-powered oxygen tank says she died Thursday afternoon after her electricity was disconnected for nonpayment July 2018
Seeing the article about the Virgin Islands I remembered Bad Bunnie’s Superbowl appearance/ From Forbes:
The Power Lines: “El Apagón” Power line poles stood prominently on stage. During “El Apagón” (The Blackout), Bad Bunny climbed up on them while performing, a direct reference to Puerto Rico’s ongoing electrical power crisis. Jíbaros in pavas climbed the poles, which then exploded, symbolizing the island’s frequent blackouts and failing power grid. “El Apagón” itself is a protest song about the island’s infrastructure failures following Hurricane Maria, government corruption, and the gentrification threatening to displace Puerto Ricans from their own land. The power lines, the exploding poles, and the independence flag made the political statement impossible to miss.
Another Smart Meter Resource New to Me:
Smart meters: downsides you need to know An overview
EVENTS
MA4SafeTech Monthly Update Meeting Wednesday, May 20, 12 Noon ET Join us via Zoom on the third Wednesday of the month at noon Eastern to discuss ways in which citizens and public servants are moving the needle toward safe technology in our communities. Meeting Registration - Zoom
May 12 C4ST (Canada) Tues May 12 at 7:30 pm ET- Smart Utility Meters by Building Biologist Mitch Marchand C4ST Open meeting - All welcome - Tues. May 12, 2026. 7:30 pm ET Tuesday, May 12, 2026 at 7:30 pm ET Special guest speaker: Mitch Marchand Title: Smart Meters - What They Emit, How to Measure Emissions, and What Can Be Done https://zoom.us/j/97250411732?pwd=YU9kZlE5S291anpkOVI3VzVaQ2hGQT09Meeting ID: 972 5041 1732
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MA4SafeTech May 27, Utility Smart Meter Harmful? Cece Doucette and Ken Gartner Meeting Registration - Zoom