How To Refuse The New Transmitting UNS Gas Meters

UNS Gas is now installing transmitting meters throughout its service territory.

by Warren Woodward

They are not really “smart” meters because they only transmit; they don’t receive, and they don’t have the various functions that a “smart” meter does. But they are sending a microwave signal every minute. UNS has told some people the meters transmit every 6 minutes but that’s not true, at least with the meters that have been measured. UNS has also said the meters transmit only once a month. That’s not true either. Here’s a video of one transmitting every minute:


You can refuse this meter. But some customers who’ve done that said it was a lesson in persistence that took multiple phone calls.

My experience was that, when I took service last September, I had to write a letter to the “Director of Customer Service.” That was then followed up by a phone call from the Director who was obnoxious but at least so far has respected my request to not have a transmitting meter.

UNS’s new policy of installing transmitting meters is idiotic. As I said, the meters transmit every minute. They transmit every minute so that once a month someone can drive buy and capture the signal. Missing is someone sniffing for gas around the meter once a month. A UNS meter reader told me years ago that they actually had their sense of smell tested yearly. That safety precaution is now gone for customers who have the transmitting meter.

How do you know if you have a UNS transmitting gas meter? The transmitting meters stick out farther than the old ones. Have a look at the video I linked above.

How do you refuse a UNS transmitting gas meter? It seems there are two methods. Writing a letter and phoning.

I wrote to TEP, Director of Customer Service, SC122, P. O. Box 711, Tucson, AZ 85702. UNS is subsidiary of TEP in case you were wondering why I wrote TEP. The whole outfit is owned by Fortis, a Canadian company that loves “smart” meters. Anyway, I wrote that I did not want a transmitting gas meter, and I wrote I did not approve of their policy of no longer having meter readers sniff for gas. Like I said, my letter was then followed up with a phone call from Mr. Obnoxious who wanted to argue with me.

If you want to phone UNS, I am told people have been successful getting their transmitting UNS gas meter replaced with an analog one by calling Cara at 520 884 3651 (and calling multiple times).

At present there is no charge for refusing a transmitting gas meter, but apparently Cara has indicated that there may be a fee in the future.

Good luck!

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Under the leadership of Editor in Chief Huey Freeman, the Editorial Board of the Arizona Daily Independent offers readers an opportunity to comment on current events and the pressing issues of the day. Occasionally, the Board weighs-in on issues of concern for the residents of Arizona and the US.