Utility Official Suspended for an E-Mail Masquerade

A Pacific Gas and Electric executive has been suspended with pay for using a fake name to join an online discussion organized by opponents of so-called smart meters.

In an e-mail last week, the executive, William Devereaux, wrote that he wanted "to see what I can do to help" opponents of the meters, which send electronic signals about energy consumption from homes to a central monitoring station. Devereaux is the senior director of PG&E's SmartMeter Program. Although his message was signed "Ralph," his e-mail server betrayed him, identifying him by his real name. Sandi Maurer, the moderator of an opposition group, the California EMF Safety Network, immediately wrote back: "Hi, aren't you the head of the Smart Meter program at PG&E? We'd love your help! Can you help us obtain a Smart Meter moratorium ASAP?"