Smart Meters - Financial AND health implications

[teija]

Thought instead of hijacking someone else's thread, I should probably start a new thread!

I have sent a letter/petition and am refusing a smart meter (which they are apparently installing at our apartment complex on Nov. 14th). Aside from the possible health-effects, a friend at work says that he recently had one installed at his apartment and his monthly bill jumped from $30 to $50/month! When he called Hydro, they first said, "well the increase is probably because winter is coming..you are using more lights" to which he replied, "no, I KNOW what my winter bill usually is and I have ultra-efficient LED lights!" Then they tried to say his old meter must have been "broken" and was not metering correctly...

Ontario got smart meters and I read that they have been up at arms about the high increases in their electricity bills. With Smart Meters, they can meter and charge more for energy usage in "peak" hours...which will include Saturday/Sundays (the days I catch up on my laundry, etc).

Has anyone else refused these? I can post a link for the relevant information (letter template, sign template).

Has anyone else heard much more about these things? Perhaps there has already been a smart-meter discussion on here, but thought I'd start a new one anyway.

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Really, SmartMeters are a way for BC Hydro to make more money by charging customers more for the same service so that they can pay all their $100,000+ employees and administrators. They did an audit or something and found over 80% of all the people at BC Hydro make over $100,000. Talk about gravy train and out of control labour costs.

On a side note, I've already decided that Felicia's going to work for BC Hydro as soon as its not against the law (child-labour laws are kinda strict in Canada you know) because it sounds like you could be at almost any position with the corporation and pull in six figures.

[effox]

Renowned artist joins campaign against smart meters - News1130

[Captured Moments]

Here's a quote from the Vancouver Sun:

BC Hydro will proceed with its smart meter program regardless of growing municipal government opposition, Energy Minister Rich Coleman said Tuesday.

As local government officials at the Union of B.C. Municipalities Convention grilled BC Hydro officials over why the utility is proceeding with the controversial $930-million infrastructure upgrade program despite concerns from residents, Coleman said the program is here to stay.

“We continue what we are supposed to do, and that is to install smart meters in British Columbia,” he said. “We have already made the investment, we’ve already passed the legislation in the Clean Energy Act. We have invested [as much as] $400 million so far and a resolution [by the UBCM] is not going to stop us.”

The province has insisted BC Hydro convert and upgrade its meter system to devices that can be read remotely. It estimates the program will result in a net savings of $520 million over 20 years and lead to improved conservation of electricity. It will also put a significant damper on electricity theft from marijuana-growing operations.

Local politicians at a breakfast seminar expressed a repeated theme that their ratepayers have concerns about potential health impacts from the radio frequency (RF) emitting devices. Others worried the meters will collect more private information than simple usage statistics.

Others believe BC Hydro will eventually use the meters to bring in “time of use” rates that, while offering cheaper rates in non-peak hours, will dramatically raise rates in peak evening hours. Several pointed to the experience of residents in California and Ontario, whose monthly bills rose by as much as 80 per cent because of the time-scaled rates.

“In respect to issues in our community, this one has been pretty tremendous,” said Chris Burger, Parksville’s acting mayor. The municipality has its own utility but buys power from BC Hydro and is part of the smart meter program.

“We are getting letters being sent to our utility from customers saying they will refuse to accept smart meters,” he told the session. “They have also said they will refuse to allow personnel from entering their property to install these meters.”

A number of people believe the devices can cause cancer because they emit radio signals. But BC Hydro project manager Gary Murphy said the meters produce a tiny fraction of energy compared to cellphones and other ubiquitous wireless devices.

He said B.C. residents won’t be allowed to opt out of the program or use non-smart meter equipment, although BC Hydro is willing to consider moving the meters elsewhere on a property. “We continue to have a dialogue with those folks and we are trying to answer all their questions,” he said. “We are not in a place where we are ready to throw the gauntlet down and play hardball.”

Wendy Bales, a director for the Fraser Valley Regional District, said some of her constituents are so angry and worried they are considering “going off the grid” by installing their own power generation equipment.

Under questioning from Saanich Coun. Leif Wergeland, Murphy acknowledged BC Hydro never consulted with the public before buying the meters. He said the province’s Clean Energy Act mandated that the utility begin the modernization program.

Murphy said the province is not bringing in “time of use” rates, something Coleman reinforced with reporters later.

Asked why there is a backlash against the program, Murphy blamed part of it on “the anti-RF specialty groups that grew out of Northern California.”

jefflee@vancouversun.com

twitter.com/sunciviclee

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun


Read more: BC Hydro won't be dissuaded on smart meters: Rich Coleman

[neven]

considering that an electrician can easily make 85k per year without much overtime, its no surprise that hydro workers get paid that much considering the overtime they need to put in for the winter seasons.

[123mars]

Of course BC hydro will get the thumbscrews going on taxpayers a couple of years after the meters are installed and the blowback dies down, then they will get to blame it on all the mining projects up north. But, the real hidden beneficiary of Smart meters here is Corix a BC based company that will install the smart meters. Corix is jointly owned by the Leveraged Buyout Firms of CAI Capital Management Co. and BC Investment Management Corp. BCIMC. Both are known government lobbyists.

Our politicians are buddies with the private sector, where they all go for high paying jobs once they spend a few years throwing them business. Taxpayers foot the bill, of course.

The same thing with the Olympics and dozens of big american and Canadian companies.....

The same thing is happening now with Harvest Power (owned by Al Gore, Kleiner Perkins and Waste Management) who bought out locally owned fraser richmond soil and fibre in 2009) and now has lobbied metro Vancouver to force food scraps separate collection by the end of 2012.

The same thing is happening with the waster to energy plant and the Aquilinis.

I could go on.....Our government is too cozy with the rent seeking private sector.....

[Elle]

Teija, can you post it? Djamm and I plan to refuse installation. Is it this letter?

Smart Meter Action Kit :: Citizens for Safe Technology

We're currently using LED and CFL lights in almost the entire house, and are about to investigate swapping the fish tanks over to LED lighting. We have gas for heating and cooking, plus a wood burning fireplace, and I'm looking to figure out where else I can cut the hydro usage. The acrylic tanks should make a difference as they insulate much better than glass.

I'd love to eventually go to geothermal heating/cooling and only use gas for cooking, but alas, that's a ways off yet. Our house is actually well suited to solar power (flat roof, south facing, full sun all day long) but the cost of installing/setting up the solar array at this point is prohibitive. Otherwise I would do that like a shot and tell Hydro to go stick their smart meter where the sun don't shine.

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Elle,

I have a new friend (son of an old friend) who holds workshops to teach people how to build & install their own solar power systems. His workshop where he uses a lot of power tools is completely off grid. He's also building me LED systems for all three sw tanks as a trial (165g reef - 5' lights, 2' cube - pendant, Fluval Flora - 3 LED nano-light). Once they are up and running, I can have you two over to take a look and maybe meet him to discuss converting your tanks and taking your place off grid.

I plan to install his 64w DIY solar panels on my roof and on top of my Pergola to take my fish tanks at least off grid (spring/summer project) during the sunnier months.

Anthony

[tony1928]

solar panels sound pretty cool. I wonder if you've had a chance to calculate the payback period on that? A friend of mine is doing a huge renovation and has been looking at doing solar on his flat roof.

[Vman]

I am renovating a bunch of balconies in a complex in Vancouver right now and saw the main guy in charge boot BC Hydro out yesterday.Then one of the bigger fish came back and said that they will not install meters behind his back.You can refuse them.But for how long?Who knows.Hydro was told to get off the(private) property. Even though this is a Co-op.
I switched all of my 100watt bulbs to energie efficient ones,then set up 3 tanks and noticed no difference in bills. All bulbs are cf.