- Lithium ion batteries are in every Smart meter that is being put on homes and businesses in BC. These things will explode when heated, for example by a hot summer sun. Even if the batteries or the $$meter is the initial cause of the fire, the battery exploding can exacerbate the fire, making it spread much more quickly. Lithium batteries are just one major design flaw of the ITRON meters used by Hydro and Fortis.
- Hydro is bullying people by saying if the installer telephones to make an appointment and you say you will wait to make an appointment later (when an analog is available) that you will be charged the $65 failed installation fee. That is counter to the Tariff, which Hydro wrote and was approved by BCUC. (https://www.bchydro.com/content/dam/BCHydro/customer-portal/documents/corporate/tariff-filings/electric-tariff/00-bchydro-electric-tariff.pdf )
A phone call does not constitute a visit to the home. If any of you have been charged or threatened with this, I recommend you write to Patrick Wruck, wruck@bcuc.com and lodge an official complaint.
Also provide your complaint to the ombudsperson https://www.bcombudsperson.ca/how-to-make-a-complaint/online-complaint-form
6.6.2 Failed Installation Charge
A failed installation charge, as set out in the Schedule of Standard Charges, shall be paid by the Customer each time a BC Hydro representative attends the Customer’s Premises to install a meter including a Radio-off Meter or a Smart Meter but on attending, is unable to install the meter because of an obstruction or an objection made by the Customer.
- Like many cities, Seattle is installing wifi in public places using “white space” because buildings don’t stop the signals. I ask, if these can go through buildings, what do they do to our bodies?
“Broadband delivered over TV white spaces is considered to have greater range than typical Wi-Fi because buildings and landscape features don’t impede the signals. Some technology companies consider white space networks ideal for providing wireless connectivity to simple, low-data appliances such as smart meters and other Internet of Things devices.
- The benefits of $$meters cannot justify the costs. And the US govt. that was pushing $meters with stimulus money, is now silent on this technology. Interesting note: In UK the meters cost $300 each. BC Hydro’s meters at $555 each are still the most expensive. We’re #1 !
“The smart meters are going to cost UK consumers roughly $300 apiece spread out over several years. But the savings that come from smart home tech are far from assured …
Perhaps the best evidence for how shaky the case is for smart home tech is not who is talking about it, but who is not talking about it. The US Department of Energy under the current administration has made repeated appeals to consumers to upgrade the energy efficiency of their home. But while solar panels, weatherization, and high efficiency appliances all get prominent mentions by the DOE, smart home technology is not a major talking point on that agency’s website.”
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2015/04/16/oilprice-dotcom-smart-home-costs/25877805/
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Letters:
From: Dennis and Sharon Noble [mailto:dsnoble@shaw.ca]
Sent: April 16, 2015 11:05 PM
To: Bill Bennett (mem.minister@gov.bc.ca); Christy Clark (premier@gov.bc.ca); ‘greg.reimer@bchydro.com‘
Cc: ‘alex.atamanenko.c1@parl.gc.ca‘; ‘katrine.conroy.mla@leg.bc.ca‘; John Horgan. Leader NDP; ‘Dix, Adrian’; ‘Commission Secretary BCUC:EX’; CKNW Mike Smyth (msmyth@theprovince.com)
Subject: Arizona Rescinds “Smart” Meter Decision
Mr. Bennett, Premier Clark, Mr. Reimer,
One more Public Utility Commission has rescinded its fees thereby allowing people who decide to keep their analog meters to do so without penalty. Arizona had decided to charge $5 a month, but it was forced to realize that even this small amount was extortive and unfair for those who wish to have their civil rights respected.
http://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/2015/04/17/smart-meter-fees-rescinded/25917927/
BC Hydro continues to hold the dubious honour of charging the highest fees in North America, as shown by the attached chart.
I have asked numerous times for an explanation/justification for these outrageously high fees: is BC Hydro that inefficient by comparison with all other utilities? Are we, those who wish to keep our safe, trustworthy analogs, being punished? Never has anyone answered this question. The only answer I receive is that the fees were approved by BC Utilities Commission.
I and many others do not accept this response, and we continue to demand that we be treated in a manner that is consistent with other utilities. Your onerous charges have made many who are most vulnerable to the health effects accept a meter that will cause them health problems. You have forced others to reduce necessities of life such as food and heat in order to be able to pay your extraordinarily high fees. Your threats of loss of power have caused stress beyond reason, resulting in people having to borrow money from family and friends to pay so that they don’t have a fire hazard on their homes.
British Columbians deserve a government and a crown corporation that are responsive to us and our needs, and we have neither.
Sharon Noble
Director, Coalition to Stop Smart Meters