- BC Hydro to replace 88,000 faulty $$meters but still denies the shortened expected lifespan. The truth about these expensive, dangerous things has to come out, and it’s starting. Please provide comments and if you wish to comment directly to the journalist, his email is mackin@me.com He’s the first journalist in a long time to do this digging – real investigative work.
http://www.theprovince.com/news/hydro+must+remove+faulty+smart+meters/11660282/story.html
- Recent hacking of power grid got major information, including drawings of the infrastructure.
“He quickly learned that cyber hackers had found a way into the very networks that run the U.S. power grid, and that they had gained enough information to shut down electricity that millions of homes count on.
He discovered that the hackers had seized passwords and engineering drawings of multiple power plants spanning the U.S. The discovered cyber attack was carried out on Calpine Corp, an energy producer that supplies 82 plants in 18 states and Canada….
Foreign hackers are taking advantage of an outdated power system that was never built with network security in mind. In fact, hackers have found many back doors into the system, using home solar panels and smart meters to shimmy their way in. Hackers also get in the system through contractors who sell software equipment to energy companies.”
http://www.naturalnews.com/052665_US_power_grid_cyber_warfare_hackers.html
- 3) Below is a stream of emails that resulted in a victory for a member who was helped by BCUC to keep her legacy meter.
- An insurance exclusion for specific liability (e.g. chemical pollutions) was upheld by the courts. Similar exclusions have been written into general insurance policies, with exclusions applying to damage or health claims related to electromagnetic (microwave) radiation. This type of exclusion means that any company, local government, etc. could be held liable if sued.
Supreme Court of Canada will not hear appeal over commercial general liability policy with pollution exclusion – Canadian Underwriter – January 18, 2016:
– http://www.canadianunderwriter.ca/news/supreme-court-of-canada-will-not-hear-appeal-over-commercial-general-liability-policy-with-pollution/1003982248/?&er=NA
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Letters:
From: “Complaints BCUC:EX” <Complaints@bcuc.com>
Date: January 18, 2016 at 10:36:56 AM PST
To: Ms X
Cc: “‘Customer, Relations'” <customer.relations@bchydro.com>, “‘Smart Meters'” <SmartMeters@bchydro.com>
Subject: RE: Smart Meter Complaint – X
Dear Ms. X
Thank you for your patience while Commission staff reviewed your complaint. Commission staff agree that you should be able to keep the legacy meter at your residence until such time as the meter is expired. Commission staff trust that you have received (or will be receiving) the enclosed letter from BC Hydro confirming that you may keep the Legacy Meter.
Commission staff are satisfied that your complaint has been resolved and your file is now closed. Thank you again for contacting the Commission.
Regards,
Patrick Wruck
Customer Relations Analyst
British Columbia Utilities Commission
6th Floor, 900 Howe Street
Vancouver, B.C. V6Z 2N3
Website: www.bcuc.com Email: complaints@bcuc.com
Phone: 604.660.4700 | Fax: 604.660.1102 | Toll Free: 1.800.663.1385
= = =
From: Ms X
Sent: Sunday, December 13, 2015 7:38 PM
To: Complaints BCUC:EX
Subject: Re: Smart Meter Complaint – Ms. X
Dear Mr. Wruck,
In light of BC Hydro’s recent decision to force me to give up the Legacy meter they gave me a year ago, and switch it with a smart meter against my will, I am pleading with you to help me have an exception made to their policy.
They say they shouldn’t have given me the Legacy meter I asked for, but they did, a year ago, and now are insisting we can no longer be on the Legacy program.
I find it completely unfair that they would not inform me of their policy until a year after we were happily using the Legacy meter, and decide it was a mistake, and they need to exchange it.
This is definitely a strange and unacceptable way for a company to behave towards their loyal customers. I am pleading with you to help me in having an exception made on my behalf in light of the fact that they were the ones who made the error.
See my attached letter to BC Hydro’s smart meter specialist, “Michael” below:
Sincerely,
Ms. X
= = =
Dear Michael,
Thank you for your response to my concerns regarding my BC Hydro account ###, which serves ***
I am asking you to reconsider your position. I am asking you to allow us to keep the Legacy meter that your company installed for me at my request. I was never advised that moving from my prior address on *** would result in becoming ineligible for the Legacy meter program.
I don’t understand why your company would install a Legacy meter for me as requested and then a year later tell me we were never supposed to have it in the first place. A mistake was made on your behalf and I am asking that you please make an exception to your rule and allow us to keep the Legacy meter that we have and allow us to continue with the Legacy meter program that has served us so well. In light of all the smart meter controversy and lawsuits, we do not wish to have our meter exchanged at this time.
Sincerely,
Ms X
= = =
Dear Mr. Wruck;
I write in response to the B.C. Utilities Commission’s October 16, 2015 email concerning a complaint by Ms X. Ms X has raised concerns about Meter Choices Program eligibility for her BC Hydro account number: ####, which serves****
According to the conditions of this Program, established in the BC Hydro Electric Tariff, Ms. X is eligible to make a choice of meter. BC Hydro Electric Tariff Section 4.2.3 (d) establishes that if an eligible customer moves, they may only choose between a radio-off meter and smart meter at their new premises. They are not eligible to have a legacy meter installed at their new premises.
Ms. X was originally invited to make a choice of meter for BC Hydro account number: ### , which served *** ., and she chose to retain a legacy meter. This account was closed effective September 26, 2014. Ms. X opened BC Hydro account number: ### to serve ***.
At this point, Ms. X’s Meter Choices eligibility was transferred to her new account. In accordance with the Tariff, Ms. X may choose between a radio-off or standard smart meter for service at her new address.
There is currently a legacy meter at **** . This should not have been installed after Ms. X moved in. On September 24, 2015 we wrote to Ms. X to explain that the meter must be exchanged, and she must provide free and clear access for us to complete this work. Ms. X has asked that this work not take place, and that the legacy meter remain in place.
We have explained to Ms. X that she is not eligible to retain the legacy meter, and that preventing meter exchanges can lead to disconnection, following which customers eligible for the Meter Choices Program may only choose between a radio-off meter and a smart meter.
Since Ms. X may require time to make a decision regarding the choice between the radio-off meter or a smart meter, we ask that she contacts us by December 14, 2015 to elect her meter choice. If we do not receive a meter choice by that time, then the meter choice will be defaulted to the radio-off meter. The charges related to radio-off meter will also be added to Ms. X’s bill. This is the set-up fee of $22.60, monthly fee of $20; and an exit fee of $55 if she moves out or elects a smart meter afterwards.
In accordance with Section 9.5 of the Electric Tariff, BC Hydro requires unrestricted access to its equipment. To prevent service disconnection, Ms. X must ensure there is clear and free access to our equipment and allow us to exchange the meter.
I trust that the information provided addresses the points raised by Ms. X
Sincerely,
Michael | Smart Metering Specialist, Smart Metering Program
BC Hydro
1-800-409-8199
smartmeters@bchydro.com
= = =
On Friday, December 4, 2015 8:32 AM, Complaints BCUC:EX <Complaints@bcuc.com> wrote:
Dear Ms. X
The BC Utilities Commission received an email from BC Hydro dated December 3, 2015, in response to your complaint. BC Hydro’s response is included with this email for your reference.
You now have the opportunity to review BC Hydro’s response and send in any additional questions and/or concerns regarding your complaint. Please send us your response by December 18, 2015.
If you do not have any further questions or concerns, please respond to this email and we will begin our review of BC Hydro’s response.
Commission staff review all submitted information using the following criteria:
- Has the utility reasonably responded to the customer’s concern(s)?
- Has the utility followed its Tariff and the Utilities Commission Act?
Thank you for contacting the Commission.
Regards,
Patrick Wruck
Customer Relations Analyst
British Columbia Utilities Commission
6th Floor, 900 Howe Street
Vancouver, B.C. V6Z 2N3
Website: www.bcuc.com Email: complaints@bcuc.com
Phone: 604.660.4700 | Fax: 604.660.1102 | Toll Free: 1.800.663.1385
= = =
From: Smart Meters [mailto:SmartMeters@bchydro.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 3, 2015 2:19 PM
To: Wruck, Patrick BCUC:EX
Cc: Ms X
Subject: Smart Meter Complaint – Ms X
Dear Mr. Wruck;
I write in response to the B.C. Utilities Commission’s October 16, 2015 email concerning a complaint by Ms X. Ms. X has raised concerns about Meter Choices Program eligibility for her BC Hydro account number:###, which serves ****
According to the conditions of this Program, established in the BC Hydro Electric Tariff, Ms. X is eligible to make a choice of meter. BC Hydro Electric Tariff Section 4.2.3 (d) establishes that if an eligible customer moves, they may only choose between a radio-off meter and smart meter at their new premises. They are not eligible to have a legacy meter installed at their new premises.
Ms. X was originally invited to make a choice of meter for BC Hydro account number: ####, which served ****., and she chose to retain a legacy meter. This account was closed effective September 26, 2014. Ms. X opened BC Hydro account number: #### to serve ****.
At this point, Ms. X Meter Choices eligibility was transferred to her new account. In accordance with the Tariff, Ms. X may choose between a radio-off or standard smart meter for service at her new address.
There is currently a legacy meter at ***** This should not have been installed after Ms. X moved in. On September 24, 2015 we wrote to Ms. X to explain that the meter must be exchanged, and she must provide free and clear access for us to complete this work. Ms. X has asked that this work not take place, and that the legacy meter remain in place.
We have explained to Ms. X that she is not eligible to retain the legacy meter, and that preventing meter exchanges can lead to disconnection, following which customers eligible for the Meter Choices Program may only choose between a radio-off meter and a smart meter.
Since Ms. X may require time to make a decision regarding the choice between the radio-off meter or a smart meter, we ask that she contacts us by December 14, 2015 to elect her meter choice. If we do not receive a meter choice by that time, then the meter choice will be defaulted to the radio-off meter. The charges related to radio-off meter will also be added to Ms. X’s bill. This is the set-up fee of $22.60, monthly fee of $20; and an exit fee of $55 if she moves out or elects a smart meter afterwards.
In accordance with Section 9.5 of the Electric Tariff, BC Hydro requires unrestricted access to its equipment. To prevent service disconnection, Ms. Xs must ensure there is clear and free access to our equipment and allow us to exchange the meter.
I trust that the information provided addresses the points raised by Ms. X
Sincerely,
Michael | Smart Metering Specialist, Smart Metering Program
BC Hydro
1-800-409-8199
smartmeters@bchydro.com
bchydro.com
********************
Newsletter prepared by Sharon Noble
“If we remain silent, we kill freedom, justice and the possibility that a society armed with information may have power to change the situation that has brought us to this point.” – Anabel Hernández