1) A futuristic scenario of a hack in New York City which is based on hacks that have occurred already. This is why the US government is recommending greater cybersecurity measures. Many similar scenarios have included entry into the power grid through the most vulnerable spot – the $$meter. But from everything we’ve seen, the utility companies are not investing in cybersecurity, telling anyone who asks that the data encryption is sufficient. It isn’t, not according to the experts.
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/06/the-hack-that-could-take-down-nyc.html#
2) See letter below: BCUC says BC Hydro has found some digital legacy meters but these will be given to those with analogs that expired before 2016. With all the harassment, there are still people with analogs that expired prior to 2016? And how are people to know when Hydro has misled about so many things? And BC Hydro is the keeper of the expiry info? Just because we get smetered doesn’t meet we can quit this fight. These things are dangerous fire hazards and should be recalled. Where are the politicians who are paid to help us? Where is the BCUC report???
3) Being offline is the new luxury:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzp6g1H52wQ
Letters:
From: Complaints BCUC:EX <Patrick.wruck@bcuc.com>
To: X
Sent: Monday, June 20, 2016
Subject: RE: re so-called shortage of BC Hydro replacement analog meters
Dear X
Commission staff are in receipt of additional correspondence from BC Hydro regarding the current inventory of Legacy Meters. BC Hydro has completed the inspection of all Legacy Meters in the inventory. BC Hydro confirmed there are 264 usable Legacy Meters (these are all digital, there are no analog meters). However, there are still 528 meter exchanges required for meters that expired in 2015 or earlier. Accordingly, the current inventory will be used to replace the 2015 expired meters. If you have a meter that expires in 2016 you will receive a radio-off smart meter as replacement given that there will be no Legacy Meters available.
If you have any questions or concerns about the meter exchange process, please contact BC Hydro directly.
Thank you for your patience while Commission staff reviewed this matter. Commission staff are satisfied with the information provided by BC Hydro and we are satisfied BC Hydro is following the Electric Tariff and Utilities Commission Act. Accordingly your file is now closed. Thank you again for contacting the Commission.
Regards,
Patrick Wruck
Customer Relations Analyst
British Columbia Utilities Commission
__________________________________________________________________________
From: Magda Havas <mhavas@trentu.ca>
Sent: June 20, 2016
Subject: time sensitivity – good quality light bulbs needed for testing
Please forward this message to others …
We now have a greater choice of energy efficient light bulbs available than ever before, however, not all of these bulbs are healthy. Some emit UV, RF, dirty electricity, high electromagnetic fields and produce a poor spectral distribution. Some you need to dispose of as “hazardous waste” because of toxic levels of mercury. Very important for the lighting industry to get this right once and for all.
People regularly ask me about light bulbs and, sometimes, when I find a good quality light bulb, a different manufactured batch of the same style of bulb has different characteristics as though there was no quality control.
I have been testing light bulbs for several years now. However, there must be some good light bulbs out there that someone knows about.
If you think you have a good quality bulb that you would recommend please either give me the information so I can purchase it (here in Canada) or send me a bulb for testing. The bulb can be sent to Magda Havas at Trent University (address below).
Currently I am restricting the test to bulbs that have a medium screw base (like the original incandescent light bulbs in photo below) that can be used in North America with 120 V and 60 Hz AC electricity.
Ideally I would like to receive these bulbs by August 1 2016 as I am trying to complete all the research for a conference in Germany October 12-14, 2016, called the Light Symposium, Wismar 2016. More information about this conference is available at: http://lightsymposium.de/2016/
Please let me know if you are able to provide me with good quality light bulbs so these bulbs and their characteristics can be brought to the attention of the public.
Thanks,
-magda
_________
Dr. Magda Havas, BSc, PhD
Environmental & Resource Studies/
Trent School of the Environment
Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive,
Peterborough, ON, K9L 0G2 Canada
phone: 1-705-748-1011 ext 7882
email: mhavas@trentu.ca
website: www.magdahavas.com
Sharon Noble
Director, Coalition to Stop Smart Meters
