1) A member recommended this YouTube with Barrie Trower speaking about Wi-Fi and his experience in UK military intelligence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyLliHGQIT0
2) BC Hydro claims smeter technology has identified $100 million in grow-op thefts — so why haven’t the rates gone down?
BC Hydro uses new technology to stop theft, spot grow-ops
“About 4,000 TGI Raptor 3 sensors, designed by Vancouver tech firm Awesense Solutions, have been installed on BC Hydro’s power distribution grid, recording precise measurements of currents flowing through transmission lines…
Those measurements are then compared against readings from in-home smart meters. Discrepancies can then be used to pinpoint locations where power is being siphoned off of the grid.”
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/hydro-grid-meters-1.3837496
3) An admission by a company, Awesense, that does analytics re. power losses and thefts and works with BC Hydro. When BC Hydro used the theft of power to justify the expensive $$meter program, they claimed that the losses would be ended by having the smeters on homes. How, if 70% of the theft occurs before the meter? BC Hydro said in the above article that the smeters are necessary to identify the location. That isn’t what Awesense seems to say.
“Utilities have made huge investments in smart meters and smart substations. These systems, however, cannot easily address the fact that about 90% of losses and 70% of theft occurs between the substation and the smart meter. Many utilities struggle to justify widespread deployment of monitoring on the distribution lines and transformers. TGI helps optimize the placement of permanent sensors where justified, based on an assessment of highest exposure to risk.”
4) Education is critical to reduce electrosmog, and to get the laws and regulations changed. Power rests with numbers. The more people who voice concerns, the sooner things will improve. This from one of our members:
“The naturopath where my physio practices does not have Wi-Fi and plans to put a no-cellphone sign up soon, and we managed to convince the chiropractor there to get rid of her cordless phone when I felt it in the next room, so things are slowly happening. I hope people in general get wise sooner rather than later.”
5) A possible arrangement for BC to “sell” electricity to Alberta could be tied to BC allowing the oilsands pipeline. Is that extortion? I wonder if this surplus electricity will come from Site C. If we have this surplus electricity, why do we need Site C? Why can’t we sell the electricity we have to buy at exorbitantly high rates from the independent power producers? A report on the topic in 2009 said there was not a strong case for such a project, considering costs and benefits.
“So we’re hoping that getting the western grid developed and doing an inter-tie (a connection between two electricity utility systems) between B.C. and Alberta is not limited to loan guarantees.”…
Notley had previously said her government wouldn’t bite on the transmission line idea unless the Clark government showed more openness to her plea for an oilsands pipeline to the West Coast.”
Letters:
From: Sharon Noble
Sent: November 6, 2016
To: matt.meuse@cbc.ca
Subject: BC Hydro new Technology stops grow-ops’ theft
Dear Mr. Meuse,
Re: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/hydro-grid-meters-1.3837496
I found your article very interesting especially the fact that the new “smart” technology has led to such a huge reduction in power theft, to the tune of approximately $100 million. I would ask that you do a follow-up article in which you ask Hydro to explain if there is such a massive reduction in lost revenue why the rates keep increasing? Where is this gain being used? Is it just going back into the government’s coffer?
If the gain is so great as a result of the “smart” meter program, it would be only proper and right that the benefits accrue directly to the public that is having to pay for the “smart” program in the form of reduced rates.
Additional “gains” resulted from the loss of hundreds of meter readers’ jobs due to this program, yet there has been no corresponding reduction in rates. Must it always be a case of “they win, we lose” when it comes to BC Hydro?
In researching Awesense, the company you mentioned in your article, I found that it said the following in Dec. 2013:
“Utilities have made huge investments in smart meters and smart substations. These systems, however, cannot easily address the fact that about 90% of losses and 70% of theft occurs between the substation and the smart meter. Many utilities struggle to justify widespread deployment of monitoring on the distribution lines and transformers. TGI helps optimize the placement of permanent sensors where justified, based on an assessment of highest exposure to risk.”
BC Hydro must have had these statistics in 2010 when they told the public and the BC Utilities Commission that the smart meter was necessary to stop the theft of power and that the resultant reduction of loss would, over a few years, pay for the program. Obviously the information provided by Awesense contradicts Hydro’s assertion.
Mr. Meuse, you have introduced the topic of the “smart” technology and the reduction of theft of electricity. I believe many of your readers would like you to continue this discussion. BC Hydro has not been transparent with the public or BCUC about the program in many regards and it is time that the public was told.