1) A member responds to “home invasions” by strangers:
“If a stranger comes onto anyone’s property and they do not identify themselves = I would immediately phone 911. I would feel threatened and in danger – and would expect the police to respond (full siren & lights), immediately.
The fact that BC Hydro may have announced that they will be sending “workers” to do “whatever,” in some city / area or another, does not mean that we (private citizens – possibly seniors unable to physically protect themselves), should ASSUME that any stranger is from BC Hydro. Good Heavens, they could be someone intent on a “home invasion”.
To me, the above scenario demands that 911 should be called immediately.
Maybe if the supposed “Hydro workers” understood that their invasion actions could trigger police (in full swat gear), attendance, it may illicit a response of showing identification.
As a senior woman, who lives alone, if anyone comes on my property – or attempts to come on my property, but refuses to identify themselves – I will immediately phone 911 and ask for immediate emergency attendance of the police – with all the repercussions that action engenders. I would not for one moment assume the person attempting to enter my property is from any legitimate company.”
2) The Telus home (actually a small semi trailer) is set up at the Panorama Rec Center in North Saanich (opposite side of the road and one property north of the Experimental Farm location previously noted)
3) Funny that the makers of driverless cars are concerned that real life drivers would “bully” these cars.
4) People are being made ill by riding in new cars. All, or nearly all, new cars are filled with Wi-Fi gadgets that emit very high levels of RF – we and many others have taken our RF meters with us when we have test driven cars. The choice is non-existent as far as we could find. Even offering to pay for removal of the Wi-Fi components was met with “we can’t do that”. Sensitive people are having to buy older cars. Soon it will be the same with electronics and appliances.
Also, more deaths from distracted driving thanks to the easy availability of wireless devices.
“Insurance companies, which closely track auto accidents, are convinced that the increasing use of electronic devices while driving is the biggest cause of the rise in road fatalities, according to Robert Gordon, a senior vice president of the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America.
“This is a serious public safety concern for the nation,” Mr. Gordon said.
5) BC Hydro keeps finding ways to spend the higher rates we keep facing: this is to support industries that are ruining our environment.
“Each plant’s requirements would exceed the output of Site C, and yet the amount they would pay under the eDrive policy would be some 40 per cent less than the cost of producing the electricity.”
http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2016/11/16/BC-LNG-Power-Bills/
Letters:
A letter from my dear husband: http://www.goldstreamgazette.com/opinion/letters/401321575.html Please add your comments. It is guaranteed that industry supporters like Sketchley, Ward, etc. will.
_________________________________________________________________________
From: Sharon Noble
Sent: November 16, 2016
To: Complaints@bcuc.com
Cc: bill.bennett@leg.bc.ca; oppositionleader@leg.bc.ca; adrian.dix.mla@leg.bc.ca; rshaw@vancouversun.com
Subject: disconnections without notice
Dear Mr. Ho,
Could you please tell me the status of your investigation? I have been told that unidentified crews are extending this practice to the Mainland, where people in Mission and Maple Ridge are being taunted with “Hope you enjoy the dark” when they try to find out what is going on.
Some of the “victims” are elderly and live alone, with meters inside their homes or garages. When they are confronted by strangers who refuse to provide identification, I believe they would be justified in calling 911. I sure would.
These customers have paid BC Hydro many millions of dollars, many are ill, and this is how they are treated. I hope that BCUC has taken these complaints seriously and is instructing BC Hydro to follow its normal “business practices” which include contacting customers in advance of a disconnection.
= = =
From: Complaints BCUC:EX [mailto:Complaints@bcuc.com]
Sent: October 28, 2016
To: Sharon Noble
Subject: RE: disconnections without notice
Good Afternoon,
Thank you for contacting the British Columbia Utilities Commission.
We acknowledge receipt of your correspondence. We have been notified of the issues stated in your email and are currently investigating these alleged incidents and following up with BC Hydro.
Once we have completed our investigation, we will provide you with our response to your concerns.
= = =
From: Sharon Noble
Sent: Saturday, October 22, 2016 11:02 PM
To: Commission.secretary@bcuc.com; Patrick.wruck@bcuc.com
Cc: bill.bennett@leg.bc.ca; oppositionleader@leg.bc.ca; adrian.dix.mla@leg.bc.ca; rshaw@vancouversun.com
Subject: disconnections without notice
Dear Ms. Ross and Mr. Wruck,
This past week many people on Vancouver Island had their power turned off by someone they did not know, who did not identify himself as working for BC Hydro, and without warning. This was reported to me by several people:
i) “Our neighborhood was graced with the “disconnect team” a little over a week ago. An extremely rude and arrogant fellow came up our driveway looking for directions to a list of approximately 12 “to be disconnected homes”. We were not on the list, although we do have our analogue still – which he saw and said “you’ll be on my next list”. He cut the wires at the neighbors transformer, well onto our neighbors property (a family with two small children and a mom who works from home as a potter – relies on her kiln). Two other homes were threatened and the neighbors caved and now have “radio off meters” It has been an extremely intimidating and violating experience for all involved – no one owes H. anything and all were paying the legacy fee. Not everyone as far as I know, had advance notice with a disconnect letter. One of those disconnected said it reminded her of her youth growing up in East Germany – the fellow behaved just as the Nazi’s did.
Luckily for us, I have had advance notice and have memorized sections of the criminal code and how common law falls under that jurisdiction. If I am home, I intend to approach the team armed with the most impressive camera that I have, clicking away as I spout legalese jargon with a few subtle personal law suit innuendos…….worth a try anyway.
So much for democracy!”
ii) “Disconnections reported as taking place in the Cowichan Valley and in Cobble Hill since the beginning of last week.
The disconnects are not done by BCH directly.
The disconnection work is carried out by a sub contractor named Brian Stevens, who is gratuitously aggressive and unpleasant, which can be intimidating if those targeted are not fully prepared in advance.
His company name is on the side of the large white bucket/cherry picker truck.
A crew of three disconnects homes, either at the transformer on private poles on rural properties or, in one instance where the owner was at home and the dog prevented further approach, they disconnected the home by cutting four wires out at the public pole on the road:
This is the sort of treatment I feared when BC Hydro applied to amend the Tariff to allow no pre-notice for disconnections, and freedom from liability should any harm result. If you recall, when I asked BC Hydro said they will attempt to notify people in advance of disconnection, but they refused to include this in the Tariff. This allows them to do whatever they wish, whenever they wish without ramifications.
The citizens of British Columbia have endured harassment, threats and intimidation from BC Hydro for several years now. Anyone who wishes to have their rights to not have a device which they believe to be dangerous or invasive on their homes is treated with contempt. People are being terrorized.
I’m sure you will say the law allows this, but that does not make it right. Hopefully no one used a medical device requiring electricity or suffers any harm from this egregious act.
________________________________________________________________________
From: X
Sent: November 15, 2016
To: Commission.secretary@bcuc.com; Patrick.wruck@bcuc.com
Subject: BC Hydro? cuts power
I hope you will read the pdf by olga http://olgasheean.com/heads-in-the-sand/ and understand why I moved from Kamloops to a cell-free area in an attempt to keep my analog meter and avoid EMF, leaving behind my microwave oven and remote phone. However, despite paying over $1,000 in ‘legacy meter fees’ (extortion) and an additional $65 fee for not unlocking my analog meter (because I was not notified, as promised), I am now running the risk of having my power cut off without warning, with a fee of $700 to reconnect. This is unconscionable, yet the new Tariff of BCUC not only allows it, it leaves BC Hydro with no liability for any damages, injury to health or even death that may result from loss of electricity. It seems like just another money-grab by BC Hydro attempting to pay for its ill-advised smart-meter program.
As we are now living somewhat remote from grocery stores, we tend to buy in bulk and use our freezer for our large supply of home-grown organic produce, so you can understand my anxiety. Living off-grid is not feasible where we now live. I am trying to live with the Precautionary Principle, hoping to avoid Electrohypersensitivity or other EMF-induced illnesses. Our son, who lives in an urban environment, is now battling cancer, and is now beginning his 3rd session of chemo. I am hoping that if he survives the chemo and his lowered immune system, that he may come to stay here while his immune system rebuilds. A smart meter will be a great hazard to him. I plead with you for some way to prevent the enforced replacement of our analog meter with a smart meter emitting dirty electricity. I am not a ‘tin hat’ nut; I have been researching this area since 2006 and my findings determined our moving from Kamloops in 2012.
Please become an advocate for our health. Perry Kendall seems to have been bought out by corporate influence. Safety Code 6 is no safety at all. I beg you to research the independent studies and find ways to protect the citizens of BC from the bullying tactics of BC Hydro, as a beginning. Does BCUC have no power at all over the BC Hydro? Did Gordon Campbell really emasculate BCUC? It seems entirely crippled at present, if this business of the Tariff is correct. Can you confirm or deny for me that BC Hydro can, in fact, cut the power of a customer without notice? A customer who has paid all the ‘legacy fees’, the “non-accessibility fees’, even though there was no memo to the installer to give notice? I might point out here, that we live away from cell service (by design) and any meter, ‘smart’ or otherwise, requires manual reading (which I am happy to do, and was doing for some time).
I hope this letter doesn’t receive a ‘form’ reply. I can ill afford a $700 reconnection fee (which is criminal in and of itself) nor can we live without power. All our energies are better directed to our son’s fight for life, rather than fighting Hydro. Please stand up for the health of BC residents!
PS Another source of info: Ted talk: https://www.emfanalysis.com/about/
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TIPS:
Another idea to save power.
If you pipe in an uninsulated water tank to the intake pipe of your electrical hot water tank, the water in the uninsulated tank will warm up to the room temperature, so the water will be preheated before it enters the electric hot water tank. Also place insulation around your hot water tank like a “tea cozy”.