People complaining about smart meters

[604nguyen]

yeah ive noticed my hydro bill go up substantially
my power usage has been consistant this whole year
and all of the sudden my billl decides to DOUBLE on me this current invoice
i dont know why i got charged for so much more kWH.....

my dec-feb invoice was $150
my mar-apr invoice is $380????
one would assume that the chance of using more electricity would be in the winter months......
i ONLY turn on heat during the winter months i ONLY my heat in my bedroom....

how did i get charged for even more on months i didint use heat?!?!?!

[Great68]

Originally Posted by PiuYi

wait, i'm not understanding whats bad about peak hour billing..

i thought they only need to build as many dams/generators to produce the power needed during peak hours, so if people spread out their usage through the day, the peak will be less and less dams/generators needed, so that's a save on infrastructure, no?

Except that BC has more than enough generation infrastructure to handle its peak demands now, and for some time in the future.

It's not like they're going to deconstruct what they've already built.

When my buddy gave me the tour of the GMS (bennet dam) station a few summers ago, I think all they needed to have running at the time was two generators out of ten.

[Acuracura]

Everyone's electricity usage is already public information. Police do not need a warrant to obtain the details from BC Hydro. Implementing the smart meters will not cause you to lose privacy that you never really had.

[iPee]

off topic but what exactly is bitcoin mining did a search but still don't understand it

[Great68]

Originally Posted by Fei-Ji

off topic but what exactly is bitcoin mining did a search but still don't understand it

Basically using sharing your CPU/GPU processing cycles for virtual currency in return.

Kind of like Seti@home or folding@home but getting paid for it.

[Great68]

Originally Posted by Acuracura

Everyone's electricity usage is already public information. Police do not need a warrant to obtain the details from BC Hydro. Implementing the smart meters will not cause you to lose privacy that you never really had.

Not really true.

I worked on the energy management & control system for a large resi/commercial development here in Victoria. The developer wanted tenants to have the ability to view their electrical consumption on the interface in their suite.

At first BC Hydro said "No way" because it would mean building operators had the ability to view individual tenant consumption in the building, which was a breach of their privacy policies.

After jumping through about a million hoops we eventually came to a compromise that tenants would have to agree to a "terms & conditions" outlining that 3rd parties would have the ability to view their electrical consumption data before the function was enabled.

BC Hydro takes privacy very seriously.

[Avery]

First off.. I will say that i am an electrician

What people do not realize about their old meter. Is that they are 25+ years old and mechanical which starts to slow down after time , which actually works out in your favor , with your new meter you are being billed correctly ( most likely )

and secondly ... everyone is freaking out about these smart meters. i have heard some pretty intense people loose their mind about these and the "Radiation". You'll certainly die early from stressing out over things like this, than the "Radiation"

suck it up and just live with change

** Also BC hydro is a company , in which you pay for its service,
it is not a right to have power ....it is a privilege

[RouRK]

Why doesn't anyone look at it this way... if your opposed to something fight it any way you can...

if you think the smart meter is just a way of price gauging and fucking people later, fight it... how do you make a case out of "i think you will ass rape your customers down the line by installing these meters and charging us for peak hour billing"

you can't.

but what you could do is say they are a invasion of privacy they are a health risk they are they will end the world. This is a easy way to make a case.

i don't think that they are going to kill me or they are that bad but i do respect the people standing up for our rights and i know i will be ass raped down the line.

and as for peak hour billing making it easier on the infrastructure, then why the fuck did they just try to rape me for a 30% increase over 3 years to "rebuild infrastructure" so when they implement peak hour billing saying it will be better for the infrastructure and the grid... why the fuck do you need to take it easy on the upgraded grid when you raped me for that 16% rate hike to rebuild it. (they got told they are not getting the 30% increase they asked for and have to settle with ass raping us only 16%)

the differed debt in hydro is sickening, the over staffing, the huge salaries, the bonuses the employees get for a failing company.

BC HYDRO is a failing company
Fuck Hydro and FUCK ICBC. we need competition

[goo3]

Originally Posted by Great68

Except that BC has more than enough generation infrastructure to handle its peak demands now, and for some time in the future.

It's not like they're going to deconstruct what they've already built.

When my buddy gave me the tour of the GMS (bennet dam) station a few summers ago, I think all they needed to have running at the time was two generators out of ten.

Can you explain this from bchydro.com:

Since the late 1990s, BC Hydro has depended on electricity imports to meet the demand for power. The Province has established a goal of achieving electricity self-sufficiency by 2016 — meaning that BC Hydro must be able to supply British Columbia’s electricity needs through domestic sources of power.

Another thing to consider is any excess electricity from conservation can be exported at market rates, which may or may not be an overall benefit to taxpayers.

[Death2Theft]

Just like enron, bchydro and icbc are government monopolies. Do your part in trying to change the system or enjoy the ass raping and dont bitch about it.

[Death2Theft]

Ever heard of data over power? They do have that ability to spy on you watching porn. Not that I care, it's more about the ability to chose.

Originally Posted by sebTeggy

If you don't want to feel like you are 'monitored' then cancel your electricity and generate it yourself. Otherwise, buy a wind turbine and make your own.

All these people feeling like 'big brother' is watching. Honestly, if you are not growing pot, then stop worrying. Its not like they are putting cameras up inside your house and watching you surf youporn...

Nobody complains about the internet company (telus/shaw) knowing what you are browsing.

People complaining about their energy consumption are probably going on facebook and revealing personal pictures and information blatantly. I thought our generation gave zero fucks when it came to privacy....

[Soundy]

Originally Posted by Great68

What I'm not too happy about is the fact that they can trend your usage, which can be used to call authorites on "suspicious use" and stuff.

Does anyone remember the guy in Mission that had the police raid his place because his high power consumption led them to believe he was growing pot, when all he was doing was Bitcoin mining???
And then they made him pay a $5200 "inspection fee" WHEN THEY DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG!!!

And all that happened WITHOUT Smart Meters.

[Soundy]

Originally Posted by RouRK

but what you could do is say they are a invasion of privacy they are a health risk they are they will end the world. This is a easy way to make a case.

Yes... then you're making the case that you're a raving lunatic and nobody will take you seriously, just like with Death2Theft. Fight the good fight! Spew alarmist bullshit! That will really get people to believe you!

[UFO]

Originally Posted by 604nguyen

yeah ive noticed my hydro bill go up substantially
my power usage has been consistant this whole year
and all of the sudden my billl decides to DOUBLE on me this current invoice
i dont know why i got charged for so much more kWH.....

my dec-feb invoice was $150
my mar-apr invoice is $380????
one would assume that the chance of using more electricity would be in the winter months......
i ONLY turn on heat during the winter months i ONLY my heat in my bedroom....

how did i get charged for even more on months i didint use heat?!?!?!

I think your mar-apr bill is paying for overusage in Jan-Feb, when it was actually cold. Whether it was enough to double up on your usage, who knows.

We just got the meters installed in our building, so we'll be keeping an eye on consumption and bills just to make sure.

[604nguyen]

Originally Posted by UFO

I think your mar-apr bill is paying for overusage in Jan-Feb, when it was actually cold. Whether it was enough to double up on your usage, who knows.

We just got the meters installed in our building, so we'll be keeping an eye on consumption and bills just to make sure.

I'd like to think so, but i really dont think thats the case, compared to my avg usage last year....theres no way there is THAT big of a spike in usage... it just doesnt make any sense....he difference in usuage is astronomical.....my power consumption in the past has been very consistant ...even in winter...im a cheapass...i dont turn my heat on...except in my bedroom when i goto bed


I asked a friend of mine if he noticed anything funny on his bills...he said not on his personally....but other people in his comlex have received some unusually high bills recently as well...They called BC Hydo, but they wont do shit for them unless more people in the complex makes complaints.....best bring it up to your strata council..

ive tried calling BC Hydro myself....Hold times are over 1 hour.....

[dark0821]

Originally Posted by Avery

First off.. I will say that i am an electrician

What people do not realize about their old meter. Is that they are 25+ years old and mechanical which starts to slow down after time , which actually works out in your favor , with your new meter you are being billed correctly ( most likely )

and secondly ... everyone is freaking out about these smart meters. i have heard some pretty intense people loose their mind about these and the "Radiation". You'll certainly die early from stressing out over things like this, than the "Radiation"

suck it up and just live with change

** Also BC hydro is a company , in which you pay for its service,
it is not a right to have power ....it is a privilege

Not to hold you personally but I think you explain the point very accurately. Still we constantly hear news stories how people have their bill doubled or more since the installation of the "smart meters" will the old meter be thaaaaaaaat inaccurate that it's actually only reading half of the residents are actually using?

You have to understand that their bill doubled even without the peak hour billing. And most residents are concerned. Me and my parents lives in an apartment so honestly doubling our bill isn't that much of a financial strain, but who wouldn't want an extra few bucks in our pocket... Especially as most citizens feel like that BChydro isn't exactly doing badly with the profits even with the old meters.

But think about if you own a house and your winter bills comes in around 400 to 450 a month... Can you imagine paying up to 900 a month just for electricity?! Off course they will be pissed...

Not saying I am against the whole smart meter shit... And I don't believe the radiation crap... But I do believe the whole against smart meter thing has some creditable reasons...

My 0.02

[Great68]

Originally Posted by goo3

Can you explain this from bchydro.com:

Basically, from the horse's mouth (My friend who actually works in Hydro Generation) is that statement is a pile of bullshit.

Another thing to consider is any excess electricity from conservation can be exported at market rates, which may or may not be an overall benefit to taxpayers.

Yeah, that would remain to be seen. I wouldn't hold my breath in hopes that it would benefit us at all though. I don't think California ever paid us back for all the power we sold them during their last energy crisis.

[Excelsis]

I think this thread should be turned into General Conspiracy Theories thread as we could discuss other things rather than just this smart meter.

So, what do you guys think of the London olympic games conspiracy?

[UFO]

Originally Posted by 604nguyen

I'd like to think so, but i really dont think thats the case, compared to my avg usage last year....theres no way there is THAT big of a spike in usage... it just doesnt make any sense....he difference in usuage is astronomical.....my power consumption in the past has been very consistant ...even in winter...im a cheapass...i dont turn my heat on...except in my bedroom when i goto bed

Yeah, I've heard of these cases as well especially earlier this year around Feb when people's bills spiked. BC Hydro says its due to cold temps, but for consumption to double in some cases triple over the same period from the year before seems very unreasonable.

Now if the old analog meters were inaccurate, or the human reporting on the old meters was inaccurate, leading to undercharging for who knows how long, then that's a different story. But once again you wouldn't expect reporting errors and undercharges to happen consistently every billing cycle

[quasi]

If you use a cellphone ever the radiation argument is laughable. One of the reason that many people are seeing increases is because their old meters were inaccurate. It's already been said but there old meters were showing less consumption then was actually being used. The people in that situation should consider themselves lucky that they've been getting a break on there bills for who knows how long. Now that the new meters are reading correctly there like WTF is this shit. This shit what you should have been paying for X amount of time but weren't because your old meter was essentially broken.

[HonestTea]

My bad for bumping an old thread. So I just got a notice from BC Hydro that they'll be installing Smart Meters in the next couple of weeks. Our family doesn't want the Smart Meters installed.

Can we just call in and tell them no or what's the method in doing so?

Thanks!

[Soundy]

Suck it up, princess.

[MindBomber]

Smart meters are not an option you can opt out of.

If you do not want a smart meter the only method to avoid it is disconnecting your service and installing a wind turbine.

Take off your tinfoil hat, and use your brain. There's no compelling reason for your family to not have a smart meter installed.

[Tapioca]

Originally Posted by MindBomber

Smart meters are not an option you can opt out of.

If you do not want a smart meter the only method to avoid it is disconnecting your service and installing a wind turbine.

Take off your tinfoil hat, and use your brain. There's no compelling reason for your family to not have a smart meter installed.

Sure there is: that family doesn't want to pay a proper price for its power consumption.

[melloman]

Originally Posted by MindBomber

If you do not want a smart meter the only method to avoid it is disconnecting your service and installing a wind turbine.

I don't think a wind turbine would work too well in Vancouver