Re: Power meters still on manual, Letters, April 18, 2012.
David Field should have accurate information since the group he represents, B.C. Citizens for Green Energy, is a group of liberal government supporters, but he doesn’t.
True the smart meters are being read manually until the infrastructure, a huge grid of thousands of connector transmitters, is working.
But the meters are reading and measuring the electricity usage, and not very well.
The data is being used for billing, and Mr. Field’s statement that it isn’t doesn’t make a hoot of sense. How else can we be billed with our analogs destroyed?
Hundreds of people are getting bills that show usage (not just cost) that is double and triple their normal usage amounts. Of course B.C. Hydro blames the winter, which was warmer than last year by 2 C, or new appliances, or the meter readers.
The fact is there is something wrong with these meters when people are living in the dark and cold, yet still getting bills they cannot afford to pay.
As if health problems and privacy issues aren’t enough, now people are forced to choose between heat and food. Even without time-of-use billing this program is unaffordable, and Hydro should have known.
This is exactly what has happened everywhere — California, Australia, Ontario. Dumb meters. Dumb government.
Sharon Noble
Coalition to Stop Smart Meters