# Smart Meters - Financial AND health implications



## teija (Sep 30, 2010)

Thought instead of hijacking someone else's thread, I should probably start a new thread!

I have sent a letter/petition and am refusing a smart meter (which they are apparently installing at our apartment complex on Nov. 14th). Aside from the possible health-effects, a friend at work says that he recently had one installed at his apartment and his monthly bill jumped from $30 to $50/month! When he called Hydro, they first said, "well the increase is probably because winter is coming..you are using more lights" to which he replied, "no, I KNOW what my winter bill usually is and I have ultra-efficient LED lights!" Then they tried to say his old meter must have been "broken" and was not metering correctly...

Ontario got smart meters and I read that they have been up at arms about the high increases in their electricity bills. With Smart Meters, they can meter and charge more for energy usage in "peak" hours...which will include Saturday/Sundays (the days I catch up on my laundry, etc).

Has anyone else refused these? I can post a link for the relevant information (letter template, sign template).

Has anyone else heard much more about these things? Perhaps there has already been a smart-meter discussion on here, but thought I'd start a new one anyway.


----------



## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

Really, SmartMeters are a way for BC Hydro to make more money by charging customers more for the same service so that they can pay all their $100,000+ employees and administrators. They did an audit or something and found over 80% of all the people at BC Hydro make over $100,000. Talk about gravy train and out of control labour costs.

On a side note, I've already decided that Felicia's going to work for BC Hydro as soon as its not against the law (child-labour laws are kinda strict in Canada you know) because it sounds like you could be at almost any position with the corporation and pull in six figures.


----------



## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

Renowned artist joins campaign against smart meters - News1130


----------



## Captured Moments (Apr 22, 2010)

Here's a quote from the Vancouver Sun:



> BC Hydro will proceed with its smart meter program regardless of growing municipal government opposition, Energy Minister Rich Coleman said Tuesday.
> 
> As local government officials at the Union of B.C. Municipalities Convention grilled BC Hydro officials over why the utility is proceeding with the controversial $930-million infrastructure upgrade program despite concerns from residents, Coleman said the program is here to stay.
> 
> ...


----------



## neven (May 15, 2010)

considering that an electrician can easily make 85k per year without much overtime, its no surprise that hydro workers get paid that much considering the overtime they need to put in for the winter seasons.


----------



## 123mars (Jul 7, 2010)

Of course BC hydro will get the thumbscrews going on taxpayers a couple of years after the meters are installed and the blowback dies down, then they will get to blame it on all the mining projects up north. But, the real hidden beneficiary of Smart meters here is Corix a BC based company that will install the smart meters. Corix is jointly owned by the Leveraged Buyout Firms of CAI Capital Management Co. and BC Investment Management Corp. BCIMC. Both are known government lobbyists.

Our politicians are buddies with the private sector, where they all go for high paying jobs once they spend a few years throwing them business. Taxpayers foot the bill, of course.

The same thing with the Olympics and dozens of big american and Canadian companies.....

The same thing is happening now with Harvest Power (owned by Al Gore, Kleiner Perkins and Waste Management) who bought out locally owned fraser richmond soil and fibre in 2009) and now has lobbied metro Vancouver to force food scraps separate collection by the end of 2012.

The same thing is happening with the waster to energy plant and the Aquilinis.

I could go on.....Our government is too cozy with the rent seeking private sector.....


----------



## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

Teija, can you post it? Djamm and I plan to refuse installation. Is it this letter?

Smart Meter Action Kit :: Citizens for Safe Technology

We're currently using LED and CFL lights in almost the entire house, and are about to investigate swapping the fish tanks over to LED lighting. We have gas for heating and cooking, plus a wood burning fireplace, and I'm looking to figure out where else I can cut the hydro usage. The acrylic tanks should make a difference as they insulate much better than glass.

I'd love to eventually go to geothermal heating/cooling and only use gas for cooking, but alas, that's a ways off yet. Our house is actually well suited to solar power (flat roof, south facing, full sun all day long) but the cost of installing/setting up the solar array at this point is prohibitive. Otherwise I would do that like a shot and tell Hydro to go stick their smart meter where the sun don't shine.


----------



## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

Elle,

I have a new friend (son of an old friend) who holds workshops to teach people how to build & install their own solar power systems. His workshop where he uses a lot of power tools is completely off grid. He's also building me LED systems for all three sw tanks as a trial (165g reef - 5' lights, 2' cube - pendant, Fluval Flora - 3 LED nano-light). Once they are up and running, I can have you two over to take a look and maybe meet him to discuss converting your tanks and taking your place off grid. 

I plan to install his 64w DIY solar panels on my roof and on top of my Pergola to take my fish tanks at least off grid (spring/summer project) during the sunnier months.

Anthony


----------



## tony1928 (Apr 22, 2010)

solar panels sound pretty cool. I wonder if you've had a chance to calculate the payback period on that? A friend of mine is doing a huge renovation and has been looking at doing solar on his flat roof.


----------



## Vman (Jan 20, 2011)

I am renovating a bunch of balconies in a complex in Vancouver right now and saw the main guy in charge boot BC Hydro out yesterday.Then one of the bigger fish came back and said that they will not install meters behind his back.You can refuse them.But for how long?Who knows.Hydro was told to get off the(private) property. Even though this is a Co-op.
I switched all of my 100watt bulbs to energie efficient ones,then set up 3 tanks and noticed no difference in bills. All bulbs are cf.


----------



## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

Anthony we'd love to see how that turns out and to meet him - that would be very cool! Do you have any photos of his stuff, or a web site?

I actually find I much prefer LEDs over CFLs, but they are more expensive. We replaced all our GU10 halogen bulbs (except the ones in the kitchen where I need really strong light) with "warm white" LEDs, and I don't have any problems with them. The light is a bit dimmer, but you get used to it. Plus the LEDs are cool to the touch even after being on for hours, so the fire risk or chance of frying your fingers by touching the bulb/fixture is far lower.

We started using CFL bulbs years ago when they first came out, and I have to say that the improvements in functionality have been so-so over the last couple of years. I keep using them because I find that they do pay off in energy savings.


----------



## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

My LEDs are on order and I'm getting them to him as soon as they are shipped. Then he'll build them and bring them over & we'll do last minute mods to get them right for each tank. We're doing the big tank first, then the 2' cube & then the nano frogfish tank.

Once they're done and everything is happy, I'll have people over to check them out. By then we'll have things figured out like cost for parts, labour, final pricing and such. 

My initial plan is to go with 10w LED discs with a mix of 20 @ 10000k, 6 @ 6500k (on two bars going down on the outside with a 5' blue LED strip each) and 4 @ 20000k & 4 @ blue 454nm down the middle to be used as blue-actinic/moonlights. Looking at about 374 watts total if everything is going full blast but most likely will be dimmed to about 200-250 watts over a full-blown 165g reef.

I'm getting each colour done with a dimmer switch. Ideally, would like to install 4-6 @ 65w solar panels on the roof running to 4 @ refurbished car batteries inside the stand to power my lights & take them off grid.

Sorry for hijacking this thread.

To get back on track, I know that up in Powell River, they have the high use time & low use time dual rate system in place for well over a decade. If you use in the middle of the night, cheap. Otherwise more expensive. So yeah, with the smart meters, this is going to happen regardless of any promises BC Hydro or the politicians make. Its already happening so the smart meters only make it easier.

(NOTE: Remember the NO HST campaign promise)

Anthony


----------



## verkion (Apr 27, 2011)

Wow...sounds like I should start building LED lighting rigs for people!  Might be a good side business...

That aside, I wonder how long until someone just hacks the stupid meters. Yeah, yeah, its a crime to do so etc. (there's a little label on the current meters that say that too!), but if they, that is, the powers that be (heh no pun intended) think that a "smart meter" is going to prevent criminals from tampering with it well, they are sadly delusional.


----------



## teija (Sep 30, 2010)

Elle said:


> Teija, can you post it? Djamm and I plan to refuse installation. Is it this letter?
> 
> Smart Meter Action Kit :: Citizens for Safe Technology


Thanks Elle - yes, that's the one! (Sorry, haven't been online this past weekend)

Who knows if it will do any good - they may FORCE everyone to have them in the long run....



Elle said:


> ....Otherwise I would do that like a shot and tell Hydro to go stick their smart meter where the sun don't shine.


...but I like your long-term plan!


----------



## teija (Sep 30, 2010)

SeaHorse_Fanatic said:


> So yeah, with the smart meters, this is going to happen regardless of any promises BC Hydro or the politicians make. Its already happening so the smart meters only make it easier.
> 
> (NOTE: Remember the NO HST campaign promise)
> 
> Anthony


Anthony: You hit the nail on the head - this is exactly what I have been thinking! Hydro and/or the Politicians will say whatever they think they need to say to put the system into place. Once that is done, there is nothing stopping them from changing their stance.

Hasn't BC had ENOUGH lies and deceit already?!


----------



## teija (Sep 30, 2010)

effox said:


> Renowned artist joins campaign against smart meters - News1130


Thanks for that link effox!! He has some very valid points. "Lack of choice" is definitely one of the key issues here! And when I first heard about the Smart Meter initiative (being forced on homes) the first thing I thought was, "Wow, it's like something out of *1984*."


----------



## Acipenser (Apr 21, 2010)

I doubt there is any serious health issues with the meters, my problem with them is that the WILL be used to make users pay more during peak periods. Why don't they just come out and admit that that's the plan.


----------



## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

Acipenser said:


> I doubt there is any serious health issues with the meters, my problem with them is that the WILL be used to make users pay more during peak periods. Why don't they just come out and admit that that's the plan.


It's easier to ask for forgiveness (if at all) then it is to ask for permission.


----------



## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

Why tell one truth when a whole boatload of lies will do


----------



## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

SeaHorse_Fanatic said:


> Why tell one truth when a whole boatload of lies will do


Bingo, if it works for politicians why can't it work for the private sector?


----------



## teija (Sep 30, 2010)

effox said:


> It's easier to ask for forgiveness (if at all) then it is to ask for permission.


So true when it comes to BC politics!


----------

