Skeptic doubts B.C. Hydro's math on smart meter rejections

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      The number of British Columbians not complying with B.C. Hydro's mandatory shift to digital smart meters is far higher than the 9,779 claimed by the utility, one critic says.

      "I think that they are manipulated in favour of B.C. Hydro, and a lot of people are not corresponding with B.C. Hydro," Una St. Clair, founder of B.C. Citizens for Safe Technology, told the Straight by phone. "They're not telling them; they're just putting up the signs and locking up their meters. That's what we're finding."

      On January 31, B.C. Hydro's manager of freedom of information, Scott Macdonald, responded to two separate requests filed by the Straight regarding noncompliance with the mandated smart meters. According to the information Macdonald provided, the utility is mandated to install 1.94 million smart meters in homes and commercial properties provincewide by the end of the year. As of December 14, 2011, 483,506 had been installed.

      On the issue of noncompliance, B.C. Hydro received 9,779 "installation-hold requests" between July of last year and December 14, 2011, according to the same information. Of that number, 1,034 installations were resumed "after conversation with customer", leaving 8,745 remaining official cases of noncompliance.

      Also, the information released noted that B.C. has had 180 requests to remove an installed meter in that same time period. The utility did not state what form of communication the requests took in each case.

      B.C. energy and mines minister Rich Coleman would not grant the Straight an interview.

      St. Clair claimed that the correspondence she has received amounts to "twice the number that they [B.C. Hydro] have", at around 20,000.

      "It's definitely growing; that's all I can tell you from my end of things," St. Clair said. "This definitely isn't going away."

      So far, the B.C. Liberal government has not directed B.C. Hydro to allow an opt-out program for those not wanting smart meters.

      Comments

      11 Comments

      ds

      Feb 9, 2012 at 9:59am

      Be sides not proving that they are safe the people don't trust the goverment which in this case is hydro because they feel this will just be another cash grab downthe road. Also I have read that the life of these smart meters is only 15 to 20 years. What happens then? Spend another billion dallars to replace them, doesn't make for good managment to me unless your a sare holder of the smart meter co.

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      LR Floyd

      Feb 9, 2012 at 5:14pm

      Some important articles to read if you truly want to be informed about smart meters:

      Power grid updates left system vulnerable to cyberattacks, auditors say by Lisa Rein - Washington Post - February 07, 2012:
      - http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/power-grid-updates-left-system-vu...

      PG&E customers can opt out of SmartMeters -- for $75, plus $10 a month by Dana Hull - San Jose Mercury News - February 01, 2012:
      - http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_19869073

      OFFICIAL: Smart meters won't be compulsory - No offence to refuse in Blighty by Andrew Orlowski and Bill Ray - The Register - February 01, 2012:
      - http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/02/01/smart_meters_yesno/

      The problems with Smart Grids by B. Blake Levitt and Chellis Glendinning - Energy Bulletin - March 18, 2011:
      - http://www.energybulletin.net/stories/2011-03-23/problems-smart-grids

      UN Agenda 21, Sustainable Development Power and Control: Smart Meters and your Health by Dr. Ileana Johnson Paugh - Canada Free Press - October 03, 2011:
      - http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/40922

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      LR Floyd

      Feb 9, 2012 at 5:15pm

      Getting a read on smart meters by Rob Wipond - Focus - September 2011:
      - http://focusonline.ca/?q=node/260

      [BC] Dispatches from the urban meter wars by Rob Wipond - Focus Online - November 2011:
      - http://www.focusonline.ca/?q=node/283

      Discovery of 'Bioelectric' Arteries Opens Path to Heart Disease Treatment - A peculiar electrical property in arteries could lead to non-invasive heart treatments. by Brian Jacobsmeyer - Inside Science News Service - January 27, 2012:
      - http://www.insidescience.org/news-service/1.2462
      &
      Biological ferroelectricity uncovered in aortic walls by piezoresponse force microscopy by Yuanming Liu, Yanhang Zhang, Ming-Jay Chow, Qian Nataly Chen, and Jiangyu Li - Physical Review Letters - January 05, 2012: - http://prl.aps.org/accepted/L/e4075Y7cZ8d16437e02024b83bf5c32a6846c48da

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      MarB

      Feb 10, 2012 at 1:43pm

      Rule number one, never go to the BC Hydro website for correct information. Smart meters will not conserve energy. In fact, they use power to run so more energy is wasted. See this video of a Richmond, BC house scheduled for demolition and all power to the house severed:

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nG8_QBc6g6w

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      Dave Arthurs

      Mar 20, 2012 at 11:39am

      The Smart Meter will charge you for whatever you order.
      eg: If you touch 3 minutes on you microwave but only use 1 minute, you will be charged for the 3 minutes you ordered.
      If you turn on your clothes Dryer for a full cycle, and then shut it off part way through, you will still be charged the full cycle.
      Thats what SMART METERS do, just like a parking meter, you don't get your money back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
      This is why the Smart Meters were wanted by the Province, so as to increase revenue.

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      moondogg

      Mar 27, 2012 at 10:46pm

      Why exactly are people in B.C. putting up with this stuff? Has this Province become some sort of sick, giant social experiment to see how much the taxpayers can take? Between the HST, B.C. Rail, all the bad things done in the last few years to the public, now we have to put up with this?

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      Smart Sheep

      Apr 16, 2012 at 2:19pm

      Have we all become spineless and accept what they shoved on to us?

      The last time I checked, this is not a Communist country.

      There was a movement for the HST Removal and it got done. Why can't anyone like Vandersalm do it for this Smart Meter.

      Smart for whom? Stupid for the sheeps and smart for the Government and the Smart Meter suppliers.

      Take note, other countries have rejected them. Are we that smart?

      Pretty soon, we will be cooking, vacuuming and doing laundry at midnight.

      Think and act people!!!

      tenera

      Jun 7, 2012 at 12:47pm

      We are not spine less, we are just being bullied, and "ALLOW"
      these meters installed.through intimidation and threats. The spine less ones, are the "Liberals and the Government," who have forgotten how to govern. They have also forgotten who pays their wages. We the taxpayer. If every one stopped paying taxes, mortgages etc., where would they be today you think? "THEY ARE OUR SERVANTS DO NOT FORGET"!

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