BC Hydro Stands to Pull $678 Grand from Smart Meter Hold Outs
Prince George, BC – BC Hydro has submitted the latest numbers for its “Meter Choices” program to the BC Utilities Commission.
The BCUC is reviewing the fees attached to the options in order to be sure BC Hydro is only recovering the costs associated with keeping the old analog meters, or servicing “radio off” smart meters.
BC Hydro reports, of the 68 thousand or so customers who had not switched to a smart meter opted for the following of three options:
1.Take a smart meter ( no cost):
48,240 customers took this option
2.Keep the old legacy meter:
which means they will face a $35 a month fee as of December 2nd. 6,270 customers chose the option, while another 13,110 failed to contact BC Hydro so they are in this position by default. That means, BC Hydro stands to collect a little over $678 thousand dollars a month from those who are keeping their old meter.
3.Radio off meter:
450 customers chose this option, meaning BC Hydro would collect $45,000 in set up fees ( $100 per unit) and a further $9 grand a month through the monthly $20 fee. These fees kick in April 1st.
Should the BCUC determine the fees are in excess of what BC Hydro needs to cover the costs of the options, customers will see a reduction in future bills.
Comments
Cue the whining…
The same use Cell Phones, give me a Break,think about how strong the RF Signal is at your Ear!
Thats 6270 non-sheeple with kajones
Pay up, non-sheeple. Keep those meter readers employed!
And Hydro will charge a fee for manually reading the meters….INTERESTINGLY enough, Hydro has to read all the meters manually anyways….. their wonderful SMART METERS are dumb and have inactive transmitters……
So with the backing of our wonerful Liberal BC Gopvernment they get to steal from their customers…. and lie through their teeth as well it seems….they won’t be doing anything extra for the holds outs than they are now…..
and if you don’t pay it, Hydro goes to the pole out on teh street and shuts your power off… you can’t even charge them with trespass, they never entered your yard.
It is also amazing that our elected representatives refuse to talk about this as well. Wonder if they ARE UNDER A GAG ORDER FROM QUEEN CLARK?
I dont have a problem keeping meter readers employed they probably help in keeping me and you employed. Any more “Smart gadgets” and soon we all wont have to worry about who we can axe next. That doesn’t sound to smart to me
Not all of us are rich like you are, proudtobepg.
We can’t afford to pay people who technology has rendered irrelevant.
For someone who seems to think of themselves as knowing more than the average poster on here, based on your constant condescending remarks to everyone, you certainly are childish by starting this thread with a 6 year olds approach. Those who oppose johnnyboys point of view are whiners and those who don’t are bingos apparently.
Not rich in money just principle, when technology renders us all irrelevant what is that cost?. You can kiss your savings goodbye when Hydro enacts there tier system for peak time usage, something the old analog meter does not allow them to do. Go ahead look at your last bill it is there in plain site and only a matter of time. Hydro plans on clawing back that billion dollar expense on smart meters and there millions in deferred losses somehow.
Yup you nailed it Huh — not everyone agrees with me and I don’t agree with everyone. What a shock!
Most people are mature enough to handle it, some aren’t.
proud: “Go ahead look at your last bill it is there in plain site and only a matter of time.”
My bill went down about 10% after I got my smart meter. I don’t think my analog meter was working properly, much like people who report their bills went up. Who knows.
We are one of those who chose to keep our old meter. We will eat the $35 per month fee to keep a few more employed.
This spring we will be purchasing an off grid solar power system, might go as high as 1,500 watts just to say f_ _ k you very much BC Hydro!
Again only a matter of time
Lets just call this a dumb tax.
Johnnyboy missed the point again as usual. Nice to be able to just read what you want into something someone says.
“Not all of us are rich like you are, proudtobepg.”
Some people make sacrifices for personal convictions. Others whine about inability to pay.
Ha ha your right findme, it is a tax on the dumb
PG: “Some people make sacrifices for personal convictions. Others whine about inability to pay. “
So I take it you kept your analog meter too, PG? Good for you. Maybe you can get the milkman to come out of retirement as well.
Huh: “Johnnyboy missed the point again as usual. Nice to be able to just read what you want into something someone says.”
Yeah, it’s funny how people sometimes take issue with my comments when they gloss over similar kinds of comments made by other posters, but they ignore those because they align with their biases. Talk about blinders!
My own personal comment board stalker (JB) starts this discussion thread with “cue the whining…” then commences to whine himself stating; “Not all of us are rich like you are, proudtobepg.”
As far as personal convictions, some of us have them, and some don’t, right JB?
People: “My own personal comment board stalker (JB) “
Wow, someone thinks pretty highly of themselves, don’t they?
People: “starts this discussion thread with “cue the whining…” then commences to whine himself stating; “Not all of us are rich like you are, proudtobepg.”
You may want to look up the definition of the word ‘whining’. I don’t think you know it.
People#1: “As far as personal convictions, some of us have them, and some don’t, right JB? “
That’s a hilarious statement coming from you.
Some people troll Newspaper bylines in hopes that a headline will come up that allows the troll to stir the pot. The troll lacking any proper morality casts out an opinion in hopes to incite a counter opinion. Should that opinion be contrary to the troll,the personal attacks begin. Lacking any willingness to truly understand the topic of conversation the troll will deflect to issues that were not the substance of the topic. The troll needs to get off his Mothers computer and go back downstairs and play his video games and leave the Mature adults with valid opinions to participate on the message board
Everything that BC Hydro touches turns brown. Smart meters will be no different.
There was an article in the Tyee a few months ago, about the company who makes the smart meters, and who has money invested in this company. Makes for interesting reading.
Its very difficult for the average person to keep up to date and apprised on all the things that are taking place. ie:
Smart Meters
Site C
Columbia River Agreement
Alcan, and Kemano 2
LNG Plants in Kitimat, Prince Rupert,
Oil Pipeline to Kitimat.
Expansion of oil pipeline to Vancouver
Mill closure, and exports of lumber and logs.
Municipal manipulations
So one (in a normal world) would expect that our elected representatives were looking after our interests, however that certainly doesn’t seem to be the case. In fact you could say they are actually working against us.
So how do we stop of slow down the madness?? We are becoming the slaves of the Civil Service, Politicians, and Big Corporations.
Citizens of Prince George, BC, and Canada deserve better.
Is there anyone in this Country that could actually be construed to be a leader in the true sense of the word. If so where is he/she, because we sorely need them.
JB:”So I take it you kept your analog meter too, PG? Good for you. Maybe you can get the milkman to come out of retirement as well.”
Wrong again, of course!
No need for your usual sarcasm! I actually like technology and the latest advances like smart meters! Of course I have one! If the gas meter would go digital I would be very happy because then I don’t have to shovel the snow away from that location anymore!
Isn’t that very first comment “Cue the whining…” a good example of “whining”?
Yes, it is indeed! So much for that!
if the smart meters are so smart, tell me why I have a smart meter and I have had an estimated bill since march 20013?? On our business property?
I also am one of the hold outs and have received 6 (six) letters telling me of the dec 1 deadline. Not only that today I received an “express post” letter again for the 7th time telling me of my options with an “express post” return envelope at no cost to me. And we wonder why our rates are going up by 26%?
Seems to me bc hydro is charging all the holdouts for all the malfunctioning smart meters, it is extortion at its best.
“Yeah, it’s funny how people sometimes take issue with my comments when they gloss over similar kinds of comments made by other posters, but they ignore those because they align with their biases. Talk about blinders!” Read my first post and try to comprehend it this time. As far as I can tell, YOU were the first one to comment on this topic which is what I was referring to. But don’t take my word for it, read it again.
Why is hydro charging people $35/month to read meters they haven’t been reading for years? It was usually a Tersen gas meter reader that read the hydro meter at our place. I think this is just extortion against those who won’t toe the line that big corporation have laid down. Just about all correspondence from companies like hydro, telus, gov’t offices is very confrontational when referring to a policy where you are not necessarily “conforming” to their wishes in a quick and timely manner. Like they are always trying to scare people into conforming. When that happens there is more to the equation than what meets the eye.
So, does this mean, Hydro was reading our meters for free all these years?? I thought it was part of our bill already..
I did get the new meter, so I wont shovel a trail out to it anymore.
Fight da powah hillbillies!
I was wondering when the name calling would start. Thanks, proudtobepg for proving me right once again.
As for huh’s comments, try not to take this comment section and yourself too seriously, but I might be too late with this advice.
Some people get it in this thread. Too bad those people seem to be in the minority.
So people#1 you figure 1500 watts is all you need to power your house? Keep us updated.
What are your plans for nighttime, Cluody weather, snow?
How many years for payback? Are you able to do the maintenance?
Are you going to disconnect from Hydro altogether? If you don’t you will still pay a connection fee.
Do you have any idea just how dirty the manufacture of solar cells are.
Palopu you forgot the IPP ripoff.
For those concerned about the RF energy do you have any idea how much RF energy you are already exposed to from common electronic and appliances in your house let alone the outside world.
As per the Tyee article there are a lot of money making connection.
1500 watts? What are you going to power with that people#1. Your PC and a toaster?
All hydro has to do is say you analog meter is out of date and we don’t have anymore new analog meters to replace it with ….. So here is your new meter. It might not happen right away but eventually everyone will have a smart meter.
@ seamutt and NoWay; Did you read anywhere in my comment that we plan on totally replacing hydro? Of course not, 750 watts would meet only a quarter of our power needs, 1,500 watts maybe half our power needs.
Should we install a 750 watt solar power system, that will cut our BC Hydro bill by 25%, which basically say F U to the $35 per month meter reading fee BC Hydro will be charging us starting this month, plus a little bit towards offsetting the 26% increase they plan on dumping on us over the next 5 years.
Besides, we have always wanted to do this, we have taken a number of steps to reduce our carbon footprint, this is just one more step, and at the same time it gives BC Hydro the “middle finger”.
The 6000 who opted out of smart meters should not be paying 35 dollars month to read them, they should be paying their share of the 100 million in stolen power each year. 1400 a month would be fair.
Got news for ya people#1. You need a smart meter to hook up your PV system for Netmetering.
Actually if you were producing 1500 watts continuously, such as hydro, and banking it in batteries you can run a small compound on that. 1500 watts by itself is nothing the way people use power in town nowawdays, but 1500 watts for battery regen is way way way more than the average house would ever use, unless you want to run your whole houses appliances and tools all at the same time.
To x-it…do you really think the power thieves aren’t going to figure out how to get around the smart meter? It would be like the war on drugs or making a computer unhackable….it will be an unending battle.
People#1 you should have explained yourself better first off. Reduce carbon footprint funny. How does that work in BC? You should read up on the manufacturing of solar cells and did you factor in our latitude? How do you stick it to Hydro when you still depend on them?
I wouldn’t be surprised if People’s claim to switch to solar was just a lot of hot air, so to speak.
My above comment is truer than ever now
So are mine.
reductio ad absurdum
In response to Huh’s comment; this link demonstrates total off grid solar power for a remote cabin at 3,000 watts. I based my comment about 750 watts being a quarter of our power needs and 1,500 watts being half of our power needs on this information source.
http://www.firemountainsolar.com/complete-packages/solar-packages-off-grid-residential/
We have been looking into this clem green energy option for a number of years, what BC Hydro is doing to us just pushed us to implement this solar system earlier and faster.
As for JB’s comment, we have already opted out of the smart metre program, and will be paying the $35 per month meter reading fee, we are already putting our money where our mouth is you TROLL!!!
*clean* , this auto correct on my computer is really pissing me off⦠but this site also need an edit function, I got straight “A’s” in college literature for F sakes!
to People#1
My hydrobill is just about $ 35.00 a month, in summer less, in winter a little bit more –
so why would I pay on top another $ 35.00 a month ($ 420.00 a year). That would be an increase of 100 % without using more power. I live in my own house.
I do not have a cell or mobile phone and I am guessing, who ever complains about a smart meter, does not have one either.
I do not have a dishwasher or clothing dryer,
I do not have a TV for the last 6 years or so – and I never missed it (who wants to pay and watch that anyways with all the advertising).
I think, my carbon footprint is not that bad.
Peaple#1 long time for a payback. Don’t forget ongoing maintenance. Batteries need attending to then replaced in about 7 years.
Go down to Norman lake and have a talk with those living off the grid. That should be quite a education.
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