| Not a smart meter problem This has nothing to do with smart meters. You can use a magnet on an old fashioned mechanical meter and slow them down to steal electricity (yes, it's stealing.)
The bureau may not be 100% correct in saying that it's more difficult to detect theft with a smart meter. All someone has to do is remove the magnets just prior to the day that they know the meter reader is coming. In fact, with smart meters they can detect the theft even easier because readings are taken at least hourly and a sharp change in usage (such as a 50 to 75 percent drop) can raise a red flag. Only someone completely stupid would leave the magnets on all the time because they'll be caught easily.
And there's no real reason to spread this FUD about a good technology. Smart meters are a good technology. Our cooperative is 100% smart meter (AMR) and the end result is more accurate billing, no estimated bills, automatic outage notification and the ability to view your usage on their website billing portal. You can also take advantage of ETS (by using a second meter and an ETS heating unit) to heat your home at reduced rates. Sure, they can disconnect you remotely but if you pay your bill on time every month there's no problem. |
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| And now they can bill you more per Kw during peak hours. Don't think they are not thinking about forcing you to do your laundry at 3am because the rates are cheaper.
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I do not, have not, and will not work for AT&T/Comcast/Verizon/Charter or similar sized company. |
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| said by battleop:And now they can bill you more per Kw during peak hours. Don't think they are not thinking about forcing you to do your laundry at 3am because the rates are cheaper.
So what. The utilities already have to pay more during peak hours. They're just passing on the cost where it belongs instead of having everyone subsidize peak usage. |
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| That's why they add the "Fuel Adjustment" fee to the bill. I suspect that they will bill for peak usage and not do away with the "Fuel Adjustment" or "Meter Reading" fees.
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I do not, have not, and will not work for AT&T/Comcast/Verizon/Charter or similar sized company. |
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 BF69Premium
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN | reply to battleop
said by battleop:And now they can bill you more per Kw during peak hours. Don't think they are not thinking about forcing you to do your laundry at 3am because the rates are cheaper.
yeah and? Utilities have a actual reason to encourage people to reduce usage during the day.
I guess cell phone companies taking away your minutes M-F between 6 AM and 9 PM are fucking you over and forcing you to make calls between 9 PM and 6 AM and on week-ends when minutes don't count. |
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| In the Summer heat the peak use is in the day and at night use is lower. |
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| reply to fifty nine
They should setup an electromagnet (oh, the irony) which is activated only when some heavy-use appliance (an oven, for example) is in use--total usage will look fairly "normal".  |
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| reply to BF69
So you are excited to see your power bill go up? |
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| reply to battleop
said by battleop:That's why they add the "Fuel Adjustment" fee to the bill. I suspect that they will bill for peak usage and not do away with the "Fuel Adjustment" or "Meter Reading" fees.
It's not about fuel. It's about demand.
The suppliers add a demand charge during peak usage. This has nothing to do with fuel. This has to do with scrambling to fire up additional generation capacity to take care of that peak demand. It's more complex than that but that's essentially what it boils down to.
Your utility currently absorbs this and spreads this among all customers. That's not really fair. With smart meters and demand based billing, the heavy peak users will pay for their peak usage while those who decide to conserve during peak hours won't have to pay for peak users. |
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| reply to battleop
said by battleop:So you are excited to see your power bill go up?
I'm excited about not having to subsidize peak users. REally excited that everyone will be paying their fair share instead of me having to subsidize them. |
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 bbbc
join:2001-10-02
NorthAmerica
kudos:2 | said by fifty nine:I'm excited about not having to subsidize peak users. REally excited that everyone will be paying their fair share instead of me having to subsidize them. Yeah, corporations are all about fair share, give me a break. The problem with your joy is that these utilities don't pass the savings on to supposed Honest Joes like you. That savings usually gets passed on as executive / management bonuses. I'm sure you would dig Internet UBB (Usage Based Billing) too.
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Consumerist.com | Consumers Union |
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| My utility is not a corporation.
I'm sure it sucks to be on one that is though! |
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me1212
join:2008-11-20
Pleasant Hill, MO | reply to bbbc
Electricity is usage based billing isn't it? I get what your saying though, the difference is bandwidth is not a limited resource, sure the pipe may only be so big but given enough time there is not limit to how much data can travel through it. Electricity is a limited resource for now. |
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| said by me1212:Electricity is usage based billing isn't it? I get what your saying though, the difference is bandwidth is not a limited resource, sure the pipe may only be so big but given enough time there is not limit to how much data can travel through it. Electricity is a limited resource for now.
Bandwidth is a limited resource too because it is oversubscribed.
The electric grid is oversubscribed AND there is limited generation capacity, so electric utilities have two reasons to ration. |
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 skeechanAi OtsukaholicPremium
join:2012-01-26
AA169|170
kudos:2
 ·Cox HSI
 ·Clear Wireless
| reply to fifty nine
I'd be happier if I didn't have to subsidize local power utility idiocy like them spending millions to put their name on a ball park a few years ago...as if they need to advertise to a CAPTIVE audience. |
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| reply to fifty nine
The Grid is beyond oversubscribed and if it's not maintained and rebuilt from the ground up it won't be pretty for the next blackout. It will be more than NY and Ohio going out. |
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| reply to skeechan
And yet; if they didn't do it your city would or someone else that wants the Game there. Would you rather your tax money be paid to maintain that park? Hell in Ohio Nationwide has several parks with their name on it; well they are based here as well, but still. Advertising is advertising. |
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| reply to fifty nine
said by fifty nine:said by me1212:Electricity is usage based billing isn't it? I get what your saying though, the difference is bandwidth is not a limited resource, sure the pipe may only be so big but given enough time there is not limit to how much data can travel through it. Electricity is a limited resource for now.
Bandwidth is a limited resource too because it is oversubscribed. You apparently don't understand what the term "limited resource" means -- it has a very specific usage and does not apply to something such as bandwidth. |
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BF69Premium
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN | reply to battleop
said by battleop:So you are excited to see your power bill go up?
How is that? They are giving me a lower rate at night. So that's when I'll use the washing machine, dishwasher etc etc. Hot water heater uses more electricity than any other appliance. About 1/4 of your electric bill can be traced back to your hot water heater. Also they are saving money buy not having to pay a bunch of guys to go read meters. Also if there is storm and a power outage they aren't having to make 3, 4 or more trips to restore everyone's power. |
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 DavePR
join:2008-06-04
Canyon Country, CA | reply to skeechan
Blame deregulation; Edison had many competitors back then. |
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