Posted on 10/31/2017 4:28:22 AM PDT by simpson96
FERNDALE, Mich. (WJBK) - A Ferndale woman says DTE Energy shut off her electricity, even though her bills were paid in full.
The problem she says, is that she didn't want the utility to install a smart meter at her home.
"Basically you are being blackmailed," said Kay Watson. "(They are saying) you either take it or we cut power."
Kay Watson is outraged, she says she paid her bill, but DTE disconnected her service on Sunday over her refusal to get a smart meter.
"The guy was here at the door telling me they're going to put in a smart meter and I said no," she said. "He said you're refusing? And I said yeah, so he said we're cutting your power."(snip)
DTE says it contacts customers on several occasions before it takes action. But Watson considers the action a violation
"I consider it a threat to all of our freedoms," she said.
The utility company says it has has installed more than three million smart meters since 2008 and plans to install the remaining electric smart meters this year.
DTE says Watson called Monday asking for a smart meter in order to get her power turned back on.
But Watson says she never requested that and only wants the "opt out." A program which allows a few customers who have concerns to have a smart meter installed with a digital signal turned off.
DTE says at 4 p.m. Monday afternoon a crew went out to Watson's home and provided her with the opt-out option, and her power has since been restored.
DTE says customers who choose to opt out will be charged a one time fee and $9.80 per month for meter readings and related services.
(Excerpt) Read more at fox2detroit.com ...
I do my job for the money. But YMMV.
Uh no. Not here in Texas anyway. I have one of those 'smartmeter' surveillance devices on my house. If you go to Smart Meter Texas and have the serial number, as well as your account number, you can actually download a spreadsheet of your daily meter readings over the past few months in 15-minute increments. I do so on a regular basis to keep track of my usage. This winter I plan to use some of this info to do tests on how best to heat my house for the lowest cost. The fact that I'm able to make use of it for my own purposes doesn't mean it's not a powerful surveillance tool of the police state as well.
You never answered do you think that the utility customer should be able to dictate the terms? In case you said yes, in essence that is what Public Service Commissions do. They set the terms for both the utility and the consumer. In spite of your dismissal of public service commissions as agents of the utility, they're not.
I don't think anybody should be able to dictate terms, either the customer or the utility.
If the customer does not want to change to a smart meter, the utility should not be able to force them, or charge them extra for opting out. The desire of the utility to deploy smart meters should not effect the customer who just wants to be left alone.
If the customer wants demand pricing, which requires a smart meter, then I would have no problem with the utility charging for it.
If the utility wants to deploy smart meters, I have no problem with them offering discounts or credits to entice reluctant customers to change.
The common thread of these scenarios is that they are all voluntary. Nobody is being forced to do anything.
Because you can be tracked yet again. You are in your home and the electric company knows you opened and closed the refrigerator several times, turned on and off lights so many times and turned on the heat or stove or the a/c.
They can also turn OFF the appliances because some tree hugger does not like a/c or you using electricity after so many hours. In Los Angeles we have at least 15 streets having lanes being removed for bike riders causing massive traffic delays!!! There is a recall under way for one of the politicians responsible. They will want to control how much energy you use.
They will sell this information to whoever. There are people you like to spy on people.
The cable company tracks you, your cell phone company tracks you, the city tracks you as you drive around which is another reason not to have toll roads. The tow truck operators have license plate readers and sell the information of where everyone has been. Amazon, Google with their in home spies listen to you, the smart tv as well. The camera in your laptop or cell phone that turns on by itself from some app you installed.
BTW the electric bill does not go down ever. This is for the utilities to make more money. The taxes on your bill are for pensions for them and gov’t workers.
You should be able to relax in your home without being spied on.
I think you should try to leave LA.
I am 100% for these meters because when our power goes out and it's -30 outside, there they are a few minutes later.
No she thinks it will harm her health. It’s in the article.
"Great Lakes Energy does not use wireless meters. Our meters communicate by transmitting information over the power lines. This is called power line carrier technology. Our meters do not emit any radio frequency. Our meters do not collect personal information, they do not control appliances or other devices in the home, nor do they send any price signals to members; thus there should not be a concern about privacy."
so all they have to do is move north
But they're snowflakes in Ann Arbor. Never go there.
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