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 ...
No, I don’t.
But I don’t generate my own power. So I have to buy it. I don’t own anything till it hits my fuse box. The power company has the right to change the meter, because it is their meter.
I have heard of people chaining dogs to the meter to keep them from reading it.
I pay $10 a month to opt out of Smart Meters here in Maryland.
There are lots of stories here of people getting radically more expensive utility bills and there’s no real method to get it fixed.
You do know that they have variable rates based upon the time of day? Power is cheaper during the overnight times and more expensive during peak times. My power bill actually went down because it turns out I consume most of my power at night.
They are taking control over your power usage period .
They can cut your power remotely without warning or coming to your door to tell you why .
Complete control with smart meters ..
It’s why they did it .
Opt out and have them remove it .
You don’t want it .
There is no such agreement.
How’s life under that tin-foil hat?
Well, they can do that now without the meters too.
There are smart switches on the pole.
At least were I live. They have busted a few grow operations that way.
The power company tried to mandate everyone sign up for “smart” controls on their HVAC, but that failed. Again, they own the line, but I own everything after it.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/09/16/fire-chiefs-call-for-smart-meter-probe-after-blazes/15751373/
There is a one time fee to install it and every month you have to pay to keep it or they will cut off your power.
Something like the cable company.
What mutual agreements would those be? Was there a mutual agreement that the utility would never upgrade their (THEIR not HER) equipment? Does this imaginary mutual agreement apply to generation mix as well so that they would never switch to cheaper natural gas combustion turbines, etc.? How about transmission and power lines? Did those imaginary agreements cover extending their grid to new customers?
The only mutual agreement between customers and utilities is that the utilities provide power and the customer pays for it.
You keep on saying that as if it is a good thing.
I would agree. The arrangement is that the utility dictates and the customer has to take it.
That doesn't mean it is a good thing.
The fact that I may be a long-standing customer in good standing and a homeowner counts for nothing. If the utility wants to come in and unilaterally change the deal, they can and will do so. According to you, I should just lick the hand and take it.
If you like your electric power, you can keep your electric power!
The average family will save $2500 a year!
Well I see you're changing the subject away from non-existent agreements to a new straw man. It is neither a good nor a bad thing. It is simply the nature of reality. Do you think that the customer should be able to set the terms of an agreement with the utility? I'm sure the BLM crew would set the terms so that they got power for free because they's owed. If she doesn't like that deal she can pay the opt out charge. Frankly I don't care what sort of meter I have. There are thousands of things in life more worthy of attention than that. Some old crackpot worrying about a smart meter is sort of on the fringe of nutty.
If she wants to worry about something let her worry about the fact that your smart phone can tell Verizon or T-mo or AT&T where you are every day. Or better still let her worry about the "mind control rays" that the cable company uses from their set top boxes, after all that's the next step on the ladder from eccentric to neurotic to psychotic
My folks have one. The power company (small utility) saves loads of money not having to drive up in the hills in all kinds of weather to read the meter, they can do it in their office.
“They violate your privacy by creating detailed records on what appliances you are using and when.”
Since when? I’ve been out of the metering industry for a number of years, but I’m not aware of how they can monitor specific appliances. My toaster, refrigerator, microwave and water heater are all dumb. And I don’t think my 320 Amp “smart meter” is big or beefy enough to cut off that kind of current. Not all meters have load shedding devices connected. The only thing I’m aware of in a residential setting is some cases of the power company providing a device to connect to a water heater.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.