it also allows them to SMART PRICE you usage... like charge you more per Khour during "peak demand" timesAll the alleged “Smart Meter” does is send the readings to the power company instead of a meter reader once a month. What is it you think the “Smart Meter” does?
Granted they know your useage in current time opposed to once a month, but so what.
I think this stuff about “Smart Meter” is contrived tin foil hat crap. Only negative thing I can see about it is some poor guy/gal lost their meter reading job.
I don’t think the power companies are so insistent on installing them because they are good for us. I’d rather ante up $60000 for solar power, rather than be tracked.
One of the problems to homeowners is that the power company will have ability to control your thermostat.
Quite awhile ago, one anti-smart meter rumor claimed that when meters sent data that they were possibly a radiation hazard, arguably similar in concept to unknown long-term effects of using cell phone.
“All the alleged “Smart Meter” does is send the readings to the power company instead of a meter reader once a month.”
Are you simply misinformed, or are you a propagandist for a power company?
I used to work for a smart meter manufacturer. There were lots of discussions on how the information collected by the meter/system could be utilized and possibly sold as other revenue streams.
One particular meeting involved a couple of reps from an insurance company. Their interest was about developing patterns of homeowners. One of the possible scenarios was identifying people that consistently saw a spike in power usage in the home around the 2am to 3am timeframe on Fridays and Saturdays only. Something that could be triggered by a person coming back from a bar or club.
While there are some benefits that could be gained in certain areas such as remote shut-off valves in the case of an earthquake, a sudden spike in usage which could be a sign of a leak, etc.; I personally wouldn't be interested in having one om my home.
Was listening to a program ref:“Smart Meter(s).”
I'm not saying that the below is true or false, as this is all new to me, and have not had a chance to personally verify said information.
No.#-1: Heard allegations of problems to people with implanted Heart Defibrillators.
No.#-2: Allegations of the "Radio Waves-?" (can't remember the exact word used, maybe "RFID") affecting sensitive people.
No.#-2: False Marketing to the people, ref: cheaper cost if they sign up for off peak usage, then rip the consumer a new one per hour @ approx $4.00 per PEAK kilowatt hour usage.
Lot's of other things mentioned, but if they can track When / Where / How much / Hour-Minute-Second(s) in REAL TIME / Volume of usage, without any NOTICE, I'd say there's a very BIG PROBLEM with SMART Snitch Meter's, and that's just the start of what I can remember.
Hey, I know that America is ready to let Senator Feinstein. Feinstein, to enter their homes & check for Ulgy Guns, why not to make sure that your not using say and old incandescent light bulb, via SMART Snitch Meter's.
“All the alleged “Smart Meter” does is send the readings to the power company instead of a meter reader once a month.”
The ones here don’t even do that. They simply broadcast a short range signal that is collected by the meter reader who drives through the neighborhood and captures the data on a receiver/computer instead of having to walk around and read each one.
You're probably right.
Then you haven’t read the crap the power company sends you.
You know, sign up w/ them and you can save as much as $100 a summer b/c you give them the authority to regulate (turn on or turn off) your a/c b/c of the electrical load.
Like hell.
My elderly parents were getting threatening phone calls from the power company during the summer for several years, telling them not to use their A/C during certain time periods. They don’t even HAVE a smart meter! It took me 4-5 calls to get them to stop upsetting my parents.
It’s possible that in the future, a new tariff may be introduced and will apply to you after your new Smart Meter is installed. These new tariffs could be designed to reflect the cost of supplying energy at different times of day. In this scenario, a high consumption customer who uses energy during peak times is likely to pay more for their electricity than a high consumption customer who uses energy during off-peak times.
This is off PG&E's FAQ page. Not nearly as honest but it basically says the same thing.
E-1 rate schedule is for low-usage customers or those who cannot shift their electricity use.
E-6 is an optional time-of-use rate schedule for individually metered customers who can minimize their loads during defined time periods.
In the future, SmartMeter™ technology will allow PG&E to create more options in pricing plans where energy is billed at different prices during different times of the day. With more options, you will be able to choose a rate plan that helps your household save money and benefit the environment.
SmartMeters™ are also the first step in a larger Smart Grid effort that is driving a new green technology industry in California. There is no one single idea or technology that will get us to the Smart Grid in one fell swoop. Rather, it’s a series of small steps and incremental advancements. It may seem like a lot, but in a decade, we’ll all be shocked at how far we’ve come. The actions we take now are in preparation for technologies and developments we haven’t yet fathomed. The Smart Grid will help us keep pace.
Small steps and incremental advances. Sound familiar? Yep, we'll be shocked all right.
See if Algore gets 5 smart-meters installed. (He will need that many). The utility can cut power remotely.
it also allows them to SMART PRICE you usage... like charge you more per Khour during "peak demand" times“All the alleged “Smart Meter” does is send the readings to the power company instead of a meter reader once a month. What is it you think the “Smart Meter” does?”
No, it does more than that.
It is a requirement for the power company to charge you “demand pricing”. It will also be possible for it to determine what you peak demand is - and charge you a differential price for that. It could also facilitate government taxation for not being “green” enough and having too much stuff plugged in.
Ultimately it will be able to communicate with, adjust, and turn on/off appliances in your home.
This will be another way to “tax the rich” if the rich have more stuff plugged in, they’ll pay. If you don’t have the right kind of lightbulbs, if you have too big a fridge, if you like your water hotter than is government approved.
People don’t understand where this is going.
The solution isn’t to stop smart meters. The solution is to tar-and-feather politicians who will take these capabilities and use them to micromanage taxpayers.
Sorry this is late.
The meters themselves aren’t a problem.
Like speed cameras, the problem is what they will be used for.
You are aware that governments, which already bully the power companies, are interested in using these to find out who’s using too much power and making the co. turn down their heat, etc to counter too much power usage?