BINGO!!!
"Benchmark" demand will be assigned to customers by the power company. This may very well vary depending on whether or not a "power emergency" is in effect or on whatever the whim of the power company (or the government) is at any point in time. Exceed the "benchmark" and your price/KWH will balloon by astronomic proportions.
Then I would be angry also. The first homes they should go on should be in Liberal Cities where the largest protesting of more power plants and power grid upgrades originate. Remote reading meters have a good purpose and is all they are used for. This is insanity. PG&E laughs their butts off as The Sheeple protest RF radiation instead.