We CAN SAY NO to Smart Meters **SPREAD THE WORD**

[mike31154]

Since this thread refuses to die an honourable death & I coincidentally just received my latest BC Hydro Bill...... I'll keep it alive just a tad longer (as if someone else wouldn't at some point or another).

It appears the well compensated union person that read my good old analog meter on Feb 02 has made an error. I sure hope he/she has, since I almost fell off my chair when I read the bottom line! It was close to 3 times higher than normal. Due to the apparent error I've exceeded the Step 1 billing threshold of 1308kW.h @ $0.06670/kW.h by a significant margin & have the priviledge of being billed Step 2 to the tune of 1733kW.h @ $0.09620/kW.h. A fair chunk of change when it's a surprise like this.

While this type of error is a rare occurrence (first time for me in fact), it did happen & I'm now faced with contacting BC Hydro, requesting another reading to confirm the numbers & waiting to see what happens next. I'll be interested in finding out whether they pay the meter reader overtime or whatever to take another reading or whether they trust me to read it. According to this bill I consumed 3041 kW.h from Dec to Feb. Meter is read every two months and billing is on the same schedule of every two months. My average consumption is around 1000 kW.h for a 2 month period, with slight variations according to season.

I went out & did the best to read the meter correctly today & have come up with usage of around 1100 kW.h for the Dec to Feb period. The meters can be a bit tricky to read, but I'm pretty sure I got it right. The error may have been made since my meter is only a 4 dial (some have 5) & it appears to have clocked over from 9999 to 10000. Since there's no 5 th dial, that means it essentially starts at 0 again, much like a car odometer that clocks over. Whoever reads the meter has to figure that out somehow & I can see it being a bit confusing since the meter has dials with pointers, not a digital display like an odometer or some of the newer digital meters. If the pointer is between two numbers, the reader is supposed to record the lower one, except in the case of 9 & 0, where the 0 is actually a 10. Follow?

Anyhow, I contacted BC Hydro through their web page & we'll see what happens. Might phone them tomorrow as well. In my note to them, I also asked when I can expect my smart meter to be installed. Take what you will from this post, but I'm actually looking forward to having a smart meter more than ever.

[Reef Pilot]

Actually that reminds me also, how they always seem to estimate high when they don't do an actual meter read. And especially at year end, when they are often way off on mine. Almost seems like they do it deliberately to maximize their revenue at opportune times. Maybe helps someone get a bonus,... who knows.

They won't be able to do that anymore with Smart Meters, and the billing should be more accurate.

[wingedfish]

Your step 2 is 9.6 cents? Bahhhhaha I didn't know what my step 2 is and I hope to not find out as I pay over 15 cents as a base this month.

[mike31154]

Originally Posted by wingedfish

Your step 2 is 9.6 cents? Bahhhhaha I didn't know what my step 2 is and I hope to not find out as I pay over 15 cents as a base this month.

Ha, ha, yeah. It's been mentioned more than once in this thread that we're spoiled in BC as far as hydro rates go. Check the link in post #54. It's a great comparison snap shot of rates across the country. Normally the standing joke for BC is "Bring Cash", so why shouldn't we get a break on one of the little necessities in life? Probably wouldn't be running a marine tank if I was living elsewhere. Other good choices are Manitoba & Quebec if you're looking for the lowest rates.

[vaporize]

Originally Posted by mike31154

Ha, ha, yeah. It's been mentioned more than once in this thread that we're spoiled in BC as far as hydro rates go. Check the link in post #54. It's a great comparison snap shot of rates across the country. Normally the standing joke for BC is "Bring Cash", so why shouldn't we get a break on one of the little necessities in life? Probably wouldn't be running a marine tank if I was living elsewhere. Other good choices are Manitoba & Quebec if you're looking for the lowest rates.

good luck getting those BC view & weather in Quebec or Manitoba ~

Being in Ontario, I remembered the first bill I got after smart meter was crazy like $1200 (from ~ $600), scared the hell out of me.

[cwatkins]

Originally Posted by mike31154

It appears the well compensated union person that read my good old analog meter on Feb 02 has made an error. I sure hope he/she has, since I almost fell off my chair when I read the bottom line! It was close to 3 times higher than normal. Due to the apparent error I've exceeded the Step 1 billing threshold of 1308kW.h @ $0.06670/kW.h by a significant margin & have the priviledge of being billed Step 2 to the tune of 1733kW.h @ $0.09620/kW.h. A fair chunk of change when it's a surprise like this.

This won't matter anymore with smart meters, but... if you contact BC Hydro, they can flag your account to be sent out the meter reading schedule at the beginning of every year. Then the day before each reading, you can go out and read your own meter, call in the reading (I think it's an automated prompt), and it'll update your account with your meter reading. Now this won't prevent the union guy from reading it wrong, but it will keep your account properly updated and avoid estimates.