(People) object to the smart meters primarily because they emit radiation that they believe is injurious. Some people are convinced that radiation is harmful, and no amount of evidence or argument will change their minds. BC Hydro has released the evidence, and obviously see no reason to say it again, when it falls on deaf ears. Unfortunately this fuss about radiation drowns out valid objections to the meters.
The smart meters are for the benefit of Hydro, not for its customers. It wants to be able to govern the way we use electricity, and, despite protests, be able to change price of power continuously. These meters help Hydro in locating outages, but they also allow Hydro to layoff all the people who work as meter readers.
It is unconscionable that the B.C. Liberals, who proclaim they place families first, would allow Hydro to bill every family $300 (even indirectly) for no advantage to the families. There can’t have been more than a handful of householders in the whole of B.C. who wanted to spend $300 on new meters. Hydro tries to pretend that being able to monitor our energy consumption is a benefit, but to whom? Unless we want to really freeze in the dark, there is no way we can save enough on energy to amortize the meters in a reasonable time.
It is an interesting thought that if Hydro was a private company it would place its customers’ satisfaction first. As a public company the interests of the politicians, administrators and union employees come first, and the welfare of us poor guys, who pay the bills, is an after thought.
Fred Langford
Sidney