Fortis BC, BCUC cancel hearing, circumvent democracy

[concernie]

FortisBC and BCUC cancelled the public hearing scheduled for Oct 11/13 so they can bypass the public. They had advertised in the Kootenay papers in July and I got a friend in Kelowna to add me for the deadline via email. I got a letter dated July 30, 2013 stating I may attend as an interested party. I was sent a copy of Order G-109-13 establishing a Preliminary Regulatory Timetable, Procedural Conference and Notice of Workshop; and a copy of the Application's Overview. BC Hydro (500 K) and (Fortis never paid us anything); have lines on my property and I could not stop them! This is on file on BCUC from the November hearing in Kelowna. I asked them to buy my property and the companies never ever answered any letters that they were addressed in to me.

I got an email from the secretary of BCUC that they made an order that they can review this 2013 to 2018 fee schedule to save time. This is not fair; and maybe against the law? For us paying these bills; having all this forced on us without a hearing!

Fortis fee structure for dumb meter opt out

FortisBC has submitted its application to BCUC, with proposed fees of $100 initial and $22 bimonthly. Saying this will pay for the additional infrastructure (range extenders, additional people in customer service???), and also that, with the transmitter turned off, the meter will still have advantages over the analog. No explanation. I would like to know what -- except it is easier to turn the transmitter on once it's on the home. Please, write in with your concerns to the BCUC and organize interveners to address this outrageous fee.

[LordEd]

I got an email from the secretary of BCUC that they made an order that they can review this 2013 to 2018 fee schedule to save time. This is not fair; and maybe against the law? For us paying these bills; having all this forced on us without a hearing!

Nothing is being forced on you. You don't want a smart meter, so they had to come up with a solution for you.

You're getting what you want, but expect others to pay for it.

The digital meter with transmitter turned off will log the same data. It means somebody will have to physically download the data (probably by plug).

The analog meter will be a single value. We'll just assume that you use all your power in peak hours.

[atenbacon]

FortisBC and BCUC cancelled the public hearing scheduled for Oct 11/13 so they can bypass the public. They had advertised in the Kootenay papers in July and I got a friend in Kelowna to add me for the deadline via email. I got a letter dated July 30, 2013 stating I may attend as an interested party. I was sent a copy of Order G-109-13 establishing a Preliminary Regulatory Timetable, Procedural Conference and Notice of Workshop; and a copy of the Application's Overview. BC Hydro (500 K) and (Fortis never paid us anything); have lines on my property and I could not stop them! This is on file on BCUC from the November hearing in Kelowna. I asked them to buy my property and the companies never ever answered any letters that they were addressed in to me.

I got an email from the secretary of BCUC that they made an order that they can review this 2013 to 2018 fee schedule to save time. This is not fair; and maybe against the law? For us paying these bills; having all this forced on us without a hearing!

Fortis fee structure for dumb meter opt out

FortisBC has submitted its application to BCUC, with proposed fees of $100 initial and $22 bimonthly. Saying this will pay for the additional infrastructure (range extenders, additional people in customer service???), and also that, with the transmitter turned off, the meter will still have advantages over the analog. No explanation. I would like to know what -- except it is easier to turn the transmitter on once it's on the home. Please, write in with your concerns to the BCUC and organize interveners to address this outrageous fee.

Are you copying this from someone else or is this your own experience, because the way you have typed it appears it was you.?

[masen]

An Itron circular from Feb. 2, 2010 says that the cost for manually reading a meter ranges from $.50 to $1.50 to as much as $3.00. 74,000 Manitoba residents 'self read their own meters and e-mail them in. Why not an Itron wired in meter?

[concernie]

An Itron circular from Feb. 2, 2010 says that the cost for manually reading a meter ranges from $.50 to $1.50 to as much as $3.00. 74,000 Manitoba residents 'self read their own meters and e-mail them in. Why not an Itron wired in meter?

Good question. There is absolutely no reason why Fortis can't allow this very economical and truly "smart" option.

[StraitTalk]

I'm so sick of reading about this. The only thing they're circumventing is a bunch of uneducated buffoons crying fowl when there isn't a single shred of credible or conclusive evidence about the "hazards" of the meters. This stuff ranks right up there with chem-trails and flat-earth theories.... I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for energy companies around the world trying to harness the technology of tomorrow while others clutch their analog televisions of yesterday.

Read: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-h-b ... 68405.html

And then, if you're really keen, go read this: http://www.permanent.com/solar-powersat ... -beam.html

Go, go read it now then come back and tell me beaming a signal at low wattage for about 1 second each day is in any way a risk to your health.

Bonus points to the first person to post the fire-hazard nonsense also. IF none of this is good enough, the I concede that we better ban all forms of microwave transmission, wireless fidelity devices (pretty much every computer made these days) and your ruddy cell phones too, because they're far far "worse".

[Tori_K]

There's no fire, just a smoke risk from the ears of the smart meter objectors. (do I get any bonus points for that?)

Another report to note is one from the land of abundant health warnings stating that there in fact is no identifiable health risk from smart meters: http://www.ccst.us/publications/2011/20 ... -final.pdf

[grammafreddy]

My concern with the new meters is the next step to prime time billing.

[Pkunko]

My concern with the new meters is the next step to prime time billing.

Which is a good thing, the flat rate people pay today is not reflective of the actual cost of power depending on the time of day. Rates that actually reflect the true cost will curb wasteful use and defer the need for expensive infrastructure upgrades to meet peak demand, which keeps rates lower than they otherwise would have been.

[maryjane48]

Which is a good thing, the flat rate people pay today is not reflective of the actual cost of power depending on the time of day. Rates that actually reflect the true cost will curb wasteful use and defer the need for expensive infrastructure upgrades to meet peak demand, which keeps rates lower than they otherwise would have been

but they sell our power to the states so as long as they do that then , they cant say it getting more expensive

[Oxl3y]

but they sell our power to the states so as long as they do that then , they cant say it getting more expensive

Wait are you suggesting that they shouldn't be complaining about peak power usage because they have power to sell to the states? You suggest they let you continue paying a flat rate and chewing up power at peak hours while stopping a source of revenue to cover the extra load? Do you understand business at all? If they were forced to stop selling power to the states how do you think your rates would be affected?

[grammafreddy]

My concern with the new meters is the next step to prime time billing.

Which is a good thing, the flat rate people pay today is not reflective of the actual cost of power depending on the time of day. Rates that actually reflect the true cost will curb wasteful use and defer the need for expensive infrastructure upgrades to meet peak demand, which keeps rates lower than they otherwise would have been.

No, it is not a good thing for people on fixed incomes and low income folks or for families with small kids.

[GordonH]

My concern with the new meters is the next step to prime time billing.

Which is a good thing, the flat rate people pay today is not reflective of the actual cost of power depending on the time of day. Rates that actually reflect the true cost will curb wasteful use and defer the need for expensive infrastructure upgrades to meet peak demand, which keeps rates lower than they otherwise would have been.

No, it is not a good thing for people on fixed incomes and low income folks or for families with small kids.

Also add those living in apartments where laundry rooms are not to be used between 10 pm & 8 am including loud noise like a vacuum etc...etc

[maryjane48]

Wait are you suggesting that they shouldn't be complaining about peak power usage because they have power to sell to the states? You suggest they let you continue paying a flat rate and chewing up power at peak hours while stopping a source of revenue to cover the extra load? Do you understand business at all? If they were forced to stop selling power to the states how do you think your rates would be affected?

um lets start with ripping up the contacts to the companies that are ripping us off first . if you do not know what that means, i suggest a lil research is in order

[BelieveNothing]

Acquiescent slaves the lot of you.

You all can not get past yourselves enough to see at the root of this your rights and freedoms are being written off.

You love it! You will spit on those that value their rights and freedoms.

Forget the smart meter and your need to feel intellectually superior and look at the root of what is happening here.

You are fools... following the pied piper right off the cliff.