Smart meter

[TJ05]

I have been hearing from people that heat their house with electricity that they are getting crazy high bills since they have had the smart meter installed. I am wondering is this happening just here and there or are more people experiencing the same thing?

[Frisk]

*removed*

[Bpeep]

Considering that a couple of 2 kilowatt baseboard heaters have the potential to add over 600 dollars to a 60 day bill, I don't think a smart meter is to blame.

[Catri]

I have electric baseboard heat and the analog meter was changed out for a smart meter in November. My December/January bill was only $8 higher than the same period a year ago. What did make a big jump on my bill was when Fortis started using the two tier billing which made last year's midwinter bill $200 higher than the previous year's. Two tier billing is brutal when you heat with electricity.

[Bpeep]

Heh heh, if you think two tier billing is costly, wait till they introduce time of day billing. TOD billing will ding you the most during the times that most people use the most.
Imo TOD billing is the whole premise of why smart meters are being introduced.
You think electricity is costly?
Ha! Just wait.

[MAPearce]

Gotta love how they came up with that scheme... Charge more for power during the time of day that it's needed the most...

[Joe Public]

TOD billing is the reason for BC Hydro and FORTIS to spend over $1b to install smart meters.

They won't admit it, nor deny it, but they have to get all the meters installed first before they "inform" us.

Other jurisdictions have observed 35% increases if you continue to use your electricity in the same manner as before TOD billing. But hey, you can get up at midnight to do your laundry and save a few bucks.

[Catri]

Heh heh, if you think two tier billing is costly, wait till they introduce time of day billing. TOD billing will ding you the most during the times that most people use the most.
Imo TOD billing is the whole premise of why smart meters are being introduced.
You think electricity is costly?
Ha! Just wait.

I agree completely, I don't for one minute think saving on meter readers was motivation for the change to smart meters. I do wonder if they brought the 2 tier billing in so far in advance so that when TOD comes in the jumps in the bills won't be as big and so won't provoke as much of an outcry.

[MAPearce]

Other jurisdictions have observed 35% increases if you continue to use your electricity in the same manner as before TOD billing. But hey, you can get up at midnight to do your laundry and save a few bucks.

we can do that .. in fact , I start a load at 5:30 am and the Boss puts it in the dryer at 7 when she gets the kids ready for school .

The problem is dinner time.. Can't cook dinner at 5 am just to save a ton of money.

Sadly Fortis, BCHydro and Crusty Clark seem to think it's fair to gouge families simply for having hot food for dinner... or a bath before bed time. and just watch , those families that can't afford this BS will get "visits" from the scumbags that are MCFD because they choose food in general because that's ALL they can afford because of all of it..

[Catri]

The problem is dinner time.. Can't cook dinner at 5 am just to save a ton of money

Electric heat is even worse, it's pretty hard to stop heating your house in those peak hours in winter.

[MAPearce]

^^ thankfully , we have gas heat... But I can feel the pain of those who don't.

Gouging people to keep their homes warm is criminal in my mind...

[sanfish]

Thankfully we don't have to accept the smart meters

[LTD]

ya but it will cost ya

[sanfish]

ya but it will cost ya

Nope. Not talking about "radio off". I mean keeping the analogue one

[vinnied]

Nope. Not talking about "radio off". I mean keeping the analogue one

This was discussed in another thread. Fortis was pretty clear they'll cut your power off