Re: “The move to a modern power grid,” The Leader, Jan. 12.
Hydro’s Fiona Taylor says even if consumers don’t make conservation efforts, BC Hydro will be able to save energy by being able to predict how much power needs to be transmitted into which areas. The thing is, BC Hydro already has a load forecasting department to do that. This department – unlike a meter – is able to include economic forecasts and to explore the load forecast’s impacts on system and resource requirements.
Another Hydro argument is that smart meters will stop energy theft by grow-ops. The problem with this is smart meters could make it easier, not harder, to steal electricity. In U.S. tests we’ve seen smart meters can be vulnerable to hacking.
We should also ask why BC Hydro’s guesstimate on the electricity cost savings keeps going up at the same time as opposition to the program increases. Last year they said it was $30 million and now they’re throwing out numbers from $100 million to $154 million.
The bottom line is: smart meters are costing this province $1 billion and will eliminate 400 family- and community-supporting jobs. Hydro says they’re doing this to save you money, but it would take more than five decades to save in meter reader salaries what we’re being forced to pay on the smart meter initiative.
British Columbians never got the full and impartial examination they were entitled to when the program was launched. The question they really need answered is: If they can justify laying off 400 people and if this whole thing was going to pay for itself, why did the government refuse to submit the initiative for oversight by the BC Utilities Commission?
Gwenne Farrell
Vice-President (utilities)
Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union, Local 378