On July 18, Energy and Mines Minister Bill Bennett announced BC
Hydro will offer new options for customers who have fought against having smart meters on their homes.
Bennett adds the B.C.Liberal government is responding to public concerns by providing opt-out options, which will have a price tag, if residents don’t choose the standard smart meter at no cost.
“This decision finds an appropriate balance between addressing the concerns raised by
people who have put their meter installation on hold, while ensuring that the
majority of customers who have a standard smart meter will not be paying for those
who select an opt out option.”
The other two charges include these options:
• Accept a digital meter with the radio off. This option will be subject to a
one-time cost to modify the meter plus a monthly fee to read the meter.
• Keep the old analog meter, which will be subject to a monthly fee that will
include both the extra cost of reading the meter and the cost of instituting
duplicate systems.
Bennett says the costs and fees associated with the options will be established by BC Hydro, but will be reviewed by the BC Utilities Commission to ensure that BC Hydro is only recovering the cost of providing and servicing the radio-off and analog options.
Over 20 years, the program will pay for itself and it will help keep rates affordable, the minister says, adding that is a priority for government.
Meanwhile, Gary Young, who ran as an Cariboo-Chilcotin Independent candidate in the May 14 provincial election, says he will continue to fight against having a smart meter installed on his house.
“If they charge us to read the meters, it would be a punishment inflicted on us, which I don’t think should be allowed. Just tell us how to do it and we’ll read the meter once a month and send you the information.”
He notes the Section 17 of the Clean Energy Act states that anything to do with the smart meters or the grid must have the approval of the homeowners.
“So for all of the ones they’ve done that people didn’t want, it was an illegal process.”
Young says he won’t allow a new meter on his home and he won’t pay either.
FAST bytes
• The Provincial Health Officer, Health Canada and the World Health Organization have confirmed that smart meters pose no known health risk or reason for concern.
• 1.8 million BC Hydro customers now have a smart meter.
• 60,000 meter installations have been delayed by customer request.
• Customers who choose to keep their existing installed analog meter will be
able to keep them until the meter breaks down, their Measurement Canada seal
expires or they relocate. When the account holder changes, the analog meter will
be replaced with a standard smart meter or a digital meter with the radio off.
• BC Hydro expects to complete these installations by March 1, 2014.
