Re: Energy: SMART Meters
Originally Posted by
mmadhat
->
Now I actually think smart meters are a good idea.
Forgive me but I think you are very badly misinformed to the point of delusion.
A Smart Meter exists for one reason and one reason only, to generate BILLIONS more dollars for energy companies and YOU will be the person providing those profits.
Whatever benefits they try to trick you with, the neat gadget they give you for inside the house, the so-called energy "savings", money saved etc etc IT IS ALL A TOTAL LIE.
Smart Meters exist to herald in a MASSIVE change to energy billing which is VARIABLE RATE BILLING.
So be very clear.
Currently your gas and electric meters just display a number which you report to the company who then bill you a SET RATE per UNIT of energy used.
It's simple, it's easy and it's been fine for us all for years.
This WILL change to Variable Rate Billing.
That means your energy company will start charging you different rates for energy used at different times of the day.
Can you guess which parts of the day will be the cheapest rate?
Yep, it will be overnight when you're asleep doing nothing, not using energy.
Can you guess which parts of the day will be the most expensive rate?
Yep, late afternoon/evening when everyone comes in from work, switches on the lights, TV, hot water for a bath. When you cook you evening meal, boil the kettle lots of times to make tea/coffee and so on.
Understand that your current so-called "old" meter has no clue whatsoever how and when you are using your energy. It just logs the number of units used, not when you used them. That's why the energy companies are hell bent on swapping them out for SMART METERS.
The new meters WILL record every piece of energy you use and will know exactly what time of the day you are using it.
The Smart Meter ENABLES them to move to VARIABLE RATE BILLING.
Note however that they are NOT telling anyone this yet. They are keeping very schtum about it. Tey first want to get millions of Smart Meters installed on the back of their outright lies and sexy adverts, and THEN they will drop the bombshell that variable rate billing is coming.
When that happens, let me tell you, if you foolishly accepted a Smart Meter, your energy bills will DOUBLE or even TRIPLE.
The Smart Meter will save you nothing whatsoever, it will vastly increase your bills. Even if you make no changes whatsoever to your living style, the mere fact that they start charging a huge premium for energy used in the evening, will result in your bills skyrocketing.
This has all been done in the USA and people have seen the results. Millions of people are furious with the energy companies and the government for allowing it to happen. There is a huge anti-Smart Meter movement.
Don't become a victim.
No-one has to have a Smart Meter.
No company can force anyone to have a Smart Meter bolted onto their property.
If your energy company mandates that you must have one, then walk away, close your account with them and go with another provider. They will soon get the message when millions of others do likewise.
Also, print out an A4 sheet of paper with a clear message on it that says:
ATTENTION
DO NOT INSTALL SMART METER HERE
Under no circumstances must a Smart Meter be installed at this property without the express persmission of Mr/Mrs [insert your name]
Any attempt to do so will result in legal action being taken
Laminate the A4 sheet and make a copy for each of your meter boxes and tie them to the meters inside the boxes.
Smart Meters are terrible things that are designed purely to make YOU pay tons more for the same energy you use today. Do not accept one.