Energy: SMART Meters

Technology Technology: Chat / Discussions
261

Yes Judd, though the perception is simply the understanding of how Smart Meters have been rolled out in other countries.
There is no doubt whatsoever that Variable Rate Billing WILL be coming but even someone as astute as yourself must surely see that if they broadcast that fact now, then there would be widespread refusal of people to take up Smart Meters. It is the Smart Meter that ENABLES Variable Rate Billing to happen.

So what’s happening is they are slipping Smart Meters in “under the radar” so to speak, via stealth, via clever misleading advertising and by giving people a stupid gadget to focus their attention on rather than have them see the true purpose of the Smart Meter.

Right now you won’t see any difference at all in your bills because your Smart Meter has just replaced your old meter and is just recording your usage. BUT . . . . when the energy companies switch to Variable Rate Billing then you’re sadly Daffy Ducked. The period from late afternoon through the evening will be deemed “peak period” and you will then be charged an INCREASED rate for energy used during that time. Overnight will be “Quiet Period” and you’ll be charged less during that period.

So if you do absolutely nothing at all, continue consuming energy exactly as you do now, when Variable Rate Billing comes in your bills WILL go up because all the energy you use in Peak Period will be charged at the highest rate.

What will you do? Record all your TV programmes and only watch them from 3am to 11am throughout the night?

What about your heating, cooking your evening meal, kids playing on consoles and laptops when they are home from school? etc etc

People simply do not yet realise the implication of what is surely coming. It will be too late once it comes because no-one will uninstall your Smart Meter and put an old one back.

Yep and you are charged by the UNIT. Doesn’t matter when during the day you used those UNITS, they all get charged at the same rate whether morning, afternoon, evening or overnight.

What I am saying is that situation will change. You will be charged different rates at different times of the day. Result . . . massive increase in your bills.

Worth doing the research on this.

262

There’s a good news article here that highlights the pressure the energy suppliers are under to force Smart Meters onto the public. Not a good situation imo. This is I believe a MASSIVE “illuminate” style movement. The benefits to the energy moguls is enormous, the Smart Meters will ultimately (not initially) generate $billions if not $trillions more in profits. They will of course use any means possible to mandate that have the meters.

Hence we must stand up and refuse for as long as possible. Switch suppliers to those that don’t care if we have old meters and ideally, install solar panels and other renewable energy solutions to get “off grid” as much as possible.

263

I would hate to see traffic wardens disappear though. :wink:

264

Yes, they do a wonderful job, don’t they?

I ought to add that I have never been ‘done’ by one, probably because I park sensibly!

265

No problem, I’ll just turn my heating off and wear thicker jumpers.

266

Have you noticed that people being interviewed by television News programmes about heating bills are nearly always wearing T-shirts? Put a jumper on for goodness sake!

267

What about the leckie? TV, lights, laptops, kettle, oven etc ?

268

He’s in Yorkshire.

As all southerners know, TVs and laptops haven’t yet found their way into Yorkshire.

We still use candles for lighting and burn wood or coal for heating ovens and kettles.

269

Seldom watch TV, all my lights are LED or CFL, Coffee machine used three times at most per day, oven maybe once a week, ditto wash m/c. Biggest consumption is fridge/freezer and electric shower which is only 4kW in summer.

Very frugal us Yorkies. :slight_smile:

270

Which part of Yorkshire ?

271

West Riding

272

I’m glad you said that. :lol:

Your location says ‘West Yorkshire’, a trendy modern politically-derived non-county!

273

I’ve been round to people’s houses in the Winter and they’re wearing t-shirts. The heating is on so high and the air so dry I couldn’t cope with it.

274

I know what you mean. I always wear warm clothing in the winter and keep the thermostat down a bit. When going anywhere else, I have to make sure I’ve got cooler clothing on because I know others tend to have the house warmer than I do. I turn the heat up a bit here if people are visiting us so they won’t feel cold.

Of course a smart meter (or the gadget that comes with it) would let me know I was saving gas when the heating is turned down, or that I’m using more when it’s turned up. Isn’t that clever? :wink:

275

Point of note. Gadgets like that have been available for years. I was given one by an uncle about 10 years ago. You clip a small device around the electricity line in the juction box ouside and it communicates to the gadget inside the house. Shows you the energy usage and then when you switch things on and off you can see the impact.

No Smart Meter needed at all for such basic diagnostic info.

As I said before, these gadgets are just the sweetener for naive uninformed people to get them to accept the evil Smart Meter. Sadly it has fooled a lot of people who will later come to regret it.

276

Well, I have to say, thank you for all the responses. There is an obvious, err, ‘enthusiasm’ for the issues brought up by my naive (maybe delusional) post.

I have done some research, ie, browsed around the interwebz, and found a range of opinion from “well its gonna happen anyway, whatever, might as well get on with it”, to downright vitriolic rant - little fact or documented evidence. Saying “well, if ‘A’ happens now ‘B’ is surely to follow” with the allusive “them” benefiting, just muddies the waters further with possible ideologically based conspiratorial gloop.

Rant over …
Again, thanks for your replies. I shall endevour to keep you informed of any developments.

277

Well here is a bit of a surprise, my supplier, Scottish Power rang me today wanting to arrange a time to fit a smart meter…like I am in Asda…not my usual day…it’s packed…so I am not the happiest of bunnies anyway…

‘ don’t want one’ I say…

‘But there are so many benefits etc’ he says

‘Don’t want one’ I say.

‘ is there any reason you don’t want one?’ He says.

‘Don’t want one’ I say ( I am consistent right?)

‘ But, it will be compulsory by 2020’ he says

‘ Bollox’ I say…that stopped him…I hung up, I really didn’t want to be rude , but I was stuck trying to work out whether tinned sardines in oil or brine was the best option.
Ho hum! I am expecting them to arrive at my gaff, kick the door down and connect me to a smart meter shortly.

278

I am fed up of the utilities holding us to ransom.

They already hike the prices up on the most feeble excuses and try to gain access to our bank accounts via Direct Debits - something else I will not have. I decide how much to pay each month according to my usage and needs - not them.

I will NOT have a smart meter - I do not need one - I have something called 'a brain’!. If anyone wants to know I can tell them to the nearest penny how much Gas and/or Electricity I use per day - per hour if need be. Having had a good education I am able to read meters and calculate such things. If I was ever short of something to do I could also evaluate how much Gas and/or Electricity each of my household appliances uses and at what time of day - I do not need a smart meter to tell me and, so long as I pay for the fuel I use, it is no-one else’s business.

279

I’ll never get a smart meter. I believe it’s a scam and dislike the way it’s being foisted on the elderly and the vulnerable.

280

I understand that if you don’t have a meter you will be limited to only a couple of tariffs on offer. The sales pitch being if you want a lower tariff then you have to have a meter fitted.