A small act of rebellion
See picture below. This just under the external electricity meter for our little domicile. The notice below was posted there by our landlord.
These notices have been appearing all over BC. According to some sources at as many as one in 12-15 households. Gossip has it that Bill Van Der Zalm, ex Provincial Premier, is just one of the many voices behind this campaign, including the Greens oddly enough (As ‘Smart Meters’ are supposed to be a ‘Green’ power solution). Rumours also abound about the Meters reliability and safety.
Gossip has it that the Corix installers are instructed to leave meters or premises with this notice on alone.
Gossip has it that BC Hydro, when the rollout of ‘Smart Meters’ is complete, will cut off the electricity supply of any premises that do not have a ‘Smart Meter’ installed.
Gossip also has it that BC Hydro has only three people in the entire Province capable of fixing ‘Smart Meters’ if they go wrong. Apparently they fired the rest.
Word is that the threats are baseless, and premises will not be disconnected, as legal challenges are already prepared to hit the courts.
Now as far as the health concerns go, I’m of the mind that they are baseless and with about as much credence as the ‘Cell phone radiation causes Cancer’. However, I personally am opposed to the idea of Smart Meters on purely economic and Health and Safety grounds. Some of the models being installed have had issues with overheating, and there is a very real fire risk. Especially where wood frame building methods are the norm. On economic grounds because BC Hydro are reported to have doubled or tripled the electricity bills of premises equipped with Smart Meters. On the basis that this will increase my rent and other base living costs for no good reason, I am further opposed to the installation of Smart Meters.
Despite the growing opposition, the current BC leadership have brushed off dissenting voices as being of the tinfoil hat persuasion. Yet the opposition grows. If I was the current BC leadership, I’d be looking for a fallback strategy over this issue, because this is how they lost the HST referendum. It may well be how they lose the next Provincial and Federal Elections.
Whatever happens, it’s going to get really interesting really quickly. Log store topped up, propane tank full, generator ready……
Update: The head of BC Hydro has just resigned, seemingly over political interference from the Provincial Government. Well, well, well.
Ultimately the protest is doomed to failure, the meter is Hydro property and if they decide they need a spiffy new one they are entitled to install one.
The underlying need for these meters is being ignored because it is too embarassing to reveal the need for potential power rationing (more commonly recognized as power outages during peak demand) which the new meters can accomodate but the older meters cannot. Our energy independence ie having enough generating capacity has been frittered away over the last several decades. messing around with run-of-river micro hydro, energy conservation and windmills was never going to provide adequate power. Now the morons who bleat about provision of new generating capacity are the same crew complaining about smart meters-basically the NDP. Any chance that a site C or Revelstoke fourth generator is built is slim-to-zero given the lack of political will.
The stupidity of the BC Liberals will be visited upon them at the next election, then gawdelpus another decade of NDP wealth destruction, replete with stalinist women welders building fast ferries (that were not fast or comfortable), they destroyed the forest industry last time perhaps they will be successful in destroying the mining industry this time.
The future is bleak, not a leader in sight.
Cascadian,
One of the things I forgot to mention is that people have begun ‘Caging’ their existing meters with wire mesh and other barriers to make it interesting for the Corix installers. How this will pan out is anyone’s guess. Especially where there is such a high incidence of shotgun ownership. Stories are coming to my ears where installers are being forcibly ejected from properties. About the only other strategy legally open is to move the meters to the kerbside.
Like I said, this could get really interesting very quickly.
” About the only other strategy legally open is to move the meters to the kerbside”…………or shut off the power!
Corix will not endanger the lives of their employees, they will just report the non-installs to Hydro. I do not think Hydro can just shut off power unilaterally-like you say it might get interesting.
No matter what, I think the libs are done next election, then the stalinists get another go to destroy the economy.
Would be lovely to have that sort of thing over here but they’d send the bailiffs.
Yes, and all those lovely ‘rights’ of entry’ enjoyed by the lowliest council worker. Makes you wonder why you have to pay all that money for a property of your own in the UK.
Because it seems everyone except the property owner has those ‘rights’. Curious, No?
Wish I thought it’d be that easy here. I think my best bet is hoping the buggers forget, which probably isn’t beyond the realm of possibility.