Smart meter update: The PG&E opt-out plan

[Guest guest]

Smart meter update: The PG & E opt-out plan

_http://greenenergy.blogs.mydesert.com/2011/11/28/smart-meter-update-the-pge

-opt-out-plan/_

(http://greenenergy.blogs.mydesert.com/2011/11/28/smart-meter-update-the-pge-opt\

-out-plan/)

In what may likely be seen as a precedent-setting decision, the California

Public Utilities Commission last week issued a ruling on Pacific Gas &

Electric*s smart meter opt-out plan.

In a nut shell, PG & E customers who don*t want a wireless meter will have

two options. If they already have a new meter installed, they will be able

to request that wireless functions be turned off. If they have delayed smart

meter installation, they will now have to have a new meter installed, also

with no wireless functions.

The PUC chose the wireless-off option because it is the least expensive of

the alternatives available for customers who didn*t want the wireless

meters. According to a rundown of the decision on GreenTech Media, turning off

the wireless will only cost PG & E about $402 per meter versus $613 per

meter for meters that are hardwired.

The other key provisions of the ruling come on cost to customers and the

new pricing plans and consumer information that were billed as the main

benefits of the wireless meters.

Going wireless will cost customers $90 upfront plus $15 per month. That*s

considerably less than the fees PG & E originally proposed — either $270

upfront and $14 per month or $135 upfront and $20 per month.

Low-income or elderly customers who are on special rate plans would have

the upfront fee waived and pay only $5 per month for a wireless-off meter.

Without the wireless functions, PG & E won*t be able to track hourly

electric use of some customers, which in turn means it may not be able to charge

them time-of-use rates and other pricing options aimed at reducing power use

at peak times.

To provide the utility with some flexibility here, the ruling says by Jan.

1, 2014, PG & E will have to have meters that allow it to collect at least

some of that hourly use data manually — so it looks like some meter readers

will have to stay on the job.

PG & E has estimated that 148,500 customers will ask for the opt-out. But

the GreenTech Media report noted that an opt-out plan in Maine, with upfront

fees of $20-$40 and monthly charges of $10-$12.50, drew 10 percent fewer

customers than had been expected.

The PUC has yet to rule on opt-out plans for Southern California Edison or

San Diego Gas & Electric, but this ruling might be a template for them.

The PG & E ruling still has to go through a public comment period, ending

Dec. 12. To submit a comment, you can contact the Public Advisor’s office.

A final vote on the opt-out plan is tentatively scheduled for the

commission’s Jan. 12 meeting

COMMENTS

said at 12:14 am on November 29th, 2011:

SMART METERS ARE ONLY GOOD FOR UTILITY COMPANY EXECUTIVES

Concepts and theory sounds great, but upon closer inspection:

A. Utility bills are increasing where smart meters are installed, not

decreasing.

B. Customer information from smart meters is NOT formatted for customers

and does NOT change customer behavior towards conservation.

C. The cost -benefit of smart meters is horrendous and is being promoted

to profit the utility companies and their suppliers, not customers or our

society or our environment.

D. The Smart Grid does NOT use or require a smart meter on each home. The

necessary smart information can be gathered much more efficiently and

timely and inexpensively at energy distribution points. (The smart grid does

not

care or need to know how much power any one home uses.)

E. The vast amount of unnecessary and nearly useless information to be

handled and stored may actually raise energy usage.

F. This massive Billions-of-dollars smart meter program will leave NO

funds for programs that would truly bring energy saving solutions and the

public will not be receptive to real solutions after being burned by these

Smart

meters.

Must-See 4-minute youtube video on Smart meter privacy violations.

_http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded & v=8JNFr_j6kdI_

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded & v=8JNFr_j6kdI)