Our area went through a meter change out within the last year. Some customers had bills thereafter that were more than 10 times (1000%) higher than their historic peak costs. At first, the utility held that the new meters were not faulty. Finally, someone paid to have a sample independently tested and brought suit against the utility company. I'm not certain what the outcome was or if there has been one yet. I do know that the utility company changed out any meter at the customer's request after the independent testing results were published.AlanMiller wrote:StuartR wrote:The stuff I have read about includes a contract where the power company is allowed to turn off specific loads remotely, in return for a significant discount on prices.... sounds a bit like our "smart meters" which have gained a bit of notoriety even before they've become standard issue. Mostly due to shoddy installation and obviously wrong billing readings (bills jumping from a few hundred to a couple of thousand!)
Alan
As for the peak load pricing, I understand the rationale behind it. The idea is to attenuate the peak requirement by shifting as much demand to off-peak as possible. The problem with that approach is in the rates used. To induce demand shifting, the rate differential must be substantial; thus the cost of lighting the world up at night is a pittance. This results in extreme light pollution in all population centers. Being a nascent amateur astronomer, the light pollution really galls me on the basis of its wastefulness (using something in overly large quantities because it's cheap regardless of efficacy) and on the effects it has on human activity levels, sleep patterns, and MESSING UP MY VIEWING !
OK. I'll go stand in a corner and cool off.
