B.C. government backs down completely on smart meters

By Jonathan Fowlie, Vancouver Sun July 18, 2013 12:25 PM
VICTORIA - The B.C. government has backed down completely on smart meters, saying people can now keep the old-style analog meters in place if they are willing to pay a fee. "This decision finds an appropriate balance between addressing the concerns raised by people who have put their meter installation on hold, while ensuring that the majority of customers who have a standard smart meter will not be paying for those who select an opt out option," Energy Minister Bill Bennett said in a news release. “I believe that this is a fair and reasonable solution for all British Columbians." People who keep the old meters will be charged a monthly fee that will include both the extra cost of reading the meter and the cost of instituting duplicate systems. The announcement comes about a week after Bennett floated an option of giving people a smart meter with the radio turned off. That option is still available, but people who chose that option will be charged a one-time fee to modify the meter plus a monthly fee to read the meter. Government had for more than two years said every analog meter in the province needed to be replaced by a smart meter. Under the new program, people who keep their analog meters will only be able to do so until the meter breaks down, their Measurement Canada seal expires or they relocate. After that, the analog meter will be replaced with a smart meter with the radio feature disabled. About 60,000 have refused to have a smart meter installed.
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Smart meter options announced

VICTORIA – Bill Bennett, Minister of Energy and Mines, announced today that BC Hydro will offer new options for customers who have put their smart meters on hold. 

Government is responding to public concerns by providing opt-out options with the costs borne by those customers and not subsidized by the majority, who have a standard BC Hydro smart meter. BC Hydro customers who do not currently have a smart meter will now have three choices:

·         Choose the standard smart meter at no cost.

·         Accept a digital meter with the radio off. This option will be subject to a one-time cost to modify the meter plus a monthly fee to read the meter.

·         Keep the old analog meter, which will be subject to a monthly fee that will include both the extra cost of reading the meter and the cost of instituting duplicate systems.

Costs and fees associated with the options will be established by BC Hydro but will be reviewed by the BC Utilities Commission to ensure that BC Hydro is only recovering the cost of providing and servicing the radio-off and analog options.