BC Smart Meters

[wolfensongman]

Now how the hell am I gonna start up a grow operation? Jeez, always big-wigs have to take away all the oppertunities for investment and business in B.C.

I could go on a big rant about our two-faced green initiatives but I think I'll spare you all the free sleep-aid and just cut to the chase saying: The smart-meters are another example of poorly-thought up projects by the private sector, pushed to politicians who push it on us to save B.C. Hydro a few cents per household. If you think the saving are in any way passed on to you... you're deeply misguided. These installations are for the benefit of B.C. Hydro courtesy of us, taxpaying citizens. Don't get me wrong, power is good and I'm all for paying taxes for essential services, but this project is using a tonne of our hard-earned money for solely their benefit yo.

[Drake Wingfire]

I really am not worried.. the people making the biggest stink/ fear mongering about this are the same old people who are:::

Afraid that people can control their computer if its turned on and not hooked to any sorta network..

Assume that  radio waves are the same thing as nuclear radiation..

Have no idea that they are surrounded by phone networks, wireless router networks, open air radio and TV waves 24/7 which would add up a LOT faster than a short Wi-Fi burst from a meter..

Think that people can read their debit and credit cards long range when even some of the newest dang machines at stores have an issue reading them when they are swiped and making contact with the dang magnetic read head.


Frankly I have been reading too many news articles written by paranoid completley technology impaired people. I cringe every time because the stupidity makes my head hurt, the same kinda people who walk into computer stores and go "my central processor is out of memory, I think it needs more intel and "screen cards" to make it have more space" Meaning most of the article are a lot of hot air and big words used to try and instill fear into people.

[Lt ReiStark]

Any more EM waves are bad because they make you uneasy, but its not that awful. just don't stand next to it and you'll be fine Duh. I don't expect to be pressing my head against the power meter.

[Masozi]

Potential radiation contamination is not as big an issue as is the very likely probability that once Smart meters are installed we will probably get TOUB'ed.   

The topic of smart meters has come up on local talk shows and there is anecdotal evidence from the public that their bills are going up 10 to 15% within a month after the meters had been installed. (A possible hidden rate increase that they believe to be one of the methods used by Hydro that will pay for costs of the smart meter program.)   If Time of use Billing is introduced then the rates could go up considerably more, a double money grab as it were. Hydro wanted to drastically increase rates to users over the next couple of years a while back so that they could start a major infrastructure upgrade and replacement program. Don't get me wrong, I'm not ignorant of the need to improve and update aging infrastructure. That said I'm quite sure that the program is still there, but because of the public backlash at the original rate increase proposals that I think they may try to sneak those increases in to meter replacement costs, TOUB'ing and whatever other excuse they can find.

When it comes to green initiatives there are two types that I have seen.

Type A - The type that you, I and the general public practices, reduce, reuse, recycle, take transit, reduce your impact on the environment etc. etc. etc.

Type B - Corporations and governments use environmentalism as a means to increase taxes, the cost of living or raise prices in the name of green initiatives. Government says they will introduce fuel or consumption taxes, but instead of putting those funds to environmental causes or transit the revenue finds its way into the mega black hole known as "General Revenue".  Companies re-brand their products as being environmental but in reality all they have done is to sell the same thing as before but re-wrapped with sweet looking earth colored packaging with the words "Green, New and Improved" or "Environmentally Friendly"  in bold letters across the box. Yet when you go look at the ingredients they are the same as the old non environmentally friendly versions that they sold before all the "green movement nonsense" began.

In short I believe that Smart Meters are a part of BC Hydro's form of type 2 environmentalism.  Its not for the public's own good and safety as much as it is a tool for increasing Hydro's profit margin.   

[Kithop]

Sadly, we can't do a lot of the Type A type stuff without some of the Type B creeping in, because, hey, we're in a capitalist society (for better or worse), and greed is the name of the game these days. :/

[Pat The Fox]

I certainly would be more concerned about the potential for monitoring than I would the wavelengths.

I glanced through BC Hydro's information page and can't see just how and what they will be transmitting with their smart meters, and just how that data is encrypted. This almost makes me wonder if the meters are subjectable to wardriving (getting in a car with an antenna and crusing a block collecting bulk data) that might give someone with less than pure intentions information about when I am most likely not home or active in my dwelling. Such an incident alreayd happened slightly benignly with Google maps when they collected access point locations while mapping out roads.

SOmeone able to point me to the relevant section?

[Selkit]

Pat;

Basic physics alone dictate that the wavelengths these meters emit are harmless. You have bigger problems with a cellphone, or a wireless router in a public place (They're frequently set to higher output gain than most home equipment, and certainly higher than these meters). The absolute worst these wavelengths could do is cook you. Very slowly, and very inefficiently. At about one thousand times the output. With your head pressed against the unit. On the other hand, data security is the real problem that most people are overlooking here. If information is broadcast, information can be intercepted, it's really that simple. Only obfuscation methods keep the information from being trivially accessible, and we all know how good security is when human beings are involved. The method's only as good as the weakest technical brain in the loop.

[Pat The Fox]

Err, I never said I was worried about the EM/Microwave emissions?

What I stated I was more concerned about is the data transmissions and exactly what is being transmitted how.

[Selkit]

Yup. If the information is broadcast, that broadcast can be intercepted. Deciphered? That depends on how well the data itself is secured; Interception's one matter, decryption is another. Any technology has points it can be cracked through eventually. I wouldn't be surprised if they do something arrogant like decide weak encryption is sufficient, after all, "What person in their right mind cares about appliance use, power trending in a house and whatnot", some exec will probably think? Information's a lever you can move the world with, given enough of it to lean on.

[Drake Wingfire]

My real question... what are people gonna do with power usage readouts? Seriously...

Am I really gonna walk into work one day and overhear someone going "I know what you do bob, your power usages spikes by 35% around six pm.. SIX PM! I know you are making dinner at that time or doing laundry, and I am gonna tell the whole world!! Prepare to be ruined cause everyone will know your dirty little secret of eating dinner at SIX!"

But no.. some one some where is gonna go "this man hacked into my meter.. he made a power surge happen and then all my stuff blew up! and then he stole my credit card information with it too"

Lets put it this way... even if I had a wide open wireless network, the average person would have no idea how to even find out my net usage or what dirty web sights you may be going to.

[Tonk]

Now how the hell am I gonna start up a grow operation? Jeez, always big-wigs have to take away all the oppertunities for investment and business in B.C.

Build a fake server farm and hide it inside :evil:


I honestly don't understand how they can tell what is used when. Especially with so many devices pulling varying amounts of wattage.
The only concern I have about these is them being used by eco police or some kind of future power rationing. But it's all speculation.

[squashNstretch]

...Magical fluffy bunnies per minute?

I get 3 fluffies/minute on my old cellphone. It;s about 4.5-5 on my Galaxy S2