Dumb smart meters or dumb smart meter readers

Nov 26, 2014

Since smart meters (meters which electronically record kilowatts used) were introduced in Ontario there have been hundreds, perhaps thousands of users across the province who have received hydro bills which are double, triple or even quadruple from normal. The basic reasons for this happening: dumb smart meters or dumb smart meter readers. Either the smart meter system is not accurate or those reading the smart meters are not reading them accurately. Is the problem poor electronics, poor personnel or a third reason -- a faulty meter attached to your outside wall recording more kilowatts than you are using? A fourth reason is under-estimating for equal billing of monthly payments.

Most users accept that hydro bills can fluctuate 20% or 30% over the course of a year, but deserve to be very upset when they receive a bill with a 100% to 500% increase. Does Hydro not know or care about the stress it puts on pensioners and those on a tight budget who cannot find the extra money to pay these unreasonable increases? These unjust bills are gouging the public. What about those who can't pay being threatened with power cut off?

Perhaps these large, unfair payments are required to pay for the Ontario Liberal mistake of cancelling two gas generation plants, costing tax payers a billion dollars, or are we paying for the ridiculous Ontario Liberal scheme of paying solar panel producers 80 cents a kilowatt and then charging users only 8 cents per kilowatt.

How to avoid these unreasonable Hydro bills:

1. Phone Hydro One and ask that they send out a technician to physically check out the accuracy of your meter. If the meter is faulty, they will replace it with a new one.

2. Smart meters are usually read the same time each month, so note the date the meter was read and the number of kilowatts you read with the amount charged. Each month read your meter on that same day and compare the amount of kilowatts you read with the amount charged. Your reading should be close to the kilowatts charged on your bill. If it is not, phone Hydro and ask "Why the difference." Double check their figures on your bill. If something "smells rotten in the state of Denmark" ask for an explanation. If their explanation does not sound reasonable, phone your M.P.P.

3. If you are on equal billing, demand that hydro send you a recalculation for your monthly billings at least every three or six months. An underestimate of your monthly bill could result in year-end catch of bill of thousands.

This dumb smart meter system should be scrapped and return to the old system where the real smart meter reader came monthly to your house to read your meter. Are the Ontario Liberals too proud to admit a mistake and revert back to the old system or is this present unjust system bringing in so much revenue that if they did, to them it would be like killing the goose that lays the golden egg? Talking about eggs, when the truth is finally known about this injustice, there will be egg on the face of some Hydro executives and Liberal politicians.

John Wallace