Cnet smart meter comment Aug 2010

Rate-increases and taxpayer-stimulus are paying for smart meters imported from China that eliminate local workers and add value to utility companies. The added value is the built-in agreement by customers to accept dynamic pricing [higher prices]. 

Accepting smart meter is accepting dynamic pricing or peak pricing. But the utility sales-pitch says 'off peak' pricing.' However, if everybody expects to receive lower prices, then utility revenues will fall. Who can believe utility companies will suffer revenue cuts after installing a meter that lets them charge more?

If the utility company is privately owned, then people are buying a huge gift for investors.

In return, utility companies promise to set up websites with customer information. Just log in. These websites will have a conflict of interest; carrying both variable-rate information and usage-patterns of each customer.  Customers searching for 'off-peak' rates will certainly not speak to representatives. Instead they will encounter game software programmed to let consumers win often enough to keep them happy but still increase profits needed to finance the elusive "rest of the grid build-out.'

When assessing personal chance of smart meter benefit, people should be aware that their power usage peaks just as they arrive home from work and turn on TV, cook, shower and adjust HVAC. At the same time, they are agreeing to prices based on peak usage.

Gene Haynes