Pubdate: Wed, 13 Oct 2010
Source: Eagle Valley News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2010 Sicamous Eagle Valley News
Contact:  http://www.eaglevalleynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4362
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

HYDRO LOSING MILLIONS ANNUALLY TO MARIJUANA GROW-OPS

B.C. marijuana growers are now stealing electricity worth $100 
million a year - a number that has skyrocketed in the past four years.

That's a preliminary estimate disclosed by B.C. Hydro officials in 
advance of a formal report to the B.C. Utilities Commission later this fall.

"We're convinced theft has almost doubled since 2006," said Fiona 
Taylor, BC Hydro's acting director of smart metering and infrastructure.

The amount of power stolen in 2006 was worth $30 million then - or 
$40 million at 2010 rates - equivalent to one per cent of what all 
legitimate customers pay. Taylor said the numbers are still being 
finalized but it's thought thieves now tap between 900 and 1,100 
gigawatt-hours of electricity a year, up from 500 in 2006.

She spoke after disclosing the $100-million loss estimate at a clean 
energy forum at last week's Union of B.C. Municipalities convention.

Safety is a serious issue with grow-ops because meter tampering to 
disguise power use or illegal bypasses to tap outside wires can spark 
fires or worse. Hot wires left by power thieves on a pole are one example.

"If one of our guys doesn't know it's there and touches it, or your 
car crashes into it, you're fried," Taylor said.

Smart meters that will roll out to every household over the next two 
years are expected to help BC Hydro pull the plug on many indoor pot 
growers. The devices are intended to give consumers real-time 
information on their power use to promote conservation and 
energy-saving tricks, such as setting smart appliances to run at 
night to take advantage of lower rates that are to be offered at 
off-peak times. But the gadgets will also give BC Hydro instant data 
on outages and much more accurate information on locations where 
unusual amounts of power are vanishing from the system.

Taylor admits grow-ops may well adapt, noting they are often power 
conservation superstars.

"They're very innovative customers," Taylor said. "They are doing 
everything possible to reduce their consumption so they don't get caught."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom