Pubdate: Sat, 09 Jul 2011
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Copyright: 2011 The Vancouver Sun
Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477
Author: Konstantin Bernaschek
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v11/n443/a03.html

VALUE OF SMART METERS WILL COME OUT IN THE WASH

Re: Numbers on electricity theft by pot growers don't add up, Stephen 
Hume, July 7

It is interesting to note that the closer we get to the "forced down 
our throat without public consultation" socalled smart meter 
installations by BC Hydro, the higher the guesstimated annual cost of 
the alleged energy theft becomes -from a mere $12 million in 2004 to 
$100 million in only seven years.

We have also been told many times that illegal marijuana growing 
operations found ways to steal the electricity before it went through 
the meter to avoid being detected or billed for excessive consumption.

Those new smart meters must be very good if they can detect energy 
theft before they have a chance to record it.

What's next? Will our lights start flickering to warn us when the 
washing machine moves from a low-cost to a high-cost time zone or 
will the new meter simply emit a stern voice warning?

Konstantin Bernaschek

Coquitlam
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom