On Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:17:54 -0500, "EXT"
wrote:

Not so much "control", just a blatant method of raising the prices while
saying it is your fault it costs so much. Get used to doing your laundry and
cooking after midnight, that is when the rates you have now will kick in,
while the daytime and evening rates will skyrocket. We have these meters
here but the local utility hasn't started billing according to time of day.

Oh, well, I guess they "think" they have a solution to that problem:
Not only the power grid is supposed to "go smart", but also the
appliances connected to it. So, prepare your washing machine,
dishwasher or whatever, and have it start up automatically,
grid-controlled, when rates are the low - probably even automatically
when rates have fallen below a threshold you have set yourself.

In practice - well, I wouldn't really want my washing machine to
automatically go off at 3 am when I'm trying to sleep a few rooms down
the hallway, just because electricity may be cheapest at 3 am...

Greetings,
Nils