On 4/15/2012 9:16 AM, Home Guy wrote:
Way Back Jack wrote:

in terms of energy savings, privacy, fire risk, and, most
importantly, health ramifications. Thank You.

The only purpose of smart meters for residential customers is to reduce
the meter-reading costs of electric utilities.

I disagree. The camel's nose is in the tent.
The door is open to charging you MORE for electricity.
We won't be paying LESS for off-peak usage.
We'll be paying MORE for peak usage.

Every month, my utility sends me an invitation to sign up
for time-of-use metering. There's a surcharge for the privilege.
If I switched ALL my use to the minimum-rate hours, I still wouldn't
break even. It's gonna get worse.


The exhorbitant up-front cost of the meters themselves, the
communications network and billing software will be paid for by
customers in the form of additional surcharges.

Yep. There can be benefits as the smart grid evolves. Everything
I've read suggests that the current crop of meters can't support
what's needed. So, we'll be paying for yet another upgrade in the
future.