On Tuesday, April 30, 2013 4:37:40 PM UTC+1, harry wrote:
On Apr 30, 3:17*pm, "Dave Liquorice"

wrote:

On Tue, 30 Apr 2013 06:40:01 -0700 (PDT), Man at B&Q wrote:

I don't think any Smart Meter installations have the ability to

selectively cut the power to appliances. Whole supply maybe but not

just the Fridge.



The ones being installed now are not smart meters at all. They just

get called that because it sounds sexy and ignorant journos are

involved.



Whilst I'm inclined to believe the latter part I don't think the first is

quite right. Agreed the early "smart meters" may have been not much more

than a meter with built in energy monitor but I think the ones going in

now are the proper "smart" ones with remote reading that doesn't require

visit or even a van driving down the street polling the meters.



--

Cheers

Dave.



I think they can alter smart meters by changing a chip or

reprogramming so it can do virtually anything.

Doubt that, due to cost.

Maybe even

reprogramming remotely.

That would make sense but for what purpose, until I replace my fridge and freezer and every other applience it won't be able to talk to them any more than talk to my cat with her RFID chip.
What it can do it's altere the price per unit, buyt I'm not convinced that turning appliancies off in times of high demand is the aim.




This is just the thin edge of the wedge.

The slippery slope that the snowball is on is my concern. ;-)