New electric meter put in today
They sent around a person to put in a new "SMART" electric meter today. Now that it's in, they're going to start charging variable rates - "peak rate" for instance.
My best friend moved from California where they already had those meters, and he told me about them. They don't help - they're just another way for Big Business to rip people off. He was telling me how the power company out there was run and how the SMART meters fit in - and the reality about Enron (it was worse than people think, and the California power companies were in it up to their eyeballs). They use these meters as an excuse to raise rates on ordinary people, but corporations don't get them (unless they have a machine that draws a huge load every once in a while, but the rest of the time is either dormant or actually generating power back into the system).
Sue talked with the guy who changed the meter. He told both of us yes, it was a rip-off, and it's been very scary to work doing that. He gets paid just over minimum wage and has dealt with threats and dangerous dogs and things like that. He also said that his company hired 10 people to change the meters, and then once half of them were changed, laid off 6 and now only 4 people are doing the work. He said that he would be laid off as soon as they were finished.
He was telling Sue something about people not wanting the meters but not feeling they have any choice in the matter when I came out, and that they get dumped on all the time - threats. I told him I wished I could come up with something that would fry their electronics but not damage anything else. He seemed to agree with me. It was obvious he resented what was going on, and especially resented being paid near minimum wage while knowing that the job will end as soon as the things are put in place. (From the way he talked, I suspect he has a higher than average education - far above what is normal for this county.)
The county decided it WOULD allow people to not have these meters, but they would have to pay an additional $40 a month surcharge. People had been fussing at them about it.
I wish we could get a law passed that they (the power companies) cannot charge the 98% more for "peak usage" times... because we live in Florida and it's impossible for most people to live a modern lifestyle (work during the day and sleep at night for instance, and wear clothing) without air conditioning. They're trying to force the poor to cut back... and already are pushing to get everyone to raise their thermostats. I can understand setting it in the low to mid 80s while you're gone, but not when you're in your house... and I might add that in this part of this county, if you don't run A/C in your mobile home, your clothes, sheets, etc. will mildew in the closet. We've had that happen when things were far worse than now.
Maybe a petition to ban charging ordinary people more for "Peak times" and demand that they stop giving the rich and big businesses such a break? The last time I looked, the big companies were charged far less than what I pay... and one time I even compared my parents (middle to upper middle class) to our bill and they paid like 1 cent per KwH less than we do. Like usual, the Poor Pay More (title of a good book from the 60s - and relevant even today).
My best friend moved from California where they already had those meters, and he told me about them. They don't help - they're just another way for Big Business to rip people off. He was telling me how the power company out there was run and how the SMART meters fit in - and the reality about Enron (it was worse than people think, and the California power companies were in it up to their eyeballs). They use these meters as an excuse to raise rates on ordinary people, but corporations don't get them (unless they have a machine that draws a huge load every once in a while, but the rest of the time is either dormant or actually generating power back into the system).
Sue talked with the guy who changed the meter. He told both of us yes, it was a rip-off, and it's been very scary to work doing that. He gets paid just over minimum wage and has dealt with threats and dangerous dogs and things like that. He also said that his company hired 10 people to change the meters, and then once half of them were changed, laid off 6 and now only 4 people are doing the work. He said that he would be laid off as soon as they were finished.
He was telling Sue something about people not wanting the meters but not feeling they have any choice in the matter when I came out, and that they get dumped on all the time - threats. I told him I wished I could come up with something that would fry their electronics but not damage anything else. He seemed to agree with me. It was obvious he resented what was going on, and especially resented being paid near minimum wage while knowing that the job will end as soon as the things are put in place. (From the way he talked, I suspect he has a higher than average education - far above what is normal for this county.)
The county decided it WOULD allow people to not have these meters, but they would have to pay an additional $40 a month surcharge. People had been fussing at them about it.
I wish we could get a law passed that they (the power companies) cannot charge the 98% more for "peak usage" times... because we live in Florida and it's impossible for most people to live a modern lifestyle (work during the day and sleep at night for instance, and wear clothing) without air conditioning. They're trying to force the poor to cut back... and already are pushing to get everyone to raise their thermostats. I can understand setting it in the low to mid 80s while you're gone, but not when you're in your house... and I might add that in this part of this county, if you don't run A/C in your mobile home, your clothes, sheets, etc. will mildew in the closet. We've had that happen when things were far worse than now.
Maybe a petition to ban charging ordinary people more for "Peak times" and demand that they stop giving the rich and big businesses such a break? The last time I looked, the big companies were charged far less than what I pay... and one time I even compared my parents (middle to upper middle class) to our bill and they paid like 1 cent per KwH less than we do. Like usual, the Poor Pay More (title of a good book from the 60s - and relevant even today).