CommentsDisplaying NoThanks_JustLurking's 10 most recent comments.

• Electricity Costs Skyrocket $300 More Per Household Over Last 5 Years

  December 18, 2011 at 2:17am

  Just wait until variable pricing hits the streets. Where is costs more to use the power during higher volume usage times. This is just the beginning…

• Ironically-Named ‘Smart Meters’ Prove to Be a Dumb Idea

  March 26, 2011 at 9:36pm

  This should stimulate some conversation… A listing of all the utilities receiving SmartGrid government funding and how much….

  http://earth2tech.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/sgigselections_category1.pdf

• Ironically-Named ‘Smart Meters’ Prove to Be a Dumb Idea

  March 26, 2011 at 9:21pm

  In reply to NoThanks_JustLurking.

  TNRedneck, great point and one I had honestly not considered. I will remember it though!

• Ironically-Named ‘Smart Meters’ Prove to Be a Dumb Idea

  March 26, 2011 at 9:16pm

  In reply to NoThanks_JustLurking.

  Hisstoryun, I see your point and will defer to your career with the utilities. I don’t speak on their behalf and will believe what you tell me. I am just saying that the SmartMeters are not made to do anything other than read the data you are using on an incremental basis. At this point they “control” nothing, they just read the usage. There are other devices that are used to control the access, or lack of but I don’t know much about those. Thanks for being kind, as I am sure you could have shredded me with your utility experience. Have a great weekend..

• Ironically-Named ‘Smart Meters’ Prove to Be a Dumb Idea

  March 26, 2011 at 8:57pm

  In reply to Salamander.

  Salamander, great points and it is just around the corner. It all has a cost and that is what the delay is. Look up HAN (Home Area Network) and you will see what is already available. There is some really cool technology already available..

• Ironically-Named ‘Smart Meters’ Prove to Be a Dumb Idea

  March 26, 2011 at 8:52pm

  In reply to Cosmic Ray.

  CATB: that is not true, you have to volunteer for that program. There are such things as CutOff Devices that ensure folks pay their bills but the individual states control that access.

• Ironically-Named ‘Smart Meters’ Prove to Be a Dumb Idea

  March 26, 2011 at 8:45pm

  Disclaimer: I have a dog in this fight so please feel free to light me up, but I hope you will read it through. GWB actually started this project in 2007 and made sure the funding was there to support the changes. The smart device and the RF usage in them are two different topics that happen to be combined for the same purpose.

  The true use of these devices are NOT to allow the utility more “control” your energy use, those devices have to be approved by the consumer before they are implemented. The government plan is to force all of the utilities, nationwide, to join up under one network (national security issues abound here which I personally question, being a conservative, but I don’t think the “smart-grid” will ever come to fruition in an end state).

  The strengths of the program are the ability to plan power generation better, see outages before the calls start coming in and give the client a view into their usage in predetermined increments. The utility can’t see what appliances you have in your house or what you are doing with your power; that is true black helicopter rumor. You can volunteer that information but that is up to you.

  Thanks for your time and of course time will tell. Please be kind to Mr Lurker as I am just trying to provide an alternate view.