Harmless Venting?

This is one thing that may affect everyone sooner or later.

New-Fangled Digital, Two-way Electric Meter

There isn't a whole lot that ruffles my feathers at this particular time, except for this one little thing. Well, there is at least nothing personal that I care to share with plinky.com or the entire world

I am somewhat irritated with our Southern California Edison power supplier since they have decided to install two-way, radio, digital electric meters on everyone's property, both residential and commercial. These meters, so far appear to not only add 1.5% to your monthly bill, to cover the cost of the things, but I have also heard about many people whose electric bills have increased by fourfold. I personally know a lady who is recovering and living with the results of a massive brain aneurysm, who came home one day to find that without any notice SCE had installed one of those new-fangled meters on her home. Ever since that time, her bills jumped from their average usage to four times higher than ever before.

This lady lives alone, and since her home is all electric, she never uses her heater, or even her oven, to save where she can. Now, they are telling her that she is $1,800 behind with her bill.

I have also recently read that those problems have supposedly been "fixed," and that now, bills should no longer pose a problem. Yet, they are still expecting my friend to pay an amount way beyond what it should be. She has finally contacted an attorney to handle the dispute, as she is somewhat affected by her stroke, when it comes to handling her personal affairs, since she was not even expected to survive the aneurysm.

The enclosed information which came in my mail notifying me that everyone would soon be getting the new meters, stated that residential meters would be transmitting daily to the offices of SCE, and commercial accounts would transmit every fifteen minutes.

What they failed to explain was how and why they plan to use the receiving part of your meter. It cannot possible be two-way for nothing. I can see that there might be the possible advantage to shut off your power in the case you fail to pay your bill as promised and required, but there has to also be something else they are not disclosing.  I also understand that a person does not have an opt out choice, either.

My present meter is already RF so it can be read from the truck of the meter reader, as I have several dogs, and the meter is at the rear of my home.

Yup, this really curls my hair, and not in a good way, either.