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Letters: None existent power

Sooke resident discounts response by hydro spokesperson

Oops, Mr. Gary Murphy’s response regarding smart meters sounds somewhat logical, but he forgot to mention that according to BC Hydro (confirmed three times), each household, regardless of size or income, is allocated or allowed 22.1918k/w hours per day on step one of the two tier system. After that everything moves to step two and you pay top rate.

A family of four can use that 22.1918 k.w hours per day before breakfast, since a standard-sized fridge uses 1,000 watts of power as soon as you open the door, (1,000 watts-1 k.w hour), a microwave is the same, a heating element in a hot water tank uses 3,000 watts, a regular stove oven used 5,000 watts, a  regular electric heatinf system used 5,000 watts (that’s without lights), coffeemakers, washing machines, dryers, toasters, vacuum cleaners and so on, according to BC Hydro.

At the same  time, having a hydro bill double, then double again without anything in the household changing over a period of 20 years says something, and this is right across the board. With that in mind, our research also included having households tested in order to establish what was drawing that much power where it wasn’t before a smart meter was installed. It can’t be done, there isn’t anything that exists that can draw that much power to make a hydro bill skyrocket to that extent. In fact it was thought at first that the meter was in fact reading no less than four households and combining all into into.

The fact is Mr. Murphy, that since the instigation of the two tier system hydro bills have gone right through the roof and those on low and fixed incomes can no longer afford to run their heating because they pay top rate if they do. Over a 30-day period the k.w allocation on step one equals 664.754 k/hours. After that’s used up the number of hours on step two is over 2,000, and nobody can afford that, taking into account that they’re not using that much power to begin with. When asked, BC Hydro’s response is always the same. Why smart meteres? Because they give a more accurate reading. Of what? Of power that doesn’t exist.

Barry Turner

Sooke