Ombudsman To Investigate Hydro One Smart Meter Billing

Ontario ombudsman André Marin is putting Hydro One’s billing practices and time-of-use smart meters under his microscope, the Citizen has learned.

Marin is expected to announce Tuesday that his office’s next high-profile investigation will focus on the hydro utility. .

Time-of-use pricing coupled with so-called smart meters is supposed to give customers more control over their monthly electricity bill.

Smart meters are meant to record how much electricity is used and when, typically hourly, then send the information automatically to Hydro One through a wireless communications network.

But that’s not always happening.

The meters have caused huge billing headaches for some customers in rural areas because many of the machines cannot transmit billing data properly to utility hubs. Hilly topography and tall trees interfere with the signals.

So unless affected customers can get through to Hydro One by phone or email to provide their meter readings, bills are based on estimates and often arrive irregularly.

As a result, many customers have received bills with outstanding balances in the thousands of dollars.
Source: ottawacitizen.com

The huge overpricing due to the smart meters has caused wide spread outrage! Here is a rant from Toronto.

The ombudsman investigating the pricing issues with the smart meters is a great start, but there is much more that he should be made aware of. For example the surveillance that is being done with the smart meters.

While many scoff at the idea of spying on people through the smart grid and claim that people who think this are tin foil hat wearing conspiracy theorists. The former C.I.A director has stated: We’ll Spy on You Through Your Dishwasher and it has been reported in Britain that Smart T.V.’s have been spying on people

If you would like to see the ombudsman investigate the possibility of surveillance being done with Hydro One smart meters. I highly encourage you to contact the ombudsman’s office HERE.