A Response to Smart Meters

At the meeting tonight, Duke Energy provided an overview of their smart grid campaign within the tri-state area. This is a summary from the Duke site:

“Smart grid” refers to the digital modernization of energy delivery. By adding digital, two-way communication capabilities to our  [Duke Energy] power lines, we can boost efficiency, help reduce demand, and improve reliability and customer service.

For example, smart grid technologies:

• Allow us [Duke Energy] to read meters and fulfill requests for service connections and disconnections remotely
• Help reduce outages through new “self-healing networks” made up of digital sensors and switches that automatically reroute power when a problem occurs
• Provide customers with additional information that may help them use energy more efficiently, save money and reduce their carbon footprint.

After the overview of the campaign, a Duke customer with a background in electrical operations, provided a simple list of the pros and cons of the new “smart meters.” Here are some of the main cons that had the audience riled:

• The ability for Duke Energy to control the meter and electrical source remotely.
• The frequent two-way communication between the meter and the Duke Energy main servers.
• Potential for electrical costs to go up

Most people were not happy with the amount of control that the new meters will provide Duke Energy and the possibility for Big Brother to commandeer these options for nefarious purposes.

During and after the questions and answers session several courses of action were proposed for dealing with this new issues:

1. Stop using electricity
2. Complain to Duke Energy
3. Help enact legislation to regulate Duke Energies movements going forward

There are probably several more options that are a little less extreme than the above options.  We will now analyze the referenced options

Option 1:  Stop Using Electricity

You do not have to need the smart meter installed at your home, you want to have the convenience of electricity at the flip of the switch.  Electricity is not a right and people have survived almost six-thousand years without widespread controlled electricity.  There are plenty of books, websites, and videos about off-grid living.    I will note that this option was not widely touted at the meeting, however, this solution would solve the problem for people really serious about maintaining their privacy.

Option 2: Complain to Duke Energy

The reps told everyone that they will return phone calls; they want to get feed back.  If you are going to chew them out remember that the the person you initially talk to will

1. Not have the authority to reverse Duke’s new meter plan
2. Not value privacy at the same level you do
3. Not have the emotional commitment to this issue as you do.

With this audience in mind:

1. Do you homework! A gentleman at the meeting referenced information from Echelon’s website.  He did an excellent job  by precisely and accurately addressing the issue at hand.  Here is a PDF file that addresses the 200 AMP version that will most likely be installed at your home.
2. Remember, Duke Energy is a civilian entity, it is not bound by the U.S. Constitution.  The U.S. Constitution’s job is to protect individual’s rights from being trampled by entities of the civil government, not to protect customers from vendors.
3. The main issue to address is the privacy concerns and how the information will be transferred, where it will be stored, and who will have access to the contents.  Remember: your cellphone, bank statement, and Facebook page share significantly more information with less security than your meter ever will.
4. Duke Energy is in the business of turning a profit.  Occupy Wall Streeters whine about companies making money–fiscally responsible citizens remind companies of the importance of keeping customers happy.  Be assertive in communicating that you want to be a wise steward of your money, while whining is an attack on your dignity.  If you are given the option of a peak pricing deal, you need to do your due diligence and find out if that is a good or bad choice for your family.
5. Smile and remember that American is still a pretty good place to live.

Option 3: Enact Regulation that Stop the Duke Energy from being “Bad”

Positive results do not justify tyranny. Just because something “good” needs to happen does not mean that the civil government needs to step in.  If you choose to use the state to enforce what you deem is “fair” then you put yourself exactly where your dearest enemies want you.  In your efforts to regulate how Duke Energy does business, remember that you will set precedent for others, others with absolutely no respect for liberty, to clamp down on every other business in the state of Ohio.  Examine the impact of any regulations that would be written into the Ohio Revised Code that could damage our economy. Personally, I would focus on the privacy concerns and work on legislation that would stop the civil government from using electricity as a tool for gaining power (pun not intended).

As we pursue liberty, let us never forget to approach every issue from a mature and informed position.

Feel free to leave a comment reflecting your opinion on this issue