A group critical of the BC Hydro smart metering program has been denied its request to have a moratorium placed on further installations of the devices, the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) announced March 5.
The Citizens for Safe Technology Society (CSTS) and their lawyer, David Aaron, filed the complaint in December, referencing section 45 of the Utilities Commission Act. In it they claimed that BC Hydro had not taken sufficient steps to acquire the Clean Energy Act (CEA) exemption needed to roll out the smart meter program.
Their complaint specifically targeted the wireless component of the meters as well as the information feedback device, two extensions of the program that Aaron and the group claimed were unauthorized.
"The complainants submit there is a difference between the smart metering system described in section 17 of the CEA and the SMI (smart metering and infrastructure program) currently being implemented by BC Hydro," acting commission secretary Alanna Gillis wrote March 5 to Aaron. "There is insufficient evidence to substantiate the complainants' argument that the legislature intended BC Hydro to use a specific type of equipment, wired or wireless," she went on to say.
The commission concluded that the B.C. legislature had intended to have BC Hydro determine the type of equipment it would need to roll out smart metering in the province.
It was also determined that the feedback component of the meters had been outlined in provincial legislation as part of the province's energy strategy.
Section 2 (g) of Smart Meters and Smart Grid Regulation, part of the Clean Energy Act, states that "transmitting information to and receiving information from an in-home feedback device" is a requirement of the technology.
While their request to have BC Hydro "immediately cease work on the project" was denied, CSTS announced that they would continue their campaign.
"We are going to appeal the recent BCUC decision and allow real court to decide if Hydro is operating outside of it's [sic] jurisdiction with regards to its wireless program," Andrea Collins of CSTS wrote to provincial media, March 8.
"We maintain that Hydro is clearly operating outside the scope of the CEA," Collins said.
That same day, BC Hydro responded to the BCUC decision. The utility claimed that 99 per cent of its customers have been accepting the installations and that 1,800 have agreed to have a smart meter installed after initially opting out.
"BC Hydro is responsible for providing safe, reliable power to British Columbians," the press release declared. "Smart meters are an important part of that responsibility by helping modernize B.C.'s electricity infrastructure."
Recent statistics from BC Hydro show that 890,000 smart meters have been installed in the province, affecting roughly half its customer base.
