Smart Meter Spying Finally AdmittedBy Warren Woodward Of course they didnt quite put it that bluntly. In fact, they celebrate the ability of utilities to know what appliances people use as another tool to help craft the wonderful world of the future. Below is my letter to the Arizona Corporation Commission pointing out that industry has finally come out and admitted what I and others have been saying for years. [Note from Take Back Your Power: Its important that you send your utility your notice of Non-Consent via registered mail. Subscribe to our Newsletter for forthcoming news, and see our Solutions page for current links to templates.] The SmartGridNews article, entitled Now utilities can tell customers how much energy each appliance uses (just from the smart meter data), is here. May 15, 2014 Ladies and Gentlemen; Here is breaking news. SmartGridNews has just come out of the closet and admitted what I and others have been saying all long: Smart meters are surveillance devices. SmartGridNews calls such smart grid industry names as Telvent, Silver Spring Networks and Lockheed Martin its major sponsors. So of course the news story attempts to put a positive spin on the surveillance, hyping such nonsense as an over 4% conservation [of energy] after just a few months. Wow, that means I might save four whole dollars and change on a one hundred dollar electrical bill. Where do I sign up to be spied on? Enclosed is the SmartGridNews article, Now utilities can tell customers how much energy each appliance uses (just from the smart meter data). Sincerely, PS In the article, note the creepy picture of a guy dressed in black and using binoculars. SmartGridNews is shameless to promote Peeping Toms as cool. Note also Orwellian phrasing such as behavioral science and turning ratepayers into willing partners. Its not a smart grid; its a sick grid. Related selfnews Post Article: This article first appeared here at Take Back Your Power. I ran into this blog by pure coincidence, I was googling a picture of smart meters. You are a bunch of crazy paranoid people. I can show you several examples of how smart meters allow very poor families in Africa and Asia to access electricity and help them to use it without wasting precious resources. Of course, poverty is something that you people have no clue about. If you really dont like the idea of smart meters, buy a PV panel and go offline and dont complain if thats not enough to cover your nice American way of living with AC, fans, TVs, fridges, dishwashers, dryers, etc. FYI: Smart Meters aim is to achieve demand modelling. Demand modelling is used for pricing. Basically you pay less for basic needs: lighting and warm comfort. In this way, more people can afford their basic needs. On the other hand you pay more for luxury: big TVs and overuse of ACs. A single price is monopoly, communism, nor democratic! 