The Proprietor Review

This morning the Google home page is showing a caricature of a smart appliance and a calculator that says don’t panic. As the appliance spits out data. Also the hydro authority has sent out a monthly edition of their newsletter introducing the new online account and its advantages to the consumer. The ability to compare to neighbours and similar homes is one that may be appealing to those who don’t like machines that do too much.

Below is a transcript of the newsletter:

As part of the recent upgrades on bchydro.com, you’ll notice your account online is now called MyHydro. With MyHydro, you’re still able to manage your account online as you did before, but you’ll also have access to new features that give you a closer look at your electricity use. Watch the video to learn how MyHydro helps you save energy, time and money.

Take a closer look at your electricity use

By taking a deeper look at your electricity use, you can find ways to save energy and money. With MyHydro, see how your electricity use affects your bill by:

• Viewing your electricity use down to the hour and right up until yesterday to see when you’re using the most electricity.
• Comparing your electricity use to factors such as average outside temperature, similar homes nearby and last year’s consumption.
• Projecting your electricity use and estimated cost for the current billing period based on your consumption patterns.
• Putting Power Smart tips into action and signing up for automatic email alerts to check back in and stay on track with your conservation goals.

Detailed consumption data gives you the right information at the right time, and helps you identify where you can save energy to keep your bill as low as possible (watch how the Greens track their electricity use to save on their electricity costs). While many of our customers can now view and track their daily electricity use, you may be among those customers who won’t have access until later this year. Make sure to log in to MyHydro regularly to see if your account is activated.

Manage your account online to save time

A growing number of BC Hydro customers regularly use bchydro.com to manage their account online. When you log in to MyHydro, you can view your bill and payment history, select a payment method, and even start, stop or move your service. When you log in to MyHydro, you’ll find these account functions in the account services toolbox.

Log in or create a MyHydro Profile

If you’ve always managed your account online, your BC Hydro Profile is now your MyHydro Profile. Never managed your account online? Create a MyHydro Profile and link your account to get started.

It appears in the material that yours and others in similar homes power consumption will be public , and the system certainly lends itself to eventual two rate system to take advantage of off-peak usage and since there is little competion  in the monopoly, that could mean that the lower rate could be the same as now and the peak rate move up in cost. Unless this efficiency brings all hydro down.

Opinion: this is really different and appealing to techies however our time is worth something and the prudent will control this and not let it dominate their time.

Today in History: March 11,2006

Chile gets its first female president, Michelle Bachelet.

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• B.C. Hydro softens stance on smart meters, says consent needed to install (vancouversun.com)
• $75 from BC Hydro’s Power Smart Challenge (lovinglifeagreenjourney.wordpress.com)
• B.C. Hydro based smart meter business case on 5% holdouts (bcpoliticalreports.com)
• Chile’s Michele Bachelet at CSW on preventing violence against women (voxxi.com)