CBC: Smart meter overbilling complaints investigated by Hydro-Québec
From Take Back Your Power
Excerpt
Hydro-Québec is looking into complaints that its new smart meters are overbilling homeowners, following a CBC investigation.
The provincially owned power utility is in the process of installing close to 4 million next-generation meters across Quebec “” a switch the utility had claimed would save it, and by proxy its customers, millions of dollars.
Marc Magendie lives in a two-storey home in Laval. He says he”s extremely careful with his electricity consumption, so he was shocked when his hydro bills doubled after a new smart meter was installed. Magendie got his first surprise in January “” when he received a bill for more than $1,000. He normally pays between $450 and $500 for that same time period.
smart-meter-customer-overbilling-hydro-quebec Marc Magendie says he doesn”t know how he”ll afford his increasing hydro bills. “I”m running a very tight budget and that increase is breaking me.” (CBC) Marc Magendie says he doesn”t know how he”ll afford his increasing hydro bills. “I”m running a very tight budget and that increase is breaking me.” (CBC) Magendie responded by reducing his electricity consumption even further. “I”ve got a programmable thermostat “ I don”t use my dishwasher, I only do laundry once a week when they”re full, I use a drying line.” But he says it hasn”t made a difference. Magendie”s bills have already cost him nearly $3,000 for this year. Normally, he says he pays an average of about $2,000 per year for electricity.
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