Smart Meter Experience (living, linear, retiring)

[cdmoore125]

Originally Posted by lenora

Well, that's interesting! I've never enrolled in Peak Rewards and I would never voluntarily choose to do so. My very elderly father enrolled and wondered why it was uncomfortably hot in his house. He, to, cancelled.

BGE has worked diligently to contact and notify everyone enrolled in Peak Rewards after the episode in July 2011 with lackluster communication. Your thermostat may also be cycled if you subscribe to Smart Energy Rewards. Both are great programs if you aren't in your house during the hot hours of the day. For those that are home or have special conditions, they may wish to unsubscribe. BGE sends notices in the mail, text, email, and phone calls - basically to contact information they have. If you have online access, it's very easy to change or a phone call will do the trick. I advise calling before the peak hours of the day - tomorrow will be especially busy given the forecast.

BGE PeakRewards
BGE Smart Energy Rewards

[Calvert Hall '62]

On Energy Savings Day (or whatever it's called) June 23, I held out using the AC until the temp inside at 3pm was 84F. It was miserable. We lucked out in a way when a rollicking T-Storm came through in late afternoon and I shut down the system until after 7pm when the test ended. Savings $9. Worth it? Hell no.

[cdmoore125]

Originally Posted by Calvert Hall '62

On Energy Savings Day (or whatever it's called) June 23, I held out using the AC until the temp inside at 3pm was 84F. It was miserable. We lucked out in a way when a rollicking T-Storm came through in late afternoon and I shut down the system until after 7pm when the test ended. Savings $9. Worth it? Hell no.

You don't have to participate if you are going to be home. I saved $10.63, and I barely made a change to my habits because I rarely get home in time. I just didn't run my dehumidifier that day. The entire point is grid stabilization, not socialism of costs. You pay for what you use, when you use it.

[Calvert Hall '62]

Originally Posted by Calvert Hall '62

On Energy Savings Day (or whatever it's called) June 23, I held out using the AC until the temp inside at 3pm was 84F. It was miserable. We lucked out in a way when a rollicking T-Storm came through in late afternoon and I shut down the system until after 7pm when the test ended. Savings $9. Worth it? Hell no.

$12.59 for July 21. Still not worth it.

[steppinthrax]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

What will eventually happen will be you either get the SmartMeter installed or you'll be charged a $50/month maintenance fee for manual reading of your old meter.

At least you're being given the choice, they came into here and changed them all one day and notified us afterwards.

I haven't noticed much difference, although last summer I did get lower bills (at least that's what the letter said) because my usage was below predictions on those really hot days. Over the summer it might have been $40 or so.

The SmartMeter itself is just another way to keep track of your usage. By itself it will neither raise or lower your bills. The technology allows you to track your usage and make adjustments. Like not running your clothes dryer during the heat of the day when all the air conditioners are running full blast. I didn't need a different meter to know that.

My bills have gone down the last couple months since I replaced a very old, inefficient hot water heater (which was in way worse shape than I knew).

Wow,

I thought you were going to say something like tin-foil hats, UFOs and gov mind control!!

[cdmoore125]

Originally Posted by Calvert Hall '62

$12.59 for July 21. Still not worth it.

Ok, I don't know why you continue on this. You don't have to do anything for this. You don't have to participate in PeakRewards, in fact that requires you to sign up for it. Then if you don't want to cut your usage when the grid is most unstable, you don't have to. Easy to find at the links below.

https://www.bge.com/smartenergy/smar...nrollment.aspx

BGE Smart Energy Rewards

Further, Maryland just upped their requirements on energy savings, so there will be more. See below.

Maryland Public Service Commission orders utilities to expand energy-efficiency offerings to consumers - Baltimore Sun

But if you don't like it, you don't have to participate. Ultimately there will be time of use pricing, which is how the grid actually works, and you pay more for higher use.

[lenora]

Originally Posted by cdmoore125

Ok, I don't know why you continue on this. You don't have to do anything for this. You don't have to participate in PeakRewards, in fact that requires you to sign up for it. Then if you don't want to cut your usage when the grid is most unstable, you don't have to. Easy to find at the links below. <snip>

But if you don't like it, you don't have to participate. Ultimately there will be time of use pricing, which is how the grid actually works, and you pay more for higher use.

No, he doesn't need to continue, but why not? He can share with us his total "savings" this summer.

FWIW, I strongly dislike BGE/Constellation/Exelon. My elderly father, a shareholder for umpteen years, has made a boat load of money off his BGE/Constellation/Exelon stock. He likes the dough, but not the way the company earns it.

I understand that you feel you need to "defend" your employer and that's o.k., but we also need to hear from consumers like CalvertHall'62.

[cdmoore125]

Originally Posted by lenora

No, he doesn't need to continue, but why not? He can share with us his total "savings" this summer.

FWIW, I strongly dislike BGE/Constellation/Exelon. My elderly father, a shareholder for umpteen years, has made a boat load of money off his BGE/Constellation/Exelon stock. He likes the dough, but not the way the company earns it.

I understand that you feel you need to "defend" your employer and that's o.k., but we also need to hear from consumers like CalvertHall'62.

Why? He can share it all, but if he does not like a program, he can choose to not participate. It seems as though he didn't have all the necessary information, so I provided that.

That's great that he made a lot of money on his stock, but you're talking shareholder/stakeholder theory and corporate governance. With a regulated utility, perhaps views should really lean a direction differently that most places. It's like arguing politics, so I'm going to leave that there.

I feel the need to defend the industry, because people don't understand how it works. I don't expect a consumer to be as savvy with their energy as a steel mill, but the information is there. If it isn't disseminated to CalvertHall'62's likeing, then I was provide the necessary information.

[trickymost]

Originally Posted by cdmoore125

Why? He can share it all, but if he does not like a program, he can choose to not participate. It seems as though he didn't have all the necessary information, so I provided that.

That's great that he made a lot of money on his stock, but you're talking shareholder/stakeholder theory and corporate governance. With a regulated utility, perhaps views should really lean a direction differently that most places. It's like arguing politics, so I'm going to leave that there.

I feel the need to defend the industry, because people don't understand how it works. I don't expect a consumer to be as savvy with their energy as a steel mill, but the information is there. If it isn't disseminated to CalvertHall'62's likeing, then I was provide the necessary information.

The industry does not need to be defended, they are driving towards their own demise.

The reality is once any number of near-mainstream energy technologies become mainstream, the utility as we know it is dead. People will be able to generate and store their own energy, and sell it to others via the energy technology companies who are building the software to make this marketplace a reality.

You would think utilities would realize technology never stands still, but no, they use politics and lobbying to make the status quo remain the status quo for as long as they possibly can.

In the end, it won't matter, technology will work around any barriers they throw up and in a few years everyone will be able to go off the grid and give a big FU to BGE and everyone else if they so desire.

[Calvert Hall '62]

Originally Posted by cdmoore125

I feel the need to defend the industry, because people don't understand how it works. I don't expect a consumer to be as savvy with their energy as a steel mill, but the information is there. If it isn't disseminated to CalvertHall'62's likeing, then I was provide the necessary information.

Last 3 report cards from BGE:

4/14/15-6/12/15: All neighbors with similar size house=2,670 kWh; Efficient neighbors 1,565; Me 897 (43% less electricity than efficient neighbors.)

2/13/15-4/13/15: All neighbors with similar size house=3,645 kWh; Efficient neighbors 1,905; Me 1,301 (32% less electricity than efficient neighbors.)

12/12/14-2/12/15: All neighbors with similar size house=4,345 kWh; Efficient neighbors 2.356; Me 1,432 (39% less electricity than efficient neighbors.)

I do not sacrifice any personal comfort and therefore cannot take credit for these report cards. The reason for the relatively low energy use is the fact that I'm a widower living alone. E.g., never use the electric range, wash only one load of clothes every two weeks, and so on.

Having said all that, the individual Energy Savings Days are mean. E.g., during this most recent one, I spent much of the day in the lower level, a daylight basement where the temp never goes above 65F. Kept the A/C off all day until 6pm when the upstairs temp hit 85F. Payoff was $12+, not worth it.

The thing about Energy Savings Days is that they're comparing you with yourself. If you already have a good track record, the additional savings probably won't be significant.

No disrespect intended to BGE. The power outage crews really do their best when storms hit. Mom was a secretary for BGE and always raved how well they treated their employees even after retiring. Like the other poster, I have shares of Exelon common passed down from mom as BGE shares.