Dear Editor,

I do not know what planet Eric J. Bysouth lives on [Smart meters cheaper, Jan. 10 Letters, Langley Advance].

He either works for BC Hydro or has been sucked in by their brainwashing and bullying tactics. Not only are smart meters expensive to install, they were very expensive to buy, and BC Hydro bought them with taxpayers' dollars.

Mr. Bysouth claims that, over time, these meters will save us money. Give me a break. It might save BC Hydro money, but does he really believe that BC Hydro will pass on the saving to its customers? Since when has that happened?

Perhaps Mr. Bysouth can explain to the hundreds of meter readers who will be hitting the unemployment line where the savings are with these smart meters.

Not only do the meters emit an unacceptable amount of radiation, but the signals sent out by them are sent in every direction to the known universe. Thieves will no doubt intercept these signals from a simple receiver, to be able to determine the perfect time to break into your home - when you are not home - which they can determine by power usage.

My power usage is between myself and BC Hydro, and is nobody else's business.

By allowing a smart meter to be placed on your home, you are consenting to your power usage information to be shared between your house and every house with a smart meter (or thief with a receiver) between your residence and the BC Hydro headquarters.

They have suckered the majority of the sheeple in this province by lying to them about the frequency of emitting signals, the amount of radiation emitted, as well as their full intentions that they have in store for us in the near future.

The meters will cost us all a lot more when BC Hydro introduces a rating system to coincide with peak and low usage rates. Instead of lowering the price per kilowatt during non-peak times, the current rate will become the rate for non-peak periods, and BC Hydro will increase the price for power usage during peak times (from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., for example).

If families that are already taxed to death and squeezed financially want to save money and be "Power Smart," they will have to get up at 3 a.m. to do their laundry, wash dishes, and take baths and showers.

Since the meters send signals several times a second, BC Hydro will be able to more accurately know the exact amount of power needed at anytime for a given area - this will allow them to sell off the surplus power to other provinces, as well as south of the border. Does Mr. Bysouth think that BC Hydro will be sharing those profits with the citizens of this province? Get real!

I can also envision BC Hydro shutting off the power to your house immediately the day after a bill is not fully paid or is past due - do not worry, they will re-connect it for a hefty fee as soon as you pay the bill.

They have also used bullying to try and convince informed, concerned citizens who do not want these meters on their property and are happy with the analog meters that have worked fine for decades. They no doubt will charge a large sum of money if the meters are forced upon us and we have previously (and rightly) refused them - this is what they are threatening citizens who are still undecided.

The taxpayers in this province used to own BC Hydro and the hydro-electric dams that generate our power - the citizens paid for it and built it with their hard-earned money. We were all essentially shareholders.

When BC Hydro was "privatized"? I do not remember BC Hydro giving back dividends to the shareholders.

It is long past due that citizens look past the lies, propaganda, bullying, and threats of this un-elected group of thugs at B.C Hydro.

Between TransLink, BC Hydro, B.C. Ferries, and other non-elected groups that continue to rob us of our hard-earned dollars, enough is enough.

I encourage everyone to get informed (more informed than Mr. Bysouth), and refuse to have a smart meter placed on your property. And if you have had one installed already, get it removed - it is your right to do so, since it is illegal for BC Hydro to be sharing your personal energy consumption information.

I also urge everyone to join the many coalitions fighting for our rights, and sign petitions to make our so-called representatives start representing us, not BC Hydro.

Doug Nickason, Langley