Dear Editor:
I would like to make some comments about the "smart" meters. The arguments against are quite clear, so I won't bother repeating them. The arguments for are generally specious, so I won't bother addressing them. What I would like to do is illustrate why time-of-use billing won't save power.
My life schedule is strongly determined by my work schedule. I have to get up at 4 a.m. every weekday to make it to work on time. The earliest I get home is 5 p.m. The remaining 11 hours are allocated to essential activities and, mainly, sleep. There is no significant flexibility in any of this. It doesn't matter how sophisticated the meter is. I either do what I need to do, or I turn the power off and freeze in the dark. I do have a small amount of flexibility on the weekends, but not much. I think that the large majority of Canadians probably face similar constraints. Time-of-use billing won't save power.
Victor Finberg, Burnaby
