PG&E “Smart” Meters

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. is quickly losing precious credibility with the East Bay community. Their widespread installations of the new “SmartMeters” brought complaints that the meters overstate electricity usage and lead to higher bills.


However, PG&E doesn’t seem to have a solid stance on the issue.

On the one hand, PG&E swears their new SmartMeters are 100% reliable, and they aim to test the meters side by side with the older analog meters. PG&E will randomly pick 150 Northern and Central California homes and test the new meters against the old meters for three months.

On the other hand, PG&E attempted to clear up the confusion/controversy at a state Senate hearing Monday, but their statement poked holes in their own story. San Jose Mercury News reports the quote from Helen Burt, a PG&E senior vice president:

"Last fall, when we said 'the meters work,' we meant it," she said. "They do. But that doesn't mean that every single one of them works 100 percent of the time."

So what percent of the time do they work? Seems like it’s not enough to keep customers happy. The same company that made the $2.2 billion investment in the SmartMeters is the one evaluating them. What is that called again? Conflict of interest?

Luckily, the California Public Utilities Commission also has announced that it will require an independent evaluation of whether the SmartMeters are allowing PG&E to gouge consumers. Hopefully the California Public Utilities Commission doesn’t have a conflict of interest as well.