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Do You Know What This Is?

By
Real Estate Sales Representative with RE/MAX West Realty Inc., Brokerage

Do You Know What This Is?

New Ontario Smart Meter



If you answered a "hydro meter", you were partly right.

What the picture is, is actually a brand new SMART METER, that was installed at our house yesterday.  Not just any old hydro meter, let us tell you.

The old meters could only measure the amount of electricity being used over an entire billing period.  The new Smart Meter will record the total electricity consumption hour by hour.  And it is capable of sending that information wirelessly to the utility company.  This new meter makes time-of-use pricing possible.

They say by the end of 2010 that every home and small business in Ontario will be equipped with one of these meters.  This meter will allow you to manage your power consumption.  The goal is to get us to adjust our habits and use the power in off hours putting less demand on the system.

They have developed daily and seasonal time-of-use periods.  The cost of using the power will depend when you use it.  There are three different times of use: on peak, mid peak and off peak.  By using power in the off-peak times you would be able to take full advantage of the best prices and also help the system by using the power when demand is at it's lowest.  In general, weekends,  holidays  and the hours of 10 pm to 7 am on weekdays will be rated as off-peak times.

By setting your timers on your dishwasher, washing machine and dryer you will be helping yourself financially and at the time putting less strain on the power systems.

We all have to do our part to help Mother Earth, there are many ways of reducing our waste to put less strain on the enviroment.  This Smart Meter will help all of us do our part. 

To learn more ways of helping the enviroment, check out fellow rainer Chris Smith's recent blog.

Comments (13)

Sylvie Conde
Sutton Group-Associates Realty Inc., Brokerage - Toronto, ON
Broker, Toronto Real Estate

Al & Peggy, I have been conserving energy since before Smart Meters were born. :)
I always do my laundry very late at night, etc. (off-peak hours).

The smart meter was installed at my house months ago, and they're still going around the neighbourhoods here, changing the few that haven't been done yet.

We can all do our (small) part to help Mother Earth, as you say.

 

Oct 31, 2009 10:45 AM
Jane Peters
Home Jane Realty - Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles real estate concierge services

This is a great tool.  I wonder when it will hit the U.S. if it hasn't already. 

Oct 31, 2009 11:49 AM
Michelle Gibson
Hansen Real Estate Group Inc. - Wellington, FL
REALTOR

Al & Peggy - The Smart Meter definitely sounds smart.  I've always wondered what times were consided "off peak."  Thank You for sharing!

Oct 31, 2009 12:33 PM
Al & Peggy Cunningham, Brokers
RE/MAX West Realty Inc., Brokerage - Brampton, ON
Our Family Wants To Help Your Family!

Hi Sylvie, we tried to do our part here and there with the auto thermostat to turn the air off when we were not home and the furnace down at night, but now this will make us really watch.  Like you I guess we ran the dishwasher and washer late at night as well.  We have even turned off our water heater (when we remembered) before taking off for the weekends.  Hopefully it all adds up! :)

Hey Jane, it must be on its way we are sure.  You probably don't have them yet if you are unsure.  They sure put out a big hoopla beforehand up here and gave us months and months of notice that they will be charging more for hydro during peak hours. You'll have to shut down that nifty new computer when not using it! Keep an eye out for it! ;)   

We are all late night "washers" now Michelle, laundry and dishes!

Oct 31, 2009 12:33 PM
Suesan Jenifer Therriault
JTHIS-Professional Home Inspection Team - Blakeslee, PA
"Inspecting every purchase as if it were my own".

We've had those installed here as well. Another great feature of these meters is that they can tell from the main office if the power is out in one particular house thus preventing pipes in vacation homes from freezing in the winter.

Oct 31, 2009 01:16 PM
Al & Peggy Cunningham, Brokers
RE/MAX West Realty Inc., Brokerage - Brampton, ON
Our Family Wants To Help Your Family!

Wow, that is fantastic Suesan.  We just noticed in our billing that our Hydro company will actually control our meters, turning our thermostats and air conditioners up and down.....mmmmm too much "outside" control for us!  But, sure would be useful as you mentioned above if they can prevent pipes from bursting!  Have a great night Suesan.

Oct 31, 2009 03:28 PM
Jason Crouch
Austin Texas Homes, LLC - Austin, TX
Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (512-796-7653)

Very interesting stuff.  I hadn't even heard of this before - seems like it improves a lot of areas.

Oct 31, 2009 03:48 PM
FN LN
Toronto, ON

Hi Al and Peggy - To make things "simpler", the peak, mid-peak and off-peak hours are different for the summer rates (May 1 to October 31) vs winter rates (November 1 to April 30).  Also, the off-peak rates are the same/similar to our rates right now.  mid-peak and peak rates are much higher.

I think a lot of people will have much higher bills in the future.

Oct 31, 2009 05:48 PM
Mary Yonkers
Alan Kells School of Real Estate/Howard Hanna Real Estate - Erie, PA
Erie/PA Real Estate Instructor

Al & Peggy--Time of Use  option has been available in my area and I have considered it.  Thanks for the reminder.  I may re-think the idea as most of my house runs on electricity.  Mary

Nov 01, 2009 12:25 AM
Steve, Joel & Steve A. Chain
Chain Real Estate Investments & Mortgage, Steve & Joel Chain - Cottonwood, CA

Al & Peggy, In California these meters have been used with large commercial customers for a number of years.  It sure adds another level of understanding to the term "Smart Home".  ATB

Nov 01, 2009 01:55 AM
Al & Peggy Cunningham, Brokers
RE/MAX West Realty Inc., Brokerage - Brampton, ON
Our Family Wants To Help Your Family!

There is always something new out there Jason,  This one may costs us in the long run!

Oh no more to remember Marc! You mean just when we get used to the proper time they are going to change it on us?

Mary, we did not have a choice in the matter. Good old Hydro just came and changed the meter!

Really Steve in commercial.  Interesting!  Not really sure if our hydro company has got our commercial spots yet or not. Will check into that! 

 

Nov 01, 2009 05:55 AM
Not a real person
San Diego, CA

We've got them out here, but my concern is that if everyone moves their energy use to off hours, don't those off hours now become on hours and the former on hours now become off hours? Where does it end? Let's just turn the lights out and go back to a nice campfire.

San Diego beach fire pit

Nov 08, 2009 06:41 AM
Al & Peggy Cunningham, Brokers
RE/MAX West Realty Inc., Brokerage - Brampton, ON
Our Family Wants To Help Your Family!

Good point Russel, soon they will be telling us what days we shower, do the dishes, or do the laundry.

Nov 10, 2009 01:41 PM