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Probe finds no problems with PG&E's Smart Meters but criticizes roll out
A long-awaited investigation into PG&E's Smart Meters has found that the residential meters being installed in millions of California homes are "consistent with industry standards and performing accurately."But the report blasted PG&E for its customer services practices, finding that the San Francisco-based utility did not adequately address customer complaints and concerns about the new technology.
"I am happy to hear that PG&E's Smart Meters are functioning properly, but disturbed by PG&E's lack of customer service and responsiveness," said California Public Utilities Commission president Michael Peevey in a statement released shortly before the PUC's 10 a.m. meeting.
The California Public Utilities Commission hired the Structure Group of Houston to perform the independent evaluation of PG&E's Smart Meters. Under it's $1.4 million contract, Structure was charged with determining if PG&E's Smart Meters are measuring, collecting and billing electric use accurately.
As part of its work, Structure performed accuracy tests on a random selection of already installed Smart Meters and conducted "side-by-side" meter tests, in which a second smart meter was installed at the homes of some customers. They also analyzed complaints from some customers who reported skyrocketing bills, looking at electric use patterns in the months before the Smart Meter was installed. And they tested some of the old, electromechanical meters that are being removed. Electromechanical meters use gears and dials, much like the mileage odometer on a car, and if worn down can under-report a household's electric use.
Consumer advocacy groups like TURN, The Utility Reform Network, had called for a moratorium on any new Smart Meter installations while the investigation was underway. But PG&E has installed 5.6 million to date, at a pace of about 10,000 a day, and remains on target to have 10 million installed by 2012.
Two vendors provide the meters for PG&E: General Electric and the Swiss company Landis+Gyr..
Redwood City-based Silver Spring Networks, a venture-backed company that has several of the nation's leading utility companies as its clients, provides the communications software.
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商人●說客●選舉
張惠玲 2010/05/21
商人是以利益導向的，畢竟他們不是公務機關，也不是非營利團體，這點前提要先確立！但是作法漂不漂亮，這影響了社會對這企業的觀感。接著就來看看PG＆E做的一連串好事！
(Part 1 )
去年夏天前，PG＆E寄來通知，要免費幫住戶換裝一個名為smart meter新電錶，這個電錶可以幫住戶調整用電量、省電云云。
有這麼好的事嗎？心理有點懷疑。他們花人工物力免費幫住戶汰換電錶，只是為了響應節能時代，幫大家省荷包的錢？又不是公家單位，心理一絲懷疑，也決定採取「不意思表示」行為，靜觀其變。雖然心理也有一絲念頭：會不會是我的小人心在度他們的君子腹？
沒多久，再次收到要求授權的信函，這次更好了，授權汰換還會奉上30還是50元的coupon！平常我們就不是貪小便宜的人，現在看到電商捧著鈔票拜託要免費幫你換，來省你家電費，真是情操偉大之至！ 家裏的用電量本來就不多，冬暖夏涼的房子即便是夏天，冷氣開的次數也是屈指可數，基本上我們沒有耗電量大的這個問題！搞不懂這背後的意圖，還是決定繼續保持沉默。
第三次就直接接到電話了。只要我口頭授權即可進行這個汰換的動作，而且電錶是裝在屋外，人員不用在家等云云.....。我找了個委婉的理由拒絕了！
舊電錶有「五個指針」，新電錶只有「一個電子數字」。
之前有看過報導，許多美國人家庭因金融風暴家裏用度要量入為出，對於電費的節省有採「預付」的，超過這個月我能負擔的電錢，電力公司就停止供電，來避免家計超支。還有的人是看著電錶上的指針，來調整家裏的用電量。
現在這個新電錶只有一個數字，如何去幫住戶省錢，完全操之在PG&E了！
PG＆E幾乎是獨佔市場，加上太陽能廠商PG＆E也還是個寡佔，可以想見回應客戶的傲慢態度，住戶不滿投訴媒體，引起更多有類似經驗的住戶迴響。
至目前為止，PG＆E已在北加服務範圍內安裝550萬個智能電表，但已有數百戶投訴他們的帳單在新電表安裝後飆漲，並有一名用戶對PG＆E提出訴訟。
於是州參議員介入了，要求PG＆E要提出報告。PG＆E之前堅稱只有「少數」用戶的Smart Meters計費有誤，前幾天公佈的調查報告中，終於承認有問題的電表數量可能高達5萬個。
（part 2） 前兩個月這間電力公司說要開始調整電費，因為北加州、中加州產業別不同，用電量不同，將對用電量少的提高基本電費。我心想，這是訴求節能省碳的時代耶，我有沒有看錯阿，這等於是在「懲罰省電、鼓勵耗電」？心理還是一絲懷疑？是我英文差還是記者誤值？
晚間新聞也對此報導大撻伐一番，證實了這個新聞。原來重裝電錶的目的，根本就是要讓公司更好的掌握大家的用電量！ (part 3) 6月8日加州公職初選選票上，有五個附帶公民表決的提案，其中「提案16」為：「對地方公共電力提供機構規定三分之二選民批准的新要求。
憲法修正案動議」 這個提案把它「白話文」後就是說：如提案通過，地方政府使用公共資金或債券為新客戶、新地區提供電力，或社區選擇購買其它公司電力，如太陽能等，須經過三分之二選民投票批準。 這個提案無異是為加州「改用太陽能為電力來源」設下門檻！原來這提案就是PG&E 投入3500萬元護航，遊說產生的一個提案。阻斷地方政府有可能因推廣太陽能括分他的電力市場。
