Smart meters (as being installed in the Dallas / Fort Worth area) have two metering channels. Without a net metering agreement in place, both channels measure power flow as "incoming". If the customer were to remove the meter and reinstall it "upside down" (as has been done by a few customers in an attempt to "un-use" some of the accumulated power and thus reduce their bill), power flow would still register as "consumed". There would also be evidence of tampering because one of the channels that normally would read zero .. would under the above conditions register consumed power.
Conversely, if the customer has a grid-intertie agreement with the power provider, a specially programmed version of the meter is installed, with channel 'A' reading incoming power; and channel 'B' recording outgoing power. Where a net metering agreement exists, billing is based on channel A consumption minus channel B backfed power, and the customer is charged for the difference. Where variations on this theme exist .. such as for TXU (a large north Texas utility), they bill consumed power at a retail rate, and credit backfed power at $0.075/kW-h, with no limit on the amount that can be backfed. The customer then pays the difference. Green Mountain Energy credits backfed electricity dollar-for-dollar against the retail consumed power up to 500 kW-h, and at a reduced scale above 500 kW-h. I would have to believe other "smart" meters around the country work on a similar basis, with options for time-of-use billing, etc. .. which we don't yet have .. but I can foresee it coming. Dan --- On Mon, 3/7/11, William Miller <[email protected]> wrote: From: William Miller <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Smart Utility meters To: "RE-wrenches" <[email protected]> Date: Monday, March 7, 2011, 12:10 PM Joel: It is my understanding that Smart meters will prevent unauthorized (guerilla) grid-tie installations from reducing energy costs. You can still defray your costs as long as you don't try to run the meter backwards. If you do, the amount you sell is accounted for as consumption. Is that your understanding as well? If this is true, Smart meters are not detrimental to approved intertie installations. William Miller At 07:22 AM 3/7/2011, you wrote: Smart meters for whom? Smart meters (toll booths) are just another way for electric utility companies to increase their revenue and stop customer-owned solar power distributed generation. -----Inline Attachment Follows----- _______________________________________________ List sponsored by Home Power magazine List Address: [email protected] Options & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List-Archive: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out participant bios: www.members.re-wrenches.org
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