mike honcho
Knuckleheads
DALLAS — All Texas homes and businesses are slowly being switched over to "smart" electric meters.
The technology lets power suppliers and consumers track usage by remote control.
But some Dallas residents who already have "smart" meters monitoring their power use claim that their electric bills are skyrocketing. They believe the new meters are to blame, and they're fighting back.
On Sunday afternoon, dozens of Oak Cliff residents gathered at Norma's Diner to discuss the issue.
"It's really good to know that I'm not alone," said Oak Cliff resident Ree Wattner. "They're not just doing that to me — they're doing that to all of us."
Oncor Electric Delivery assures consumers that the high-tech meters are working properly.
"By and large, both the old electro-mechanical and the new smart meters are highly accurate," said Oncor spokeswoman Catherine Cuellar. "It's not that peoples' meters causing their high bills; it's low temperatures that are causing the high bills."
Some of the electric users aren't convinced; they're ready to launch a campaign of sorts, going door-to-door to raise awareness and garner support — hoping that they can get enough residents with the same problem to convince Oncor that its "smart" meters aren't so smart.
The technology lets power suppliers and consumers track usage by remote control.
But some Dallas residents who already have "smart" meters monitoring their power use claim that their electric bills are skyrocketing. They believe the new meters are to blame, and they're fighting back.
On Sunday afternoon, dozens of Oak Cliff residents gathered at Norma's Diner to discuss the issue.
"It's really good to know that I'm not alone," said Oak Cliff resident Ree Wattner. "They're not just doing that to me — they're doing that to all of us."
Oncor Electric Delivery assures consumers that the high-tech meters are working properly.
"By and large, both the old electro-mechanical and the new smart meters are highly accurate," said Oncor spokeswoman Catherine Cuellar. "It's not that peoples' meters causing their high bills; it's low temperatures that are causing the high bills."
Some of the electric users aren't convinced; they're ready to launch a campaign of sorts, going door-to-door to raise awareness and garner support — hoping that they can get enough residents with the same problem to convince Oncor that its "smart" meters aren't so smart.
