Information & Perspective by Warren Woodward
(November 5, 2016)
APS has been presenting what they call “Technical Conferences” for all intervenors in the APS rate case. The ostensible purpose of the meetings is to explain various aspects of APS’s rate case, but the meetings are mostly just APS propaganda.
As most everyone knows, APS wants to make “demand rates” mandatory for all residential customers except those using 600 kilowatts hours or less per month (up to 7,200 kilowatt hours per year). The “demand rate” would apply between 3 pm and 8 pm weekdays, and would be based on your highest one hour average demand during that time. In other words, the most electric appliances you use during a particular hour will determine your “demand charge” for the entire month, regardless of what the rest of your demand during the month might be. Conserve all you want, but that one hour will set your “demand charge” for the month. Read More→
2 Comments
So how will APS figure demand rates for those who opted out of smart meters?
Tyler – APS is proposing that people who refuse SMs get a non-transmitting digital meter. No more analogs. The digital would be able to keep track of demand & TOU, and it would be read manually once a month. APS is asking for $15/mo. for that.
BTW, it is logically impossible to “opt out” of SMs since no one ever “opted in.” In other words, “opt out” is a utility propaganda term.
Those who control the language control the debate.