My power company may be a thief, so I called 911

National Grid is the electric provider for most of Massachusetts. Weeks ago they announced they would be coming around to install new ‘smart’ meters, with no other warning than that. They showed up on my property in a nearly unmarked vehicle and parked in front of my garage. My driveway is a quarter-mile long, so coming up here is unusual. Nobody comes here to sell Girl Scout cookies, if you know what I mean. When something like that happens, Smith & Wesson and I usually go to see what’s up.

They set off a lot of cameras, and my wife and I called each other to contemplate what to do. Well, the decision was pretty easy when our house alarm went off after someone opened the front door. I told her to hang up and call 911. She did. When I was able to pull over, I did the same. Better two than one. I used my best dispatch voice. After I gave the address, I said there is an intruder in my home, and they are alone. A couple calm, key words get things moving when you need to.

The problems were that my wife didn’t lock the door before she set the alarm and the door didn’t latch. They said they knocked on the door and it opened. I’m sure that wasn’t entirely true, but there is nothing missing, and we learned our vulnerabilities.

National Grid hit all of us with the new smart meter rollout. They said how great it would be for us. Our electricity would be managed efficiently (RED FLAG). We could see what we use minute by minute. (ANOTHER RED FLAG). I didn’t really care because I produce far more than I use with solar, so I feel like I’m out of the loop. But a good friend of mine was furious. She was bugging me weeks ago, and I fluffed it off.

As slow as I am coming around, I am persistent. "Meh" isn’t always the answer, but sometimes you are placed in a battle you didn’t choose.

This is just a bad rollout with a bad device on top of bad home defense with miscommunication. Here in Massachusetts, we call that Monday. My friend started on how intrusive it was. I let it slide. However, with all of the police at my house, Monday pushed me over the edge.

We can’t fight it.

Let me re-phrase: We can’t fight it without triggering that irrational Irish rage. I can’t play that card; it plays itself. However, this experience made me at least tell you guys about it, so you know what’s coming. It’s coming to every state.

We are the guinea pigs of the great Massachusetts social experiment of smart meters. First test on us to see what happens. Then, if we don’t go Shays’s Rebellion on them, do the more sophisticated parts of Mass. I will be the first to rip my meter out and throw it into Boston Habah if anyone wants to join me. Got yours, Dr. Robert?

What’s all the fuss, I would say? I have all the electricity I would ever need with the solar panels.

I like to watch Mike Urbin on YouTube now and then. (I don’t subscribe.) Every day he digs up dirt on Massachusetts corruption. He made a video on smart meters, and I rolled my eyes. That was 24 hours before I would be calling 911 on my smart meter installation. He added a few points I never considered, so cheers to him. Video link.

This intrusion was arrogant and handled improperly, but it wasn’t a robbery. I’m grateful for the opportunity to improve my security without any loss. I know my neighbors. The police know my neighbors. These people are putting themselves in a dangerous situation. Let me just say it. They may get shot due to a misunderstanding. The police were called five times before us. Afterward, my wife went to talk to the chief, and he was called out again for a 911 hang-up. Probably the same situation.

I wasn’t robbed in this situation but how about in the future? They are just laying the groundwork for things to come.

By the amount of data they are collecting, they will know when you are home and what you are doing when you get home. Everything has an electrical signature. For instance, your well pump is one horsepower and cycles on and off on a regular basis. They will know if you get up four times per night to pee (Doug).

They know which burner you use on a regular basis. Usually at the same time of day. They know if you usually cook a big meal or just heat things up in a microwave. This information will all be sold as targeted advertising.

An electric family signature isn’t just for advertising. If the government suspects you are doing anything whatsoever out of the ordinary, you will pop up on the radar. They could use your signature as evidence in a crime.

The part where we will be getting robbed is as follows: You will use more power during certain times of the day. Everybody will tend to use more in the morning while getting ready, then a lot when you get home after supper time. They could implement surge pricing. This would raise the rates when you need them most. This is the lie about saving costs. Once they implement this, your rates will skyrocket.

The brilliant point Mike Urbin mentioned was that they will implement surge pricing on an individual basis. If you work nights and get home at 4 am, that is your surge time of day.

The live cellular data mine is set and can’t be stopped without large fines. If I opt out, there is a monthly fee and an inevitable fine once I am forced to switch. I could have been off-grid from the amount of money ‘The Grid’ extorted from me to bring power onto my hill. I couldn’t get an occupancy permit without being tied to the grid.

Was I robbed now or later? Or later but not now? Am I robbed now and later? Am I robbed neither now…. Ha, scratch that last one.

I made this YouTube clip above just for this post. It’s one of my cameras watching my boat. The power meter is to the right of the boat.

Email from the Grid on 7/14:

Your new electric meter installation is happening soon.

Like any aging appliance, your meter needs to be replaced. The typical installation should take our trained technicians only minutes to complete, and will not require you to be at your home or business. However, if you have an indoor meter, we will need someone there to allow us access to it.

With your new smart meter, you can look forward to benefits including:

• More customer control, with secure access to how and when you use energy—which could help you lower your bill
• Faster, near real-time readings, available within minutes
• Enhanced outage monitoring, storm response and more

Most electric meter installations require an interruption in power, usually for less than 10 minutes. For all customers in National Grid’s Life Support, Blind and Disabled, or Medical Protections programs, your meter will not be changed without making contact with you in advance.

Your new meter will be installed regardless of account status or current balance.