Skip to content

News Release

This news release was posted more than two years ago. View our latest news releases here.

BC Hydro Smart Metering update

VANCOUVER – BC Hydro has put in over 1.1 million smart meters across the province  and installation is now more than 60 per cent complete.

Once smart meters are  fully operational they will:

  • Help get the lights back on faster during  power outages; 
  • Keep rates low by helping BC Hydro operate more efficiently  and help to reduce  wasted electricity
  • Provide customers with new tools to conserve energy and money.

Further, the BC Centre of Disease Control recently posted a report on their website that confirms smart meters are safe. Among others things, the report concludes that smart meters use low-level radio waves to communicate and the radio frequency drops significantly the further a person is away from the meter. Read the full report: Measurement of Radiofrequency Emissions from BC Hydro’s Itron Smart Meters

A newly created video on smart meters can be found on BC Hydro’s website. Entitled, "Smart Meters 101, the Power to Save," shows  customers why smart meters are an important step toward modernizing the power  grid and how they will help customers better manage their energy use.

Our redesigned Smart Meters page on the website features a new Myths: Facts vs. Fiction section and a survey that will collect customer feedback about the program.

Almost 1.9 million new meters are being installed across the province and like any new electronic equipment BC Hydro is finding a small number of units that stop working shortly after they are installed. Utilities in other jurisdictions have also experienced this situation. This is similar to what BC Hydro experienced with the installation of digital meters which have been used  for the last 10 years.

BC Hydro has several quality control steps to help prevent meter or meter reading errors from affecting its customers. On rare occasions, some billing errors may occur. When this happens, BC Hydro finds the problem, fixes it and promptly rectifies the situation with its customer.

About BC Hydro


Fifty years ago, British Columbians turned to BC Hydro to build the clean electricity system they count on to power B.C.'s economy, create jobs in every region, and keep the lights on. Now, BC Hydro is building again for the next 50 years. B.C. continues to grow and so has the need for more electricity. That’s why BC Hydro is building and renewing electricity infrastructure, and encouraging conservation to meet today’s needs and those of future generations.
 

-30-

For more information, please contact:
BC Hydro, Media Relations
604.928.6468
bchydro.com/media