It appears both BC Hydro and the provincial government are backing down on plans to force the new smart meters on customers who don’t want them.
Critics of the billion dollar program say the wireless technology used by the smart meters is unhealthy, and thousands have blocked Hydro from replacing their old devices.
Energy Minister Rich Coleman says Hydro will be working with customers to help them understand the benefits of the smart meters but in the meantime, they will not be installed without a homeowner’s consent.
Earlier this month, Hydro insisted they are mandatory, saying it would be too expensive to maintain an updated smart meter grid at the same time as the old meters.
Hydro says about 93 per cent of their customers have had their meters switched, but almost 85,000 holdouts remain.
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