TheStar: What’s the return on $1 billion smart meter investment?

TheStar What’s the return on $1 billion smart meter investment?

The article could editorialize just a little.

Having the two payment options wouldn't drive up the cost of billing - it's a boolean entry on a computer (TOU or RPP).  But the reporter might want to investigate the IT spending that accompanied the $1 billion on the smart meters themselves
- the figure $700 million came to mind, something about an updated billing system and IBM winning a contract, if I recall correctly.  It little search shows IBM winning a contract regarding smart meters, and another shows lots of dollars in IT contracts continued to be awarded..


The Star article notes, "Toronto Hydro says its figures show 80 per cent of customers have had increases averaging $1.50 a month, while 20 per cent had decreases averaging $3.70 a month."  That's exactly what the math indicated would happen (I wrote on it here, and also to the PC critic and NDP leader's office as long as a year ago).  I've also written previously that a intelligent government would have spent more time studying the non-pricing elements of a consumption shifting program, such as the one's in an Oklahoma study.