[TowerTalk] BPL.... very important point missed

[Tom Anderson]

Tod:

In Texas, Texas Utilities (the "corporate name" of the old Texas 
Electric Service Company, Texas Power and Light, and Dallas Power and 
Light), has both a "winter rate" and a "summer rate".  Also TU recently 
split its meter reading and distribution services into different 
companies since Texas "deregulated" who you can name as your electric 
power provider.  TU still owns the poles, wires, etc. but a company 
called "ONCOR" is responsible for reading meters, etc. and they have 
another company responsible for power generation.  Even though you might 
pay another company for your electricity usage, you still have to call 
TU, whoever when you power goes out, etc.  TU is also the provider of 
choice, that is if no other utility wants to take your business, TU must 
take you as a customer.  For that "privilege" they can also put you in a 
pool of customers like the insurance companies' mandatory "assigned risk 
pool" where the worst drivers can buy auto insurance, but they pay out 
the nose for it too.

Tom, WW5L
Colleyville TX



Tod Olson - Idaho wrote:

>My memory is faulty on this, but I seem to recall that in the
>Minneapolis-St. Paul area the meters were converted to RF reading. It was
>such a disaster that it was stopped. I believe that they have gone back to
>manual reading on a periodic basis with a final reading whenever there is a
>change in ownership.
>
>In today's new world of special energy charges for various times of year it
>may be that a monthly reading rather than an estimate followed by a
>correction periodically is going to be required before the Power
>Distribution companies can put such variable rates into place. I wish I felt
>that energy deregulation was going to be a more positive thing than it was
>in the ENRON event. I guess a few guys "got theirs" and they lived in Texas
>so it was OK.
>
>Anyway, without the political overtones, I conclude that if BPL is of
>interest for meter reading it might have legs. That is not the "vision" that
>has been presented to the FCC commissioners as far as I know.
>
>Tod, K0TO
>
>
>
>  
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com
>>[mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com]On Behalf Of Bob Nielsen
>>Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2004 7:20 PM
>>To: towertalk at contesting.com
>>Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] BPL.... very important point missed
>>
>>
>>On Thu, Jan 08, 2004 at 07:08:23PM -0000, Jim Jarvis wrote:
>>    
>>
>>>I appologize for piling on, here...but it hadn't occured to me
>>>that BPL would enable power companies to automate their meter
>>>reading.  A digital back-channel, if you will.
>>>      
>>>
>>Does anyone have details on how the power companies handle their remote
>>meter reading?  Obviously the bandwidth requirements are not very high,
>>particularly outside the time-of-use scenario.  My power company (Puget
>>Sound Energy) switched out the meter over a year ago to one which would
>>give them the ability to remotely read it, but provided no information
>>on the method used.  I pick up a lot of <S9 birdies, but no hint of
>>broadband noise similar to that of the BPL audio clips on the ARRL web
>>site (I suspect the birdies are from computers and other digital
>>devices in the neighborhood).
>>
>>Bob, N7XY
>>Bainbridge Island, WA
>>_______________________________________________
>>
>>See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers",
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>>
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>>    
>>
>
>_______________________________________________
>
>See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
>
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