FortisBC Inc. (FortisBC) Application for a Certificate of Public ...

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FortisBC Inc. (FortisBC or the Company)
Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity
for the Advanced Metering Infrastructure Project
Response to British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC or the Commission)
Information Request (IR) No. 1
balanced perspective on AMI”, 6 participants marked “strongly disagree” and 2 marked
“disagree” for a total of 8 or 36.3 per cent.
Response:
Submission Date:
October 5, 2012
Page 290
119.2.2 What would FortisBC do differently to improve the balanced
perspective of the information it provides to its customers?
FortisBC believes that the information it provided to customers (and continues to provide
through www.fortisbc.com/ami) presents a factual, balanced perspective that included
discussion of EMF concerns. However, FortisBC cannot control how the information it provides
is perceived.
As is the case with open houses on potentially controversial subjects (whether at FortisBC or
elsewhere), many people that take the time to attend have strong negative opinions related to
the topic of discussion. FortisBC submits that the AMI open houses understandably attracted
customers with strong negative opinions regarding the project.
Response:
119.3 Does FortisBC consider it has the support of the majority of its customers to
proceed with the project? Please provide additional evidence in support.
FortisBC does not believe that the majority of its customers are opposed to advanced metering.
As written at Exhibit B-3, Tab 9.0, Section 9.1, p 144, of the 159 randomly chosen customers
participating in ISP consultation, “46 per cent of participants had positive comments on AMI; 27
per cent had neutral comments; 15 per cent had negative comments.”
As of September 28, 2012, FortisBC has been contacted by 324 individuals indicating their
disapproval of the AMI project and/or refusal to accept an AMI meter. This is less than 0.3 per
cent of the approximately 115,000 electricity customers served by FortisBC. Given the very
negative media portrayal of “smart metering”, this small percentage would indicate that a
significant majority of FortisBC customers either do not have a negative opinion of the AMI
project or are in favour of the project.