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Old January 18th, 2014 #61
Bev
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NewsFeed
Smart Appliances Used In Cyber Attacks

Chris Carrington

The Daily Sheeple

January 18th, 2014


California security company Proofpoint have said that for the first time hackers have used smart appliances to launch a cyber attack.

The ‘botnet’ attack took place over a two week period from December 23rd according to the company. Hackers penetrated home-networking routers and connected to media centers, television and in once case a refrigerator to create a platform capable of delivering spam or phishing emails.

David Knight from Proofpoint told Sky News US:

“Botnets are already a major security concern and the emergence of thingbots may make the situation much worse. Many of these devices are poorly protected at best, and consumers have virtually no way to detect or fix infections when they do occur. Enterprises may find distributed attacks increasing as more and more of these devices come online and attackers find additional ways to exploit them.”

The incidents took place between December 23rd and January 6th and targeted both companies and individual homes worldwide. Waves of malicious email, sending up to 100,000 emails at a time up to three times a day were detected.
http://vnnforum.com/showthread.php?t=171107
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Old January 18th, 2014 #62
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It is a well known fundamental principle of electrical motors, that they use more energy starting and stopping than when kept at a constant speed. This principle is particularly relevant to Fridges and freezers which use next to no current when left constantly on than when switched on. In the case of Industrial Fridges the start up current usage is the equivalent of a years usage if left on.
Further it has been my personal experience that the representatives and agents of energy companies are phone jockies and process management scum and a letter explaining the technical deficiencies of their proposed or applied techniques and policies results in a hefty credit for ones energy bills.
Finally instead of lauding sectarian terrorist murder gangs such as the UVF British nationalists would be better served providing an energy information service for their members and supporters. At the same time they may like to devise a positive energy solution as an applicable policy that will serve the British people
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Old April 29th, 2014 #63
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Post Living in a World Where Your Appliances Spy on You




Imagine this happened to you.

You are fast asleep in the middle of the night, when suddenly you hear the voice of a strange man talking to your baby daughter… from inside her room.

You jump up and rush in there to find that, other than your infant sleeping in her crib, no one is there.

Then you hear him again, screaming, “Wake up, baby! Wake up!”

You focus on the source of the sound — your WI-FI baby monitor camera, which suddenly turns its lens on you without your prompt, so whoever has hacked it can scream obscenities at you in your own home in the middle of the night.

That’s what happened to one Cincinnati, Ohio couple just last week according to WBTV FOX19:

“Someone had hacked in from outside,” Heather said.

So how many other times had someone hacked into their camera and watched their baby through their Foscam IP Camera.

“You do kind of feel violated in a way,” Adam said.

According to tech experts, wireless IP cameras like the one the Shrieks have are an easy way for hackers to open a cyber door directly into your home.

“Any kind of Internet-connected device essentially could be subjected to this,” said Dave Hatter, a solutions expert for Infinity Partners.

And experts say once they get inside the camera in your home, hackers may also be able to get inside your lives.

They go on to recommend changing your password and making sure your software is up-to-date, but that’s it? Is that really going to make these parents feel safer about having a WI-FI, smartphone camera trained on their daughter?

The takeaway is, if you can use it to spy on your child, it can be used to spy on you. The same goes with all this “smart” technology.

And if you think it’s just hackers randomly spying on people this way here and there, think again. It’s corporations. It’s the government. It’s the government in consort with corporations.

Last fall, LG Electronics was caught sending data about its customers viewing habits on several of its “smart TV” models to a company in South Korea — even after one customer changed his privacy setting to “off,” supposedly disabling the TVs ability for “collection of watching info” in the options menu (it is a creepy enough sign of the times that this “option” comes standard anyway).

The company later released an apology statement.

ABC News also released a list of the nine household appliances that might be spying on you: on your habits, on your usage, on the minutia of your daily life:

Your TV (obviously)

Your Cable Box

Your Dishwasher, Clothes Dryer, Toaster, Clock Radio and Remote Control

Your Lights

Your Heat and Air Conditioning

Security Alarms

Insulin Pumps and Pacemakers

Smartphones

Your Tablet and Computer

(They obviously miscounted, but still.)

And Back to the Future promised us hover boards…

Last Spring Wired reported that former CIA Director David Patraeus could hardly wait to spy on people through their appliances when he was discussing how this is all a part of the coming “Internet of Things” — a future where everything is technologically connected to everything else:

“Items of interest will be located, identified, monitored, and remotely controlled through technologies such as radio-frequency identification, sensor networks, tiny embedded servers, and energy harvesters — all connected to the next-generation internet using abundant, low-cost, and high-power computing,” Petraeus said, “the latter now going to cloud computing, in many areas greater and greater supercomputing, and, ultimately, heading to quantum computing.”

Petraeus allowed that these household spy devices “change our notions of secrecy” and prompt a rethink of “our notions of identity and secrecy.” All of which is true — if convenient for a CIA director.

Why do you think the NSA built a $3 billion data hub in the Utah desert?

We are living in an era of Big Data. It was a big talking point at last year’s Bilderberg Conference, after all. Periodicals like MIT Technology Review pose the question “Has Big Data Made Anonymity Impossible?,” which is essentially telling you we live in a ubiquitously monitored information age, so you might as well get used to it Jack.

With the smart grid being raised all around us, life is only going to get more tracked, more traced, more analyzed…and a lot less…private.

How much do you value your privacy these days? Do younger generations even know what privacy truly is anymore?

Well, in the new smart grid we’re all being assimilated into, you really aren’t meant to have any.

Our Brave New World will start in the now forthcoming brave new cities. Go ahead and take a look at your “smart” future:

Contributed by Melissa Melton of The Daily Sheeple.

Melissa Melton is a writer, researcher, and analyst for The Daily Sheeple and a co-creator of Truthstream Media. Wake the flock up!

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Old July 2nd, 2014 #64
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Post Breach: New Computer Virus Can Cripple Power Plants With the Click of a Mouse



Mac Slavo

Outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano issued an open letter to her successor last year and warned that a “massive and serious” cyber attack targeting the U.S. power grid was imminent. Such an event, said Napolitano, would have an immediate impact on everything from powering your home to grocery food deliveries.

At the very moment Napolitano made her comments, whether she knew it or not, a group of eastern European hackers believed to be working closely with Russia’s electronic spy agency had compromised upwards of 1,000 key infrastructure components around the world that included wind turbines, gas pipelines, aviation system and power plants.

According to cybersecurity firm Symantec these state-sponsored hackers breached industrial control systems’ equipment by first hacking the physical computers responsible for managing grid components and then forcing them to download malware that made it possible to take control of the entire system remotely.

Once in, the hacking group known to security engineers as ‘Dragonfly’ was not only able to monitor the operational status of every component on the accessed networks, but they had gained the ability to shut them down completely – with a single click of the mouse.

Over 1,000 energy firms were infected with a sophisticated cyber weapon that gave hackers access to power plant control systems, it has been revealed.



The software allows operators to monitor energy consumption in real time – and to cripple physical systems such as wind turbines, gas pipelines and power plants at the click of a mouse.



‘Among the targets of Dragonfly were energy grid operators, major electricity generation firms, petroleum pipeline operators, and energy industry industrial equipment providers,’ Symantec said.



‘Dragonfly initially targeted defense and aviation companies in the US and Canada before shifting its focus mainly to US and European energy firms in early 2013.’

‘Dragonfly bears the hallmarks of a state-sponsored operation, displaying a high degree of technical capability.

Symantec analysts say that the new ‘Energetic Bear’ virus is similar to Stuxnet, a malware program that was used by Israeli and U.S. intelligence agencies to remotely shut down the centrifuges used to refine nuclear fuel at Iranian nuclear facilities.

But Stuxnet and Energetic Bear or not unique in how they compromise utility infrastructure networks. The Department of Homeland Security was tracking a number of viruses and trojans as early as 2011 that had similar capabilities. Though the extent of the breaches is not clear, DHS says that it is widespread:

Utilities such as water supplies and the power grid face a rising number of cyber break-ins by attackers using sophisticated attacks.

Acting DHS Deputy Undersecretary Greg Schaffer said that industries are increasingly vulnerable to hackers and foreign agents due to ‘connected’ equipment…

Earlier this month, security researchers demonstrated that it was even possible to remotely ‘open’ jail cell doors if they were controlled using ‘programmable logic controllers’ – common automated controls.

‘We are connecting equipment that has never been connected before to global networks,’ Schaffer said. Hackers and perhaps foreign governments ‘are knocking on the doors of these systems – there have been intrusions.’

According to well known security firm McAfee, the security holes in America’s ailing infrastructure are staggering. A report issued by the firm says that essential utility components like water, power and oil refineries have systems that can easily be compromised by enterprising hackers:

Certainly an outside entity could have a capability today to send many different malware messages into the grid at the same time in such a way that you could take down most of the grid, and maybe all of the grid, he said.

The effects of such an attack, whether executed by a foreign enemy or rogue terrorists, would be devastating to a country like the United States which depends on a modern electrical and communications infrastructure to function.

A long-term event such as the national power outage described by Janet Napolitano could, according to one analysis recently presented before Congress, leave up to 90% of Americans dead. Without electricity America would be at a standstill:

And experts forecast if such an attack were a success, it effectively could throw the U.S. back into an age of agriculture.

“Within a year of that attack, nine out of 10 Americans would be dead, because we can’t support a population of the present size in urban centers and the like without electricity,” said Frank Gaffney, president of the Center for Security Policy.

Despite warnings from private security firms and repeated intrusions by state-sponsored hacking groups from Russia, Iran and China, the United States remains susceptible to a variety of different cyber attacks. Everything from military hardware systems and space agency satellites to public utility services has been attacked in recent years.

The latest attack, believed to be orchestrated by a Russian-backed hacking group, shows that not only can these teams operate for months without being detected, but that they have already breached our networks and may have installed “sleeper” viruses that are simply waiting for commands to be executed on thousands of unsuspecting networks.

Within the span of seconds and with the simple click of a mouse our entire national infrastructure could be rendered useless.

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Old July 10th, 2014 #65
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Post Smart lightbulbs reveal wi-fi passwords



Mikael Thalen

Image: Smart Light (Youtube).

Researchers have found a way to reveal Wi-Fi passwords by hacking mobile phone controlled LED “smart” lights.

White-hat hackers with the UK-based security firm Contextreleased their findingsthis week after successfully obtaining Wi-Fi credentials from 30 meters away.The LIFX lightbulb, yet another addition to the “Internet of things,” allows a user to remotely change a network-connected bulb’s color and strength from a computer or cell phone.

“Armed with knowledge of the encryption algorithm, key, the initialization vector and an understanding of the mesh network protocol we could then inject packets into the mesh network, capture the WiFi details and decrypt the credentials, all without any prior authentication or alerting of our presence,” Context said.

The discovery highlights the inherent danger in having countless home appliances connected to the Internet – as experts predict as many as 50 such devices in the average home by 2022 . Other lights such as the Phillips Hue were successfully hacked last year as well.

“Weaknesses in a popular brand of light system controlled by computers and smartphones can be exploited by attackers to cause blackouts that are remedied only by removing the wireless device that receives the commands…” noted Ars Technica.

While LIFX has reportedly fixed their vulnerability, Phillips disagreed that theirs was an issue.

“George Yianni, head of technology for connected lighting at Philips, told Ars the Hue lighting system was intentionally designed to grant access to any device connected to a user’s home network,” Ars Technica said.

While everyday consumers are still learning of these technologies, the roll-out has long been in the works. In 2010, Yahoo News reported on the emergence of “flickering ceiling lights” that transmit data to computers.

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Old July 10th, 2014 #66
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Oh my god!
Maybe my Mac Weldon boxer shorts are secretly transmitting my penis size!
 
Old July 11th, 2014 #67
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Why the hell would you need your lights, your washing machine, your toaster or whatever, connected to the Internet?? I just don't get that.

I can see it now inside one of those 'smart houses'--you're in the bathroom taking a piss and HAL 9000's red eye lights up and says, "Dave...what are you doing Dave? Your urine stream appears a little weak. May I contact your family physician and schedule you for a prostate examination?"
 
Old August 1st, 2014 #68
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Post The 11 billion Government plan to put "Smart meters" in every British home



The UK government plans to put smart meters into British homes, and the costs of this program will naturally be passed on to reluctant customers. Critics of the plan suggest that this would make homes and the national grid vulnerable to terrorists, but as it’s been confirmed that government agents are most often involved in terror plots, it’s not the ’terrorists’ the average citizen needs to fear.

A whole host of other dangers exist from living in a ’smart house’ with ’smart meters’, and having a monitoring presence in your home 24/7.

[Live Blood Analysis - Observable Effects of RF/MW Radiation via Smart Meters]

[Domestic "Internet of Things" Begins to Merge With The Industrial Smart Grid]

[Is Your Smart Meter Spying On You?]

---

From: The Telegraph

The £11 billion Government plan to put ‘smart meters’ into every British home will be launched this week despite fears they may not work and could open the national grid up to cyber-terrorists.

The meters, which are being introduced to meet EU green targets, will cost households £200 each in an effort to cut down energy consumption and reduce bills.

However official documents have shown that the meters save less energy than predicted and five other countries who had been considering the plan have ditched it after deciding it could cost more money than it saves.

Due to complex technology the metres will also not work in a third of British homes including rural houses, high-rise flats and basements.

Energy companies will begin the installation of smart meters next year at a cost of at least £200 per home, and have admitted the expense will be passed on to customers.

Sir Bob Geldof is launching the publicity drive and will be paid for his role in the campaign.

Smart meters work by recording gas and electricity consumption every 30 minutes. The metres are linked up to monitors called In-Home Displays, which show customers how much power they are consuming at any one time and how much it is costing them.

The Government hopes that having access to this real time information will encourage families to alter their energy use accordingly.

[...]

Read the full article at: telegraph.co.uk


read full article at source: http://redicecreations.com/article.php?id=31195
 
Old August 12th, 2015 #69
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Post Smart meters pose personal surveillance risks, experts say



PITTSBURGH (AP) - Chances are that you've never given your electricity meter a second thought. But in Pennsylvania, it's increasingly likely that your meter is thinking about you.

Under a 2008 state law, utilities have been installing so-called "smart meters" statewide. Unlike traditional meters, which compile a running total of monthly electricity usage, smart meters can track usage nearly in real time, and transmit it to the utility multiple times an hour. The industry says the meters will benefit the environment and consumers, but not everyone is convinced.

"The privacy issues are astronomical," said Lisa Nancollas, a Mifflin County Tea Party activist with the group Stop Smart Meters in Pennsylvania. "They're able to come up with a graph of exactly what you are doing 24 hours a day."

It may seem odd to worry about whether Big Brother is watching you toast your bagel. But the government itself acknowledges that smart meters can be a surveillance tool.

"If law enforcement officers obtained near-real time data on a consumer's electricity usage . their ability to monitor household activities would be amplified significantly," reported a 2012 study by the Congressional Research Service.

That's in part because each appliance has a distinctive electric heartbeat that meters can track. Your refrigerator may have a low steady pulse, while baking a cake may spike the needle like a temblor along the San Andreas fault. "By combining appliance usage patterns," the Congressional study found, "an observer could discern the behavior of occupants in a home over a period of time."

The industry contends that the meters pose minimal privacy risks.

Robin Tilley, a spokeswoman for the Public Utility Commission, noted that Pennsylvania regulations prohibit utilities from releasing usage information to third parties - such as companies selling energy-efficient appliances - without customer consent. As for hackers, Duquesne Light spokesperson Ashlee Yingling said the meters use "multiple layers of security" that include data encryption, and they don't transmit information such as names or addresses.

As the Congressional Research Service notes, such "privacy safeguards . are not foolproof." But even if the information could be hacked, much of it would be "available by monitoring a home and seeing if lights are on," said Sharelynn Moore, a spokesperson for meter-manufacturer Itron, Inc.

Ms. Moore, whose company makes meters for Duquesne Light and other utilities, said the meters offer economic and environmental benefits. Real-time usage reporting means utilities "will know your power is out much more quickly than having to wait for someone to call in." The data can also help customers track and reduce their electricity consumption, or resolve billing disputes.

Eventually, real-time usage data could allow for variable pricing during times of peak demand. That practice could have environmental benefits, advocates say. If customers have an incentive to run their

----- snip -----


read full article at source: http://www.philly.com/philly/busines...b76eba0d9.html
 
Old March 25th, 2016 #70
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Quote:
Millions of lives will be put at risk by plans to offer all families cheaper energy during the night, firefighters say.

To help people cut their energy bills, the Government is working with power companies to fit a 'smart meter' in every home.

As well as recording how much energy you use every half-hour, smart meters will help gas suppliers to charge different rates at different times of day.

Families will see prices fall when demand drops and rise at peak times. This could make it cheaper to run appliances such as washing machines, tumble dryers and dishwashers at night.

However, Money Mail has learned fire experts have serious concerns about the idea. The Chief Fire Officers Association says it was never consulted on whether it is safe to do so.

It warns that running electrical appliances while you are asleep will put your family at greater risk of being trapped by fire.

Andy Reynolds, electrical safety expert for the association, says: 'Never leave a tumble dryer, washing machine or dishwasher running when you have gone to bed or have left the house unoccupied.

'If it is absolutely necessary to run one of these appliances during sleeping hours, then there should be sufficient working smoke alarms correctly sited to alert sleeping occupants.

'Everyone in the household should know what the escape plan is in the event a fire breaks out.'

Energy experts also reacted with horror at the idea. Mark Todd, marketing director at price comparison site Energyhelpline, says: 'It's unbelievable customers are being told to run appliances at night to save money.

'No one appears to have consulted the fire service.

'Everyone in the energy industry advises it and the Government likes it as it spreads out usage meaning we need fewer power stations, but running appliances at night puts you at an increased risk of being trapped in a burning building as you sleep.'

About two million people are signed up for a tariff called Economy 7, which offers cheap overnight energy. Prices are typically slashed for seven hours from 11pm, midnight or 1am.

For decades, people using Economy 7 have been advised to take advantage of this by running washing machines and dishwashers when they are in bed. Now this sort of pricing could be rolled out to millions of families nationwide.

More than a million smart meters have been installed and the Government wants them to be in every household by 2020.

The scheme will cost taxpayers £11 billion, but its backers hope to generate savings of £17 billion by encouraging people to be more energy-efficient.

Smart Energy GB, the national campaign for the devices, says they 'are paving the way for a more energy-efficient future'.

Earlier this month, the National Infrastructure Commission, which advises the Government, said the meters would allow families to 'manage demand for electricity in response to price signals'.

'They might do this themselves or use automated systems to ensure their appliances operate at the most cost-effective times of day,' it continued.

The country's biggest energy suppliers are united in wanting to charge different prices throughout the day. In industry jargon, this is called a time-of-use tariff. British Gas has already tested a scheme that charges more in the day and less at night.

It raised electricity prices by 99 per cent between 4pm and 8pm in the trial with Northern Powergrid and the University of Durham and cut them by 31 per cent at night.

British Gas says on its website that time-of-use tariffs will mean you being charged less for electricity 'if you can wait a few hours' to do your washing.

The accompanying video promises that moving the time of one load of washing a week 'can make a difference to your electricity bill'.

EDF has tested its version of the tariffs, Economy Alert. A study by university Imperial College said it should be 'offered to everyone' if it helps to improve efficiency.

A trial by Npower found that time-of-use charges persuaded nearly 90 per cent of people to run their washing machine at a different time of day.

Claire Maugham, director of policy and communications at Smart Energy GB, says: 'Time-of-use tariffs will be an essential part of managing our future national energy supply by enabling energy use at off-peak times.

'It will be every consumer's choice whether they use one of these tariffs, and we should all carry on following fire safety advice in our homes, whatever energy tariff we're on.

'Britain's smart meter roll-out has been designed with the consumers at its heart, including safety measures such as a carbon monoxide check on all gas appliances in your home as part of the installation.'

A British Gas spokesman says: 'We have no plans to trial or launch any time-of-use tariffs that offer cheaper electricity at night.'

The firm says it is instead hoping to offer free electricity between 9am and 5pm on Saturday or Sunday. EDF would not comment and Npower did not respond.
htt p://ww w.dailymail.co.uk/money/bills/article-3505060/Using-washing-machine-night-cost-life-Firefighters-warn-plan-charge-different-rates-different-times-day.html


Quite aside from any tinfoil ideas about external forces hacking in and being able to control everyone's power, maybe I'm missing something but if nobody uses power during the night, meaning no demand, and they offer cheaper power during the night, isn't everyone going to start using the cheaper power at night, thus creating demand and defeating the object?

Yes, theoretically this means they should use less during the day, but in practice will it work like that? Or will people use more because it's cheaper?
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Old March 25th, 2016 #71
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There is no scientific evidence to support peak hours or off peak hours in the post gas/coal/oil powered turbines era that we live in now.Years ago it was common to switch off turbines when demand or anticipated demand fell obviously when such turbines were off they did not burn gas/coal or oil.
The national grid system was actually invented to keep pace with the technology that had removed the peak and off peak periods in power supply.

The sum of electricity or gas consumed by a consumer will remain the same.However the modern mumbo jumbo for starting and stopping equipment when supposedly "not in use" self evidently is contrary to the science which teaches that motors and electronic devices use up to fifty times their running current when started up.
With the promised new nuclear power stations paid for by taxpayers to supply the national grid coupled with advances in electrical technology the country should be gearing up for a post gas all electric energy supplied country.
Importing gas from Norway is a financial scam and unecessary. Since the UK got rid of town gas and north sea ran out ( Norway extracts it cheaper than we can from the north sea) The UK should have had a strategy in place for an all electric energy system across the nation in place.
As the taxpayer is paying for the reactors and those already working there is no reason why the administration agents otherwise known as energy companies should be restricted to the standard government contract maximum profit margin of 6% of the gross turnover.
Adverts are continually broadcast urging consumers to change energy companies yet the cost of the government financed national grid supplies are identical and designed to be so.
Utility supplies can only really be guaranteed by the government it follows that a civilian army of operatives should be deployed to ensure that the current corruption is removed. One day British nationalists will come up with a policy that reflects the science.
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Old March 25th, 2016 #72
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bev View Post
if nobody uses power during the night, meaning no demand, and they offer cheaper power during the night, isn't everyone going to start using the cheaper power at night, thus creating demand and defeating achieving the object?
Yes, exactly. It's expensive to run a power station, especially if you have to stop and start it every day, and don't use it at night. If consumers use more electricity at night and less in the day, then fewer generators are needed, they can run 24*7, and that makes it cheaper per kwh.

It's the same reason trains are cheaper after 9am and before 5pm, a holiday in France is cheaper in winter, and the cinema is cheaper in the afternoon. See also
Economy_7 Economy_7
.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bev View Post
Yes, theoretically this means they should use less during the day, but in practice will it work like that? Or will people use more because it's cheaper?
Yes, total usage will be more, but not much more - it might be cheaper at night, but not cheap enough to waste.
 
Old February 11th, 2022 #73
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Poorer families face threat of peak hours electricity rationing as expert warns 'surge pricing' tariffs could force households to limit their use
Overhaul would allow smart meter homes to be charged more during peak times
Households will pay less for electricity at night and more when demand is high
Ofgem say the move could save households £4.6bn over more than 20 years
It is hoped encouraging families to spread power use will ease grid pressure
By BEN WILKINSON MONEY MAIL DEPUTY EDITOR FOR THE DAILY MAIL

PUBLISHED: 23:03, 10 February 2022 | UPDATED: 23:18, 10 February 2022



Struggling families could be forced to ration power when they need it most under the drive to go green.

An overhaul of the energy market will allow homes with a smart meter to be charged more for using electricity at peak times.

Households will pay less for electricity at night and more when demand is high under energy regulator Ofgem’s plans.

The move, which the regulator says could save households £4.6billion over more than 20 years, will allow suppliers to automatically receive readings every half hour and set different rates throughout the day.

It is hoped that encouraging families to spread their power use will ease pressure on the grid as more households acquire electric cars and replace gas boilers with heat pumps.

An overhaul of the energy market will allow homes with a smart meter to be charged more for using electricity at peak times. It is hoped that encouraging families to spread their power use will ease pressure on the grid as more households acquire electric cars and replace gas boilers with heat pumps.

An overhaul of the energy market will allow homes with a smart meter to be charged more for using electricity at peak times. It is hoped that encouraging families to spread their power use will ease pressure on the grid as more households acquire electric cars and replace gas boilers with heat pumps. Pictured: A woman reads her utility bills (stock image)

They will have to agree to a ‘time-of-use’ tariff – but industry experts say prices are likely to be cheaper than standard deals.

Yet the energy regulator’s price cap will not apply, leading to fears rates could soar when the price of electricity does.

An Ofgem report also reveals that the benefits to bill payers are ‘modest’, with savings of as little as £2 and no more than £9 a year if they cut back on peak power use.

It comes as soaring energy prices are fuelling the worst cost of living crisis in Britain for 30 years. From April the average bill is set to surge by another 54 per cent to nearly £2,000 a year.



Joe Malinowski, founder of TheEnergyShop.com, said ‘surge pricing’ tariffs could mean families are forced to ration energy use during expensive peak times. He also said a smart meter could even cut off power if the price of electricity suddenly soared.

He added: ‘Some households will inevitably have power outages during peak times when energy potentially becomes unaffordable. We already see extraordinary swings in the price of energy and this is likely to get worse.’

Calculations by the TheEnergyShop show that families cooking an evening meal or watching prime time TV could expect to pay twice what they would in the middle of the night.

Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak hosts a press conference in the Downing Street Briefing Room on February 3, 2022, as he announces an energy bill rebate

Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak hosts a press conference in the Downing Street Briefing Room on February 3, 2022, as he announces an energy bill rebate

The Government aimed to install a smart meter in every home by the end of 2020 – but the deadline has been pushed back to 2025.

Latest figures show that around 25million have been installed, covering nearly half of domestic meters. Yet many still cannot have one because they live in high-rise flats, old properties with thick walls, or remote regions.

Some 4.8million devices have also stopped working because customers switched supplier or turned them off.

A study by the University of Reading found that high-income and middle-income consumers would typically pay more on a time-of-use tariff if their energy habits did not change. But the energy industry insists all households will benefit.

Rowan Hazell, senior analyst at Cornwall Insight, said: ‘There is a lot of talk of surge pricing, but it is likely suppliers will put caps on the amount that prices could reach in a certain half hour, in order to bring an attractive offering to the market.

This programme has the potential to save consumers money.’

Ofgem said: ‘This major system upgrade is a significant milestone on Britain’s path to net zero. It will enable a more efficient, flexible and greener energy system.’

What your meter will do
What is a smart meter?

Smart meters automatically send readings to suppliers. A separate in-house display screen shows customers how much they are spending.

The aim is to put an end to estimated bills and help households cut costs by reducing their power usage.

Do I have to get one?

They are not compulsory. But with energy firms under pressure to meet deadlines to install them to avoid hefty fines, many have resorted to bullying tactics, sending letters implying they are a legal requirement.

Pictured: A woman pours a cup of tear behind a smart meter. Smart meters automatically send readings to suppliers, with an aim to cut down on estimated bills



Regulator Ofgem will allow all smart meters to send readings to suppliers every half an hour by the end of 2025. It paves the way for more households to sign up to ‘time-of-use’ tariffs.

What is a time-of-use tariff?

These offer customers cheaper prices when they use power at off-peak times, such as at night. Some charge a day rate and a night rate.

Others could cut prices when there is an abundance of renewable energy on sunny or windy days.


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...rationing.html
 
Old February 11th, 2022 #74
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Fire warning over cheaper electricity at night amid fears families will leave tumble dryers and washing machines on cycle while they sleep
Using appliances at night put families at greater risk of being trapped by a fire
London Fire Brigade spokesperson says 'you cannot put a price on fire safety'
Fire chiefs not consulted by energy industry over peak hours electricity plans
By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

PUBLISHED: 00:57, 11 February 2022 | UPDATED: 01:08, 11 February 2022



Fire chiefs have raised serious safety concerns about plans to make it cheaper to run electrical appliances overnight.

They warned using dishwashers, tumble dryers and washing machines at night puts families at greater risk of being trapped by a fire while they sleep.

A London Fire Brigade spokesman said: ‘We understand that a balance needs to be struck between energy use, green issues and fuel costs but in our view you cannot put a price on fire safety.

'Some kitchen appliances such as fridges and freezers are designed to run 24 hours a day but while the vast majority are manufactured to a good standard and are perfectly safe, we would not advise leaving them unattended overnight.

‘If a fire breaks out during the night, the risk to life is always greater as it’s very likely people will be asleep and have less time to react and escape the property.’



Fire chiefs have warned using electrical appliances, including washing machines, at night puts families at greater risk of being trapped by a fire while they sleep

The National Fire Chiefs Council said it had not been consulted by the energy industry about the peak hours electricity plans.

A spokesman added: ‘We are conscious of the need to reduce energy bills and supportive of help companies look to provide consumers.

‘But we also urge providers to ensure reduced tariffs are not limited to times when most households would be sleeping.’

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...iances-on.html
 
Old February 16th, 2022 #75
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Can clock-watching really drive down energy bills? Ministers want us to use more energy off-peak - but many find smart meters only save a pittance
Billions of pounds have been blown since the smart meter rollout began in 2009
Cost of installing meters in every home has spiralled from £2.5bn to £13.5bn
This is being funded through hikes to household energy bills for all customers
Ofgem clears way for suppliers to begin changing rates throughout the day
Regulator says the move could save bill payers as much as £4.6 bn by 2045
By BEN WILKINSON and FIONA PARKER FOR THE DAILY MAIL

PUBLISHED: 22:32, 15 February 2022 | UPDATED: 00:50, 16 February 2022

l Smart meters were sold to the nation as a way of saving money on energy bills.

The gadgets automatically send readings and link to a display screen that shows exactly how much power is being used in real time — and how much it is costing.

Billions of pounds have been blown since the rollout began in 2009, with the deadline for completion pushed from 2020 to 2025.


The cost of installing digital meters in every home has spiralled from £2.5 billion to £13.5 billion — and is being funded through hikes to household energy bills.

The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy says households will save an average of £175 by 2034.

So after a costly start, can smart meters really save us money as we face record high energy bills?

Regular rates and readings

Energy watchdog Ofgem last week paved the way for smart meters to send readings to suppliers every half hour.

The move will also let suppliers change rates throughout the day, and will take place before the end of 2025, and the regulator says it could save bill payers as much as £4.6 billion by 2045.






It is a major step towards enabling millions of homes to sign up to ‘time of use’ tariffs that give discounts for power use at off-peak times, but charge more for use when demand on the grid is higher.

Currently, smart meters send out readings every month, but households can opt in to send updates every day or half-hour.

Using data from half-hourly readings, energy suppliers will also be able to better manage supply and demand and make efficiency savings that, in theory, can be passed on to customers. But MPs have raised concerns that supplier savings might not be shared with households.

The ‘time of use’ tariffs will help households save when charging electric cars overnight or powering up heat pumps.

Industry insiders have told Money Mail this is the real benefit of smart meters — and the public should have been told that from the get-go.

After all, academic studies suggest display panels help homeowners to cut down on as little as 3 per cent of their energy.

Roll out: The cost of installing smart meters in every home has spiralled from £2.5bn to £13.5bn — and is being funded through hikes to household energy bills

Save while you sleep

Ofgem documents reveal that half-hour readings will save households as little as £2 a year, and no more than £9.

Research by the University of Reading also found time-of-use tariffs will cost high and middle income households extra if they do not change their habits.

Their figures show running a washing machine at off-peak times is more than three times cheaper than at peak time, and half the cost of standard tariffs.

Leaving an Xbox games console on standby for four hours during peak time also costs more than one hour of gaming at off-peak time. However, charging an electric car in off-peak hours is half the price compared to a standard tariff.

Anthony and Julie Hibbs from Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire have cut their bills by £240 a year with their smart meter. The retired water company employee says: ‘When you see the little meter ticking away, it motivates you to save more money.’

Octopus Energy says customers on its half-hourly ‘smart’ Agile tariff have saved £676 over three years compared to a standard variable tariff or £251 compared to a fixed deal.

The supplier has capped peak prices at 35p/kWh, which is 23 per cent above the price cap. Yet if and when, wholesale prices plummet, electricity could be free for those on these tariffs.

Octopus says it has even paid households up to 10p per kWh to use electricity in ‘price plunging events’ when there is excess power on the grid. In May 2020, one driver was paid £4.51 for charging his Tesla when demand for power slumped.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/bi...rgy-bills.html
 
Old February 17th, 2022 #76
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Smart meter rollout near RAF base is stopped amid fears the devices' signals could hamper nuclear missile warning systems
People living near RAF Fylingdales in North Yorkshire were refused smart meters
Radio frequencies used by the metres could disrupt anti-attack radar equipment
Letter sent by the government to households said the meters needed 'new tech'
By IMOGEN HORTON and NIAMH LYNCH FOR THE DAILY MAIL

PUBLISHED: 01:32, 17 February 2022 | UPDATED: 02:19, 17 February 2022



The rollout of energy smart meters to homes close to an RAF base has been halted amid fears they could interfere with a nuclear missile early warning system, it was reported last night.

People living near RAF Fylingdales in North Yorkshire are said to have been refused meters due to concerns the signals they send could disrupt radar equipment which warns of possible attacks to the UK and US.

The radio frequencies used by smart meters are thought to be too similar to those at the base.

The rollout of energy smart meters to homes close to an RAF base has been halted amid fears they could interfere with a nuclear missile early warning system, it was reported last night


A letter sent by the Government’s energy department to households said some would need ‘new technology’ for meters, The Daily Telegraph reported.

Smart DCC, which runs the smart meter radio network, said a ‘solution’ to the problem was being made available locally.

The letter explained that ‘a special type of communications hub’ would be needed for smart meters at the affected properties to ‘connect to the national smart metering network’.



One local resident posted on a Money Saving Expert forum that they were unable to get ‘SMETS2 smart meters’ as they ‘operate at a radio frequency which will cause interference with an RAF airbase, RAF Fylingdales’.

‘All the potential energy suppliers just say ‘No; you are ineligible for a SMETS2 smart meter’ and leave it at that,’ they wrote.

People living near RAF Fylingdales in North Yorkshire (pictured) are said to have been refused meters due to concerns the signals they send could disrupt radar equipment which warns of possible attacks to the UK and US

People living near RAF Fylingdales in North Yorkshire (pictured) are said to have been refused meters due to concerns the signals they send could disrupt radar equipment which warns of possible attacks to the UK and US

Mike Hewitt, the chief technology officer of Smart DCC, which runs the smart meter radio network, said ‘a solution that works for consumers in the area and the RAF’ had been built.

‘Hundreds of premises near Fylingdales have already been connected with the new smart meter tech,’ he added.

A BEIS spokesman said: ‘New smart meter technology is already being deployed into homes in the RAF Fylingdales area, joining millions of other consumers.’

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...g-systems.html
 
Old June 28th, 2022 #77
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Families could be PAID to use less energy in peak hours as network bosses try to slash blackouts risk
The measures come amid spiraling energy costs made worse by war in Ukraine
Households with smart meters could be paid £6 per kilowatt-hour not used
The National Grid is looking at expanding the measure which is now under trial
By ARCHIE MITCHELL FOR THE DAILY MAIL

PUBLISHED: 00:54, 28 June 2022 | UPDATED: 01:01, 28 June 2022


Struggling families could be paid to use less energy this winter as the National Grid tries to cut the risk of blackouts.

Consumers with smart meters will be paid to cut their usage during peak times under plans being considered by the company.

National Grid sees the plans as a cheaper and more environmentally friendly way to keep the lights on than paying fossil fuel power plants to increase production.

The firm responsible for transmitting and distributing electricity and gas is scrambling to mitigate the effects of the energy crisis sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It has led to Russia restricting energy supplies to Europe.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...outs-risk.html
 
Old September 21st, 2022 #78
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Is it finally time to get a smart meter?: Are the gadgets safe, will they save you cash — and could your supplier cut you off?
Despite the new price cap, bills will still be double what they were last winter
Smart meters automatically sending regular meter readings to your provider
Some suppliers refusing to offer the devices due to a global equipment shortage
Concerns devices leave struggling households at risk of being remotely cut off
By HELENA KELLY FOR THE DAILY MAIL

PUBLISHED: 21:51, 20 September 2022 | UPDATED: 07:49, 21 September 2022


As winter looms, energy price hikes will soon hit home. Despite a new price cap, bills will still be double last year.

And as households frantically seek ways to cut costs, many will be scrutinising their power consumption like never before.

So is now finally the time to get a smart meter? As well as automatically sending regular readings to your provider, which should mean more accurate bills, these gadgets come with a monitor that shows your usage in real time.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/bi...save-cash.html


No chance of me having one of these fitted.
 
Old October 17th, 2022 #79
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Chinese smart meters could be a threat to power supplies in Britain if used as 'a Trojan horse that could pull down the whole of the grid', experts warn
Thousands of smart meters installed in UK have links to Chinese Government
Three major UK energy supplies have struck a deal with Kaifa Technology UK
There are already 250,000 Kaifa meters installed in homes across the country
Experts fear Beijing could 'destroy' the national grid because of the rollout
By MILES DILWORTH INVESTIGATIONS EDITOR FOR THE DAILY MAIL

PUBLISHED: 22:38, 16 October 2022 | UPDATED: 23:45, 16 October 2022


A quarter of a million smart meters made by a firm linked to the Chinese government have been installed in UK homes, sparking fears Beijing could ‘destroy’ the national grid.

At least three major UK energy suppliers have struck deals with Kaifa Technology UK, which is controlled by a subsidiary of the state-owned China Electronics Corporation (CEC).

There are already 250,000 Kaifa meters in homes across the country, according to industry figures obtained by the Daily Mail.



It has sparked accusations that penny-pinching energy firms are ignoring ‘a Trojan horse that could pull down the whole of the grid’ as they source cheaper meters.

Tory MP Sir Iain Duncan Smith, co-chairman of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, slammed ministers for their ‘complacency in assessing the risk posed by Chinese state-owned companies’ and exposing Britain to ‘the security risk posed by an aggressive’ Beijing.

How our supply could go off with a flick of a switch
All smart meters in the UK are fitted with a remote controlled off switch.

This is not essential to their functioning, but utility companies argue it saves them money if they don’t have to send a bailiff to disconnect a house should it default on bills.

But the measure has sparked security concerns.

If the switches were used to turn off a significant proportion of meters in tandem, the national grid would be generating far more energy than was being used.

This would trigger a surge and damage substations, leaving entire cities without power.


It comes after the head of GCHQ warned that China’s plans for global technological dominance posed a ‘huge threat to us all’.

Sir Jeremy Fleming said China was seeking to create ‘client economies and governments’ by selling technology cheaply to other countries in order to leverage influence.

The UK Government has ordered telecoms equipment from Chinese tech giant Huawei to be stripped out of the UK’s 5G network.

But Nick Hunn, a director at WiFore Consulting, who gave evidence to a parliamentary inquiry on smart meters, warned that Kaifa could represent a greater threat.

He said this was because all meters featured a switch that can be used to remotely turn off power, potentially blacking out homes and ‘destroying’ the national grid.

Energy suppliers say meter manufacturers cannot access this switch, but Mr Hunn said it ‘shows a frightening lack of complacency if they think the system can’t be hacked’, adding: ‘It is handing a loaded gun to China.’

The International Cyber Policy Centre has designated CEC as ‘very high risk’ due to its role as one of China’s leading producers of military electronics, while the US has blocked the use of Chinese smart meters.

But Octopus Energy hailed the installation of its 100,000th Kaifa meter this year by declaring it was ‘just the beginning’ of a ‘great partnership’. Ovo Energy has ordered 38,000 Kaifa meters for 2022 alone, while Eon has signed a four-year deal with the Chinese firm.

Multiple industry sources have told the Mail that Kaifa is winning around 20 per cent of contracts by undercutting European competitors by as much as 30 per cent.

They believe Kaifa’s strategy is to use the UK market to gain credibility before it ‘jacks up’ prices.


An Octopus spokesman said Kaifa meters constituted less than 4 per cent of its installations.

Both Energy UK and the Government stressed that all smart meters operating in Great Britain were subject to ‘robust security standards’.

Michael Wu, head of Kaifa UK, said the accusations were not ‘an honest reflection of our company’ and a result of an ‘adversarial political narrative’.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...tics-fear.html
 
Old November 7th, 2022 #80
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Couple switch to smart meter and are horrified to be charged £13,000 gas and electricity bill in one night
Couple has expressed 'horror' after being hit with £13,000 energy bill overnight
Stewart and Gayle Neely from Kilmarnock went from being in credit to huge debt
Family believes problems started when they installed smart meter in October
Supplier OVO energy apologised for mistake and topped up the couple's credit
By ELENA SALVONI FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 11:05, 6 November 2022 | UPDATED: 16:08, 6 November 2022


A couple has expressed their 'horror' at being hit with a whopping £13,000 gas and electricity bill after they installed a smart meter in their four-bedroom home in Kilmarnock.

Stewart and Gayle Neely usually keep a close eye on their bills and pay £156 per month for their gas and electricity, which went up to £177 last month.

But after checking his balance on supplier OVO Energy's website, Stewart was shocked to find that overnight it had shot up to over £13,000.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...art-meter.html
 
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