I've been working professionally, and as a volunteer through non-profits, on renewable energy and efficiency since the mid 1990s, including being a VP at one of the largest solar installers in the US, and I am AGAINST "smart meters" because the entire concept is a giant waste of money.
There has been ZERO "energy savings" expectations or goals stated from these being deployed in Vermont, only lots of statements like "eventually this will enable more blah blah blah." How many kwh is Vermont going to save, Bernie, from these meters? How long till this $125 million is made up? You never mention this because the answer is "zero, or never".
Vermont is spending $125 million to replace our PERFECTLY FUNCTIONAL/RELIABLE analog meters with these new surveillance devices aka "smart meters." Denmark has more than 20% of the energy in it's grid coming from intermittent wind/solar, WITHOUT SMART METERS. We're wasting a huge amount of $ that should go to ACTUAL LOCAL RENEWABLE ENERGY PRODUCTION.
Smart meters make sense for three purposes, and three purposes only:
Those who say we need "smart meters" to increase renewable energy are either mis-informed, or outright lying, because there's not a grain of truth to this. Those who say smart meters will help people reduce their power use, are also mis-informed, or lying. To reduce your power use, TURN STUFF OFF WHEN YOU DON'T NEED IT. IT'S THAT SIMPLE.
Bernie has proven that he's now a shill for GE and Lockhead Martin with this $125 million boondoggle in Vermont.