HYDRO FOUND BYPASS, THEN CUT CLIENT'S POWER

Customer Still Not Happy About Failure to Notify

A local resident whose power was cut by BC Hydro on the incorrect
assumption their home contained a marijuana grow-op says she still
hasn't received a satisfactory explanation from the electrical utility.

Teresa Tuazon, who lives with her husband in an older house at the
corner of No. 7 Road and Westminster Highway, was told by her landlord
that BC Hydro cut the power because there were signs of tampering with
the electrical meter.

As reported in the Sept. 14 edition of The Richmond Review, their
power was cut on Aug. 12, the day after their new smart meter was
installed, and wasn't restored until Aug. 31.

BC Hydro spokesperson Jennifer Young said that signs of tampering were
indeed found at the house.

Keith Anderson, director of deployment for the smart metering project,
said a BC Hydro inspector found a meter bypass, indicative of
electricity theft.

But it could not be determined who was responsible for the theft, and
the inspector said it was likely that the current tenants were not
involved.

But Tuazon said she still isn't happy, as said BC Hydro should have
informed them directly about its safety concerns.

"They should have let us know. If we had a fire, and they didn't let
us know about it, whose fault is it?"

In a perfect world, Anderson said BC Hydro would have been in
communication with both the landlord and tenant.

As for the time it took to reconnect the home, that came within 11
business days of receiving the necessary paperwork from the landlord,
which came on Aug. 16.

Meanwhile, Tuazon has been told to submit a claim for the spoiled food
from her fridge and freezer that resulted from the power outage, as
well as the damage to several electronic devices and appliances that
mysteriously stopped working after the power was cut.