Feds And High Use Of Wattage

[Rocketman]

I have herd that there is a danger of the power companies profiling the electricity usage of a residence and reporting to the feds if they believe there is something fishy going on. Certainly the use of several 1000 watt bulbs would raise an eyebrow. Does any one know if this is true?

[Meadow]

I don think adding a few lights into the mix will raise to many eyebrows. Its when there is a 1000$ difference in price between months that things begin to look suspect...but even then.

 

Ive heard "stories" of this, people talking about electrical usage and getting reported, but ive yet to actually hear any actual validity to it. Most cases, i think it only becomes an issues when your talking about major electrical usage. Read some of the articles about "being busted" and energy consumption. 95% of the time, the police were tipped off by other reasons....and during the course of their investigation they realized the energy usage, again after the fact. Energy usage being up 3-4-5x higher than previous months, can be a tip off, but not the main reason LEO starts an investigation. Alot of those cases, people were going 300-3000 plants, so electrical usage would be much greater than that of a caregiver growing for his 5 patients at only 72 plants, even with several 1000k ballasts.

[Nemosity]

I don't know if this is true or not. Looking at it from a business standpoint, If I were getting paid for the usage each and every month, I would be elated that someone was using more and wouldn't even think of reporting someone, then loosing this customer. But on the other hand, if the feds come scratching around and ask for records.... If there isn't a law on the books saying they can't do this, they will. But it would most likely come from the federal level, not the power company. However, with Obama putting a moratorium on going after medical growers, I sincerely hope this doesn't happen, but it's not impossible...sadly...

 

 

----Nemo

[phaquetoo]

Nemo I hear ya, They dont care its all about money! sheet I got an electric hot water heater and 7 people at home, wanta talk about electric bill?

 

Rocket man you say you are just moving here,,start the lites as soon as you move in and there wont be any change in usage!

[Jipo]

Its all automated, Pay your bill and noone will look at it. Its when you don't pay your bill that people begin reviewing things, at that point it will draw a red flag when you have a 1000+ watt spike consistently at the same time daily...

[Rocketman]

Thanks all for the help. Like with most things i am the preverbial boy scout. I prepare for the worst and expect the best. Any worthwile change in life is never easy.

[peanutbutter]

Back in '06 and '07 I switched from a electric cloths dryer to a gas dryer.

 

That moved some of the electric load.

 

I guess you could run everything off a natural gas powered electric generator.

 

I don't think it's a big thing in the states. I've heard about such things in Canada, but not in the states.

 

Remember that these companies exist to sell electricity. It works against themselves if they try to get their best customers arrested.

 

JUST PAY YOUR BILL. Don't try to steal the electricity.

[Grow Thread]

JUST PAY YOUR BILL. Don't try to steal the electricity.

 

you said it.

 

the power companies will not tip off leo. believe that to be 100% true and factual. as was stated earlier, AEP uses an automated system, so pay your bill and you are fine. and yes, they would much rather sell you $300 worth of electricity than have you steal it.

 

now if you have a nosy neighbor/idiot mailman who decides to raise eyebrows about things, your electric bill is a quick and easy place for leo to check your consumption patterns and add evidence for probable cause (warrant).

 

stay legal, stay safe