posted<\/i> Mar 17, 2015 at<\/i> 9:00 PM<\/p>\n
Rotraut Knopp made headlines last year by refusing to pay her BC Hydro legacy fee. \u00a0She made it through the entire winter without BC Hydro power and she says she’ll never go back.<\/em><\/p>\n Erin Haluschak –\u00a0<\/b>Record Staff<\/i><\/p>\n Rotraut Knopp is looking forward to sunnier skies \u2014 literally.<\/p>\n The 71-year-old Ships Point resident had been living without electricity since Oct. 30 when BC Hydro cut off power to her trailer after she stopped paying her monthly legacy meter fee for her analog meter.<\/p>\n Following a month of propane heat, oil lamps and making soup on her Coleman stove, Knopp installed solar panels in December. While she admits it is not as convenient as electric power, she said \u201cit\u2019s been really worthwhile.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s going really well. The way I do things have changed; I\u2019m more aware of what needs to be done. I don\u2019t need to do laundry when it\u2019s dark for days.\u201d<\/p>\n Because of health implications, Knopp refused to have a smart meter installed, and had been paying the usage portion of her hydro bill, but refused the monthly fee.<\/p>\n In April 2014, the B.C. Utilities Commission approved BC Hydro\u2019s request for a monthly charge of around $30 for reading an analog meter and administration fees.<\/p>\n Knopp said she owed more than $150 in fees, but the idea of paying to restore the service or installing a smart meter was not an option.<\/p>\n She was served 10 notices from BC Hydro since June, and the company ultimately cut her power at the end of October.<\/p>\n \u201cWe make a lot of effort to work with the customer to make arrangements for them to pay their bill or to arrange a (payment) schedule,\u201d said Ted Olynyk, BC Hydro\u2019s manager of community relations for Vancouver Island. \u201cBut the rest of us are expected to pay our bill \u2026 all of our customers are treated equally. If you buy gas or go to a restaurant \u2013 it\u2019s the same. Your bill must be paid.\u201d<\/p>\n Knopp remained defiant and is now completely \u201coff the grid\u201d.<\/p>\n Knopp explained while she has added additional solar batteries since the original installation, the panels are working out very well, allowing her to \u201cbe more conscious of my surroundings.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf it\u2019s cloudy the whole day, I\u2019ll wait until there\u2019s enough energy to do laundry or vacuum, then I\u2019ll do it.\u201d<\/p>\n She said as a result of installing the panels, she has become more self-sufficient, and noted even on the cloudiest of days, she still gets some electricity.<\/p>\n If the power to the batteries drops below 60 per cent, Knopp uses her generator as a back-up source. Fully charged, the batteries provide power for about four or five days, she added.<\/p>\n \u201cLast week there was a lot of sunshine and I used just enough power for what came in. (To use panels) you have to be willing to learn and I like learning.\u201d<\/p>\n Knopp hopes her switch to solar electricity will inspire others to think about their power use. As a result of her conversion, she has neighbours considering the switch.<\/p>\n \u201cUsing solar allows me to think more about what nature is doing and act accordingly. I\u2019m glad \u2014 it teaches me things about what I haven\u2019t paid attention to before.\u201d<\/p>\n photos@comoxvalleyrecord.com<\/i><\/p>\n