This is the second part of a three-part series on the topic of smart meters and wireless technology. Last week we looked at Xcel Energy’s local installation of smart meters and the laws that regulate utility metering in Wisconsin. This week we will be taking a look at the science and the FCC regulations regarding safety standards for wireless technology, and at the potential for changes to federal regulations around wireless.
Smart meters are also known as “advanced metering infrastructure” or AMI meters, which use radio frequency (RF) waves to transmit information, similar to a cellphone or Wi-Fi computer network. A smart meter produces RF waves in approximately the same frequency range as a typical cell tower, but depending on where it is, it can cause much higher RF exposures than cell towers do. Most people have heard about the possibility that some cancers might be linked to cell phone usage; cell phones, Wi-Fi and smart meters all use the same basic wireless technology. Another term commonly used to describe RF radiation is “electro-magnetic frequencies” or EMF. While many express concerns about the possibility of privacy invasion related to this technology, this article will focus on its health and legal aspects.
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