Just Say No to Big Brother’s Smart Meters by Orlean Koehle
communication among the many meters is provided by a 900 MHz band transceiver RF LAN (local area network). A HAN feature is supported by a 2.4 GHz transceiver. Data collection was carried out in a laboratory setting and at residences and in neighborhoods in southern California and Colville, Washington, supplemented with theoretical modeling studies. The results indicate that RF fields from the investigated smart meters are well below the maximum permitted exposure (MPE) established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for the general public. For instance, at one foot, the time-averaged RF field from an end point meter would be expected to not exceed 0.8% of the MPE) established by the (FCC). For the cell relay, the RF field would not exceed 0.2% of the MPE. Even at very close distances, such as one foot directly in front of the meter, with an unrealistic assumption that the transmitters operate at 100% duty cycle, the resulting exposure is less than the FCC MPE. When viewed in the context of a more typical, realistic exposure distance of 10 feet, the RF fields are much smaller, about 0.008% for the end point meter and about 0.002% of MPE for the cell relay. For occupants of a home equipped with a Smart Meter, interior RF fields would be expected to be at least ten times less intense simply due to the directional properties of the meter. When the attenuation afforded by a stucco home’s construction is included, a realistic value of the interior RF field would be about 0.023% of the MPE for an end point meter and about 0.065% for a cell relay. Regardless of duty cycle values for end point and cell relay meters, typical exposures that result from the operation of smart meters are very low and comply with scientifically based human exposure limits by a wide margin.
Application, Value and Use: This report documents an investigation of the characteristics of RF fields associated with Itron Smart Meters. The project was undertaken to improve understanding of public exposure to the RF emissions produced by smart meters and to respond to public concerns about potential health effects.
EPRI Perspective: Measuring electric energy consumption with so-called smart meters in residential and commercial environments is becoming more commonplace as part of the development of Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) in the electric utility industry. With the deployment of smart meters, public concern was raised about potential health effects associated with RF emissions from smart meters EPRI is responding to these concerns with research efforts to provide objective information on RF emissions related to smart meters.
Program: 2010 Electric and Magnetic Fields (EMF) Health Assessment and Radio-Frequency Safety. Keywords:
Smart Meters, Radiofrequency emissions, EMF health assessment,
Environmental Issues, RF Safety. Note: EPRI Customer Assistance Center, (800) 313-3774 email:
askepri.com
EPRI 3420 Hillview Avenue, Palo Alto, California 94304 © Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. 2001- 2011 All rights reserved
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