Are Danvers' New Smart Meters Safe?

Danvers residents have been calling the , asking about the safety of smart meters. 

The DPW has sent out the following information to address residents concerns: 

Danvers is in the middle of its .  Customers will benefit from more accurate readings, elimination of estimates and improved customer service. As of May 1, 2012, Danvers has installed 6,680 electric meters and 883 water meters.  The anticipated completion date will be next January. 

As meters continue to be installed, a question that was raised is: “Are These Safe?”  Danvers has performed due diligence as required by the Smart Grid Investment Funding we received for the meter replacement program, as well as for customer safety and peace of mind. 

The low-power radio equipment in Danvers’ smart meters is certified by the United States Federal Communications Commission, ensuring compliance with appropriate safety standards¹. A smart meter communicates information about electricity use with other meters and with the Town by sending very brief, low-powered radiofrequency (RF) signals. The smart meter transmits for less than a minute each day, often at night. 

Several familiar devices produce much stronger RF fields including cellular telephones, walkie-talkies, garage doors, and cordless phones, which are positioned close to the user for a longer period of time. Other common household devices that also use low-powered radio signals include televisions, wireless internet systems, laptop computers, video game consoles, and baby monitors.

National and international organizations have developed exposure limits to RF to ensure that these devices can be used safely. These limits were developed after comprehensive reviews of RF research by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the International Commission on Nonionizing Radiation Projection (ICNIRP, which is part of the World Health Organization (WHO)), the U.S. National Commission on Radiological Protection, and Great Britain’s Health Protection Agency². In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have also developed safety standards. The RF signals from smart meters in typical installations are tens to hundreds of times below levels specified in the FCC regulations and considered safe for everyday exposure.

Danvers Electric conducted a field test on many household devices listed above.  The measurements were taken with a Gauss Meter, which measures the power density³ in µW/cm².  The new meters were field tested and found to have lower power density than all of the other devices tested.  In addition, meters are often many feet away from people where cell phones are held right next to ones ear.  The increased distance decreases the new meters power density exponentially.

Have a question about something happening town? Email danvers@patch.com.