Dive Brief:
- An advocacy group opposed to smart meters has taken their complaint to the Maine Supreme Judical Court, arguing that installations should be rolled back or customers should be allowed to opt out.
- According to the Maine Coalition to Stop Smart Meters, Public Utilities Commission member David Littell acknowledged the health threat from smart meters in a December order, though the commission ultimately found the meters to be safe.
- Littell determined the meters were "not a credible threat," though he did acknowledge some potential health impacts in his opinion.
Dive Insight:
The Maine Coalition to Stop Smart Meters has asked the state's Supreme Court to overturn an order in which the Public Utilities Commission found the new meters to be safe. In acknowledging potential health impacts, the group believes Commission Littell opened the door for their challenge to be successful.
"The December PUC decision did not reflect the quite divergent views of the two Commissioners," the group said in announcing their decision to head to court.
"The record is clear that there is some credible evidence that there may be health effects associated with significant exposures" to electromagnetic fields and radiofrequency radiation, Littell wrote in his opinion. Still, he concluded the meters were "not a credible threat" based on the best scientific understanding.
Central Maine Power proposed its advanced metering program in 2007, to support two-way communication and meter data management. But opponents say the company "did not meet their evidentiary burden to ensure smart meters were safe." Regulators, the coalition said, simply determined the meters were "safe enough."
Reply briefs must be filed by the end of June, the group said, and arguments will be scheduled later.