Outlaw, the blog of the respected UK IT law firm Pinocent Masons has a thorough article on the risks of installing 'smart' utility (Gas and/or electricity) meters at: http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2012/april/government-to-give-consumers-control-over-smart-meter-data-amidst-privacy-concerns/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+out-law-NewsRoundUP+%28OUT-LAW+News-RoundUP%29 http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2012/april/government-to-give-consumers-control-over-smart-meter-data-amidst-privacy-concerns/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed:+out-law-NewsRoundUP+%28OUT-LAW+News-RoundUP%29 It refers to a paper by Ross Anderson and Shailendra Fuloria ("Who controls the off switch?") http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rja14/Papers/meters-offswitch.pdf Both are well worth reading. There are risks to switching to computerised metering / systems including * unwanted intruders to the data held your house, in transit or at the utility, accessing when you are in/out or being able to have a good guess at when you are watching TV, or even using the bedroom? * various other privacy beaches involving an individual or household's personal data There are an additional set of risks if such a meter incorporates an 'off' switch to the supply at your location. especially if unauthorised access to such functionality is a possibility. I know the suppliers will claim their security is (will be) so perfect that it is ridiculous to consider this as feasible. If it is a business of course, it might be a ripe source of potential blackmail (greenmail or any colour of your choice). I'm sure the data will be a tempting target at all stages of its journey from home or business to utility's database. Robert (Bob) Waixel, MBCS, MCInstM, FHEA, CITP RW Systems, Cambridge, UK, r.waixel@bcs.org.uk ------------------------------