The health risk is not from radiation however. If fact the health risk is simply that at some point someone, be it an over zelous Utility attempting to gain better rates, a software company wanting to cash in on security upgrades, a government order to show the people just how much power it has or just a lowly hacker. No matter which one it is, any meter setup that has the ability to remotely disconnect will be excercized outside what we are all commonly lead to believe are the reasons it is part of the hardware to begin with. Forget about health issues from the operational up time of a Smart meter as compared to damage or power from other devices within the home or business these are so minimal they are laughable to even speak of. When your power goes off at the coldest, hottest or when you absolutely need power for medical reasons... well there is your health risk.

If the utilities/power distributors purchase these meters at a reasonable cost there should not be a cost to consumers. There is so much effective savings to be had for them in installation of these. However it still seems to me they are serving dinner before they bothered to cook it. It should be more effective for them to gain US Grid safety by installing more metering and of varying types on the feeders and substations. One house doesn't black out a city or even cause a brownout. The reason they started there was to increase long term revenue. The revenue stream most of them intend is simply to raise the price of power distribution. As for HAN home area networking, well now, 40% of the raw cost of a new car is electronics and there is a line a mile long at the Energy Distributors door to sell you all kinds of products based on when you wash, cook, sleep, go on vacation, clean your carpets and on and on. We have to do some grand things about energy in this country however my fear is this will only serve to raise the price of it.