UL and Utility Meters....Make Sure Your Facts are Up to Date
Underwriter's Lab now certifies 'smart' meters, (but that doesn't mean they are safe)
As explained on the website EIWellspring, there are many different types of so-called ‘smart meters."‘
Smart Meter Overview - EI Wellspring
In the early days, utilities and their tech partners heavily promoted their smart meter deployments.
The term “robust architecture” was often front and center, alongside claims that the meters would reduce the length of outages and increase reliability.
Over time the term shifted from reliability to resiliency, when it became clear that the meters themselves did not reduce the length of outages, especially when Cental Maine Power’s entire grid crashed in a winter storm, which I wrote about here in Dec. 2022: ‘Smart’ Meters, Faster Storm Outage Restoration? Safe? Secure? Reliable? – Not! Maine and Virginia.)
Image Courtesy Floris Freshman created in collaboration with Ed Friedman of Maine Coalition to Stop Smart Meters. Outage restoration is dependent upon “tree trimming, trucks, and training” and many, many chainsaws
The industry switching its terminology from reliability to resiliency is not the only thing that changed. In fact, as the public rightly became concerned about the meters, the industry backed away from the term “smart.” This makes is difficult for consumers to conduct research, for example seeking information about smart meter dockets and proceedings by their utility regulator. (For example, Massachusetts regulators adopted their own term AMF for “Advanced Meter Functionality.”)
Semantics alert: We suggest using the terms digital vs. analogue, as the utilities will falsely claim that a meter is not ‘smart’, even if it is a transmitting meter.
Changes in the industry’s approach are one reason why the smart meter brochure made by one of the most active opposition sites Stop Smart Meters published a 4th edition of its smart meter brochure, in 2016.
“Bottom Line: If it’s plastic and electronic, refuse it. Demand a “non-electronic electromechanical analog.” Beware “Trojan Horse” meters that resemble analogs. An FCC number = wireless. Use an EMF Tester from StopSmartMeters.org/store to be sure.”
14387_SSM_brochure_2016-low.pdf 4- fold available to download, side 1 of 2, View larger version online at link
Meters Were Not Certified by UL, Until They Were
In the early days of smart meter deployments, activist groups created websites, gave talks, and made flyers. One of the issues that caught to eye of the public and policy makers was that the meters had not been tested by the Underwriter’s Laboratory.
One reason why this issue emerged was because of the number of fires and meter failures that were occurring during early deployments. (See: RF, Vegetation, The Grid, and Fires - by Patricia Burke
You may occasionally hear someone mention that this is still the case. - that “smart meters are not UL certified.”
This is no longer true.
We know this, because UL issued a press release in 2014: (after UL became a for-profit corporation in 2012).
Note the Headline: “to Facilitate Adoption of Smart Meters”
UL Announces New Safety Programs to Facilitate Adoption of Smart Meters | UL Solutions
January 27, 2014 UL offers Smart Meter safety services for manufacturers and users
NORTHBROOK, Ill., Jan. 27, 2014 - UL (Underwriters Laboratories) a global safety science leader, announced today the launch of two new safety services designed to facilitate and accelerate the adoption of smart meters. In cooperation with leading US utilities and smart meter manufacturers, and in response to numerous smart meter safety concerns from consumers and regulators, UL has established both product safety certification services for smart meter manufacturers and product safety testing services for smart meter users.
Earlier this year, UL published the Standard for Safety for Electric Utility Meters, UL2735. This standard contains requirements for the electric shock, fire, mechanical and radio-frequency (RF) emissions safety aspects of all electric utility meters, including smart meters, and is the foundation for both the UL product safety certification service and the product safety testing service.
"The safety standard, the safety certification and safety testing programs are all now in place. As a direct result of having all three, UL is uniquely poised to immediately help smart meter manufacturers and users address the product safety concerns of both regulators and consumers," notes Lisa Salley, Vice President and GM - Energy and Industrial Systems, UL. "We don't take lightly the trust and confidence that leading smart meter manufacturers and utilities have placed in us. We are absolutely committed as partners."
UL's product safety certification service enables manufactures of smart meters to apply the UL certification mark to smart meters that are determined to be in compliance with the requirements of UL2735. The UL certification mark is trusted by more consumers in North America than any other safety mark and signals a commitment to safety for both the smart meter manufacturer and the installing utility.
UL has issued the first smart meter safety certification to a leading manufacturer and a complete list of certified smart meters can be found in UL's online certification directory at UL.com.
Underwriters Labs - For-Profit Limited Liability Corporation
According to Wikipedia. “Established in 1894, the UL enterprise was founded as the Underwriters' Electrical Bureau (a bureau of the National Board of Fire Underwriters),[5] and was known throughout the 20th century as Underwriters Laboratories. On January 1, 2012, Underwriters Laboratories became the parent company of a for-profit company in the U.S. named UL LLC, a limited liability company, which took over the product testing and certification business. On June 26, 2022, the companies rebranded into three distinct organizations that make up the UL enterprise. The company is one of several companies approved to perform safety testing by the U.S. federal agency Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).[6] OSHA maintains a list of approved testing laboratories, which are known as Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories.[7] According to Lifehacker, UL Solutions is the best-known product safety and certification organization globally.[8] [] In 1979, the organization moved its headquarters to a 153-acre campus in Northbrook, Illinois, 25 miles north of its former downtown Chicago location. UL Solutions has evolved from its roots in electrical and fire safety to address broader safety issues, such as hazardous substances, water quality, food safety, performance testing, safety and compliance education, and environmental sustainability. On January 1, 2012, Underwriters Laboratories became the parent company of a for-profit company in the U.S named UL LLC, a limited liability corporation. The for-profit company took over the product testing and certification business. In 2022, the company revised their go-to-market strategy to include three separate organizations - UL Solutions, UL Standards & Engagement, and UL Research Institutes.[15] UL Solutions became a public company via an initial public offering in April 2024 raising around $950 million, valuing the company at about $7 billion. The company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.[2][1]
“Meter certification is a step toward a safer, interconnected world” - UL Solutions
“Electric meter testing services” With so many changes happening, you may need a little help to stay ahead of the game. That’s why we’ve implemented our Electric and Digital Smart Meter program. We’ll work closely with you to help ensure the safety of your smart meters, by tapping into our expertise of the following standards: UL 2735 and IEC 6052-31 for electrical safety of utility meters ANSI C12 and IEC meter series for the accuracy and performance levels of electric meters
“We also offer safety testing for electric, water and gas meters to assess whether they meet accuracy class performance as well as shock, fire, water purity and hazardous location use requirements. Additionally, our team can provide EMC evaluations for traditional emissions and immunity along with intentional transmitters (cellular, Wi-Fi, ZigBee, Bluetooth, etc).”
UL Offers Smart Meter Safety Services for Manufacturers and Users
NORTHBROOK, Ill., Jan. 27, 2014 -[] Earlier this year, UL published the Standard for Safety for Electric Utility Meters, UL2735. This standard contains requirements for the electric shock, fire, mechanical and radio-frequency (RF) emissions safety aspects of all electric utility meters, including smart meters, and is the foundation for both the UL product safety certification service and the product safety testing service. "The safety standard, the safety certification and safety testing programs are all now in place. As a direct result of having all three, UL is uniquely poised to immediately help smart meter manufacturers and users address the product safety concerns of both regulators and consumers," notes Lisa Salley, Vice President and GM - Energy and Industrial Systems, UL. "We don't take lightly the trust and confidence that leading smart meter manufacturers and utilities have placed in us. We are absolutely committed as partners."
Also includes after-the-fact after-the-deployment testing
“UL's product safety testing service enables utilities and other users of smart meters to demonstrate their commitment to safety when a UL certified meter is not available. UL has already completed product safety testing of smart meters for a number of leading utilities. "This service is especially useful for utilities that have either begun or completed their smart meter deployment," states Salley. "Each utility has the option to customize the test program." UL will test the specific smart meters employed by the utility to the testing requirements of UL2735 and provide a detailed report of the findings. Customized test programs can include any additional testing that is relevant to their specific installations.”
To learn more about UL's smart meter program, visit https://industries.ul.com/smart-meters.
UL 2900 series for cybersecurity assessment
We also apply the new IEEE 2030.5 standard to help ensure that your smart meters function as planned and communicate correctly from one device to the next.
UL 2735 Standard for Electric Utility Meters UL Standard Edition 1Published Date: May 30, 2013 Last Revision: October 06, 2014 USD $402.00-$998.00
Measuring Transmissions Is Not Health and Safety Testing
2021 Court Ruling Against the FCC Regarding Its Safety Guidelines - Why It Ignored Scientific Evidence Showing Harm from Wireless Radiation
United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit judges in favor of environmental health groups and petitioners; finds FCC violated the Administrative Procedure Act and failed to respond to comments on environmental harm.
“Aug. 16, 2021, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled in the historic case EHT et al. v. the FCC that the December 2019 decision by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to retain its 1996 safety limits for human exposure to wireless radiation was “arbitrary and capricious.” The court held that the FCC failed to respond to “record evidence that exposure to RF radiation at levels below the Commission’s current limits may cause negative health effects unrelated to cancer.” Further, the agency demonstrated “a complete failure to respond to comments concerning environmental harm caused by RF radiation.” The court found the FCC ignored numerous organizations, scientists and medical doctors who called on them to update limits and the court found the FCC failed to address these issues:
impacts of long-term wireless exposure
impacts to children,
the testimony of people injured by wireless radiation,
impacts to wildlife and the environment
impacts to the developing brain and reproduction.” Env. Health Trust
Harm attributed to smart meters was reported to the FCC and the court in this proceeding.
See also: Regulatory Capture
The FCC is a Captured Agency: Commissioners are Former Wireless Industry Insiders - Environmental Health Trust
Keeping Our Facts Straight While Seeking Accountability
As I noted in the article RF, Vegetation, The Grid, and Fires, the industry and its partners will capitalize on an opportunity to portray themselves as victims of purveyors of misinformation.
Although early flyers and fact sheets may have been accurate at the time, it’s important to make sure that we have up to date information.
From an informed colleague:
The updated info is that the for-profit UL profited by certifying smart meters for safety, in part by referencing FCC guidelines (which are not standards because they have never been tested and are not protective of health or the environment.)
Early images of UL testing that have subsequently disappeared from the internet show a single meter on a wooden bench, not connected to any electricity supply.
Here is a 3-minute news video from 2018, when Central Maine Power customers complained about billing issues associated with their “smart meters”
An inside look into CMP's 'Smart Meter' testing lab | newscentermaine.com
Do we need smart meters that enable utilities to impose time-of-use billing and other schemes, while at the same time declaring an energy emergency to meet the needs of AI and data centers - to store all the personal, useless data collected by ‘smart’ meters and other surveillance infrastructure?
(If you see anything on this site that needs to be corrected or updated, please let me know.)