You can say one thing for smart meters: The concept of a utility or some other entity having an influence on homeowner electrical demand seems to have driven certain members of the blogosphere off the deep end. The Web is rife with conspiracy theories about sinister ulterior motives for putting such devices in the home. A lot of them have the tone of this one: “They will be able to shut your power OFF anytime they want. There will be rolling blackouts in your future caused only by your supplier wanting to conserve energy or re-route it to large corporations, and nothing else.” Radio commentator Rush Limbaugh has even gotten into the act, suggesting to one of his callers that smart meters might have been deployed as a way of trying to shame people into using less energy.

Then there is this gem from a UK blogger: “The EVIL SMART METER users (sic) the electric wires running around your house/ building upstairs and down ceilings and all, as an antenna that bombards you and your neighbor with high frequency MICROWAVE IRRADIATION (sic) continually, as it communicates with the internet, converting your home/office into a MICROWAVE COOKER switched on 24/7 and we pay for its installment...