Are smart meters a fire hazard?

Alameda Municipal Power's (AMP) smart meters, manufactured by Landis & Gyr, have no history of fires. They detect abnormal temperatures and/or conditions and send an alert to AMP so staff can investigate. An older generation of smart meters - that were not manufactured by Landis & Gyr - were associated with fires in the past.

There was an accident in Stockton, California, in 2015, in which a high-voltage line dropped on a distribution circuit. In some cases, the meters, and/or meter covers, were dislodged from the socket as a result of the surge. Since the surge caused the damage, the meter issues would have occurred regardless of the meter type.

AMP's Landis & Gyr smart meters undergo safety testing as part of the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) certification process. UL is an independent, not-for-profit product safety testing and certification organization, serving the public for more than a century. AMP's smart meters are in compliance with federal health and safety standards.

Show All Answers

1. Are smart meters safe? Have they been tested?
2. What are radio frequency (RF) waves?
3. How are people exposed to RF radiation?
4. What is the radio frequency of Alameda Municipal Power's (AMP) smart meters?
5. How does the radio frequency (RF) radiation emitted by smart meters compare to other electronic devices that emit RF?
6. How often do Alameda Municipal Power's (AMP) electric smart meters release radio frequency waves?
7. How do the radio frequency waves of AMP’s smart meters compare to the radio frequency waves of PG&E’s smart meters?
8. Is a person’s exposure to radio frequency waves impacted by how close he or she is to the meter?
9. Is the radio frequency level of Alameda Municipal Power's (AMP) smart meters approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)?
10. Can smart meters cause illness?
11. Are smart meters a fire hazard?