Opponents of smart meters in B.C. have suffered a defeat in their attempt to block BC Hydro from installing the devices.
Hydro says the BC Utilities Commission has dismissed an application from an anti-meter group for an injunction against the program, ruling the technology does not exceed the authority of the province's Clean Energy Act.
Hydro says it's now installed almost 900,000 smart meters, just under half of the provincial total, with more than 99 per cent of customers accepting the devices.
Opponents claim the meters emit harmful radiation when they broadcast electrical usage data and can be used to spy on people's power consumption.
But Hydro insists the meters are safe, sending data for only one minute a day, and will eventually make it possible for customers to save money by tracking and managing their own power use.
Hydro also says the meters will help in restoring power outages by alerting the utility about areas where electricity might be knocked out.
