Smart Meters on the Agenda Tonight in Both Rochester, Rochester Hills

The city of Rochester will consider tonight a resolution that asks the Michigan Public Services Commission to review public concerns over the digital "smart meters" that DTE is installing across town.

The resolution asks the MPSC to require DTE offer customers the ability to opt out of having a smart meter installed at their home.

DTE is installing 600,000 smart meters in southeast Michigan as part of an $83.8 million grant.

Smart meters measure and record electricity usage with digital technology instead of the traditional gears and dials. The technology involves the use of radio frequency waves to transmit data to DTE.

Rochester's full resolution is attached as a PDF file to this story; it reads, in part:

"Now therefore, be it resolved that the City Council for the City of Rochester urges the MPSC to initiate a careful review and analysis of the expressed public concerns regarding the DTE Smart Meter project.

"Be it further resolved, that the Rochester City Council requests that the MPSC require DTE to provide residents the ability to "opt out" of having a Smart Meter installed in their home."

In Rochester Hills tonight, representatives of DTE are expected to address City Council about the smart meters.

For the past month, city residents and residents of neighboring cities have spoken out at city council meetings in both cities about their concerns about smart meters. Among the worries: that the new meters will emit dangerous radio frequencies and that the meters and their ability to detail electricity use inside a home are a violation of privacy.

The Rochester Hills City Council meets at 7 p.m. at Rochester Hills City Hall.

The Rochester City Council meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. at Rochester City Hall.

Both meetings are open to the public.