Hi Everyone, You may already be aware that Mandatory rollout of Smart meters comes in force in June …..Yes, smart meters are becoming mandatory in many areas in Australia. The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) aims to have all properties connected to the National Electricity Market (NEM) equipped with smart meters by 2030. This includes Queensland, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, South Australia, and Victoria. The right to opt-out of a smart meter installation has been removed. We are receiving Legal advise as to the meaning of “mandatory” as we are aware there are medical issues associated with this technology. We will be sharing information on a newsletter format on action that you can take to prevent this technology being forced onto you.
EMAIL FROM SA OMBUDSMEN. Thank you for contacting our office and enquiring about smart meters and the rules surrounding the rollout and installation. I understand you do not currently have a complaint with your energy retailer. As we discussed in our call earlier this morning, the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) made a final rule determination to accelerate the rollout of smart meters across Australia. An overview of this is located here which includes a link to the ‘Final Determination’ that includes the commencement dates (page 61) and rule changes (page 69). Complaints about these rules or the content of Government policies, legislation, licenses, and codes is outside of the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction. You may want to raise your concerns about the accelerated smart meter rollout with the AEMC, Australian Energy Regulator, relevant Member of Parliament, or the state and federal departments for energy. If you have concerns in relation to your health and the wireless technology, you can contact the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency’s website at www.arpansa.gov.au. The Australian Energy Regulator also has information regarding smart meters that might be useful https://www.aer.gov.au/documents/smart-meters-and-you. If you have a smart meter, you can request that the remote communications capabilities are disabled and the meter will need to be manually read however, this may attract ongoing meter reading fees. I hope this information will assist with your enquiries.
French court rules against the forced installation of smart meters
The Lyon Administrative Court issued a landmark decision in February 2025, requiring Enedis to remove a Linky [smart] meter installed against a private individual’s wishes. This ruling marks a major turning point in the years-long standoff between some citizens and the French electricity grid manager. Pierre Cascina, a resident of the Loire region, won his case after demonstrating a significant deterioration in his health following the forced installation of the communicating device in 2022.
The right of refusal recognised by the courts in the face of smart meters
The Cascina case represents a significant legal precedent in smart meter litigation. The Lyon judges granted unprecedented legitimacy to the subjective suffering of the plaintiff, who reported persistent migraines and sleep disturbances since the Linky system was installed in his home. This judicial recognition is based on the precautionary principle, despite the absence of a definitive scientific consensus on the health effects of the emitted waves.
The ruling seriously undermines Enedis’s policy, which until now relied on the regulatory compliance of its equipment to systematically reject any dispute. “This decision opens a significant breach in the electricity distributor’s strategy,” analyses Jeanne Duvernet, an environmental law specialist. “From now on, the suffering experienced becomes an admissible argument in court, regardless of technical standards.”
Consumer advocacy groups welcome this legal breakthrough, which could benefit the approximately 1,200 similar cases currently being prepared. This unprecedented citizen mobilization is already forcing authorities to reconsider their regulatory approach to digital infrastructure imposed in private homes.
The Defender of Rights had also emphasized in its 2024 report that “the right to refuse must adapt to contemporary technological realities.” This prescient position is now finding concrete expression in the courts, redrawing the contours of technological consent.
Growing tension between energy transition and health protection
The emblematic case of Pierre Cascina perfectly illustrates the dilemma facing public policy: how to reconcile the essential modernization of electricity networks with the protection of populations potentially sensitive to electromagnetic radiation? An INSERM study published in January 2025 reveals that 67% of French people now demand greater protection against artificial waves in their daily environment.
While Enedis highlights the environmental benefits of smart meters, including a 30% reduction in CO₂ emissions linked to the optimization of electricity distribution, medical voices are raising the alarm about the potential risks. Dr. Fenech, a specialist in the health impacts of wireless technologies, has been discussing the “invisible accumulation” of radiation in modern homes since 2023.
Faced with this growing controversy, the government has scheduled a multidisciplinary audit for June 2025. This exceptional commission will bring together doctors, lawyers, and representatives of civil society with the mission of developing a more balanced regulatory framework capable of addressing health concerns without compromising the objectives of the energy transition.
The administrative court’s decision fundamentally calls into question our collective relationship with imposed technologies. It could profoundly redefine several regulatory aspects: the legal obligations incumbent on operators of essential infrastructure, the criteria for assessing the health impacts of technologies deployed on a large scale, and the complaint mechanisms available to citizens.
Outlook for the deployment of Linky meters
Despite this legal defeat, Enedis officially maintains its position regarding the compliance of its equipment. The company regularly reiterates that Linky meters strictly comply with European standards, with emissions limited to 30 V/m , compared to the 87 V/m permitted by current regulations.
However, internal sources reveal that management discreetly initiated a working group in January 2025 to seek technical alternatives for users who declare themselves electrosensitive. This pragmatic approach reflects a growing awareness of the health and legal issues raised by the mass deployment of smart meters.
The future of the Linky meter now appears to be moving toward a more flexible model, where individual consent could regain a central role. “It’s not about abandoning network modernization, but about inventing solutions tailored to individual circumstances,” explains Antoine Marchand, an energy policy expert.
This legal victory against Enedis marks the emergence of a new balance between technological progress and respect for individual freedoms. It underscores the importance of a constructive dialogue between citizen skepticism legitimised by the courts and ecological imperatives defended by institutions. This complex challenge will have to be addressed by future legislation on imposed technologies, as the digitalisation of our daily environment intensifies.