Smart meter safety and security

Are smart meters bad for my health?

The short answer is no.

Smart meter radio waves are produced at a much lower level than items we use every single day – like microwaves and mobile phones. The waves are well below internationally set guidelines and Public Health England, an agency which works on protecting and improving the health of the nation, says it sees no health risk from smart meters.

Plus, these meters are covered by strict UK and EU product safety laws. These laws ensure that all smart meters have the same high quality and safety standards, regardless of your energy supplier.

What happens to my data?

Smart meters don’t store any personal data such as name, address and bank details – just the amount of energy your home is using.

You’re in control. Because we comply with General Data Protection Regulation and the Smart Energy Code, you can choose how often your smart meter sends us readings – once a month, once a day or every 30 minutes. We'll only use the data for the purpose it’s intended and that you’ve given us consent for.

The underlying technology for the system has also been designed with security at its heart:

  • All communication between Bristol Energy and your meter is secured through encryption via a Virtual Private Network (VPN) - this makes it extremely difficult to tamper with
  • Only authorised Bristol Energy colleagues can access your meter and data.

Want to know more?