A recent article in the British magazine What Doctors Don’t Tell You  tackles the “smart meter” issue.  It offers a good overview of the “smart meter” issue.

http://stopsmartmeters.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Not-so-Smart-Meters-WDDTY-Article-201405.pdf

NB:  As the magazine is produced in the UK, some information is not accurate for NZ (for example, not all “smart meters” in NZ contain ZigBee* chips to allow them to communicate with “smart” appliances)  but the article still offers a good introduction to the “smart meter” issue.

 

*”Smart meters” being rolled out in the Pukekohe and Franklin areas by lines company Counties Power do contain ZigBee chips;  see this post for details:

https://stopsmartmeters.org.nz/government-and-electricity-industry-positions/counties-power-smart-meter-rollout-now-in-progress/