"Totally Safe"

Hydro-Quebec offers expensive alternative to smart meters - CTV

Quebecers who aren't too keen to have one of Hydro-Quebec's new smart meters in their homes were given an alternative on Wednesday, but the opt-out will cost hundreds of dollars annually.

With the safety of its new meters challenged by some, the utility is offering to install meters that don't emit radio-frequency energy for an initial charge of $98 and a monthly fee of $17 for meter readings.

"These charges ensure that, as is usual in such cases, the costs of opting out are not passed on to other customers," said Hydro-Quebec in a press release.

The utility calls the new meters "totally safe" and maintains that Health Canada has found no dangers from exposures to RF energy.