From his home in Bowdoinham, Maine (United States), the helicopter pilot and environmentalist leading the opposition to the local utility, Central Maine Power, install digital electricity meters. The new devices that use wireless radios to transmit electricity consumption data are presented as a key element in creating a smarter grid. With smart metering, consumers can track the cost of electricity in real time and power companies may dispense tens of thousands of workers engaged in meter reading.

Friedman, who takes over a radio frequency scanner that emits disturbing clicks when it comes to mobile phones or routers wifi, said that smart meters are a dangerous idea. They are an invasion of privacy and can even cause disease, as alleged in a complaint you'll hear the Maine Supreme Court next month.