The installation of smart electric meters by a city-owned utility does not amount to a violation of a homeowner's constitutional rights against warrantless search, no matter how much data the meters might collect or transmit about a homeowner's electrical use, a federal judge has ruled.

In federal court in Chicago, U.S. District Judge John Z. Lee rejected the argument brought by a grassroots group opposed to the installation of smart electrical meters in west suburban Naperville that the meters pose risks to privacy and health.

The group, however, did receive a green light to continue with an equal protection complaint against the city of Naperville over concerns the city had singled out its members by denying them the ability to retain their old electric meters, while allowing others to do so.

Naperville Smart Meter Awareness (NSMA) is a not-for-profit corporation whose mission is to "educate, engage and empower families, friends and neighbors to advocate for a fiscally responsible and safe utility meter solution in Naperville."

In January 2012, the Naperville Department of Public Utilities, through which the city provides all residential electrical service, began replacing analog electrical meters with so-called smart meters. The smart meters come equipped with transmitters that can send electrical usage data to nearby network access points, which then relay the data to the Department of Public Utilities. Analog meters record consumption by month, while smart meters can record every 15 minutes.