Smart Meters
Smart meters send information about your energy use to your utility company. They give off small amounts of radiofrequency (RF) radiation. Some people worry that they might increase the risk of cancer. Learn what research says about smart meters and cancer.
What are smart meters?
Smart meters are electronic devices that measure how much electricity, natural gas, water, and other utilities you use. They automatically send this information to your utility company using wireless signals or power lines, so someone does not have to come to your home to read the meter. Smart meters are widely used across the United States and other countries.
Smart meters send brief signals that give off small amounts of radiofrequency (RF) radiation, like that given off by cell phones and Wi-Fi devices. Because they are usually installed on the outside of the home, and walls block some of the radiation, the amount of RF exposure from a smart meter is much lower than from using a cell phone.
Can smart meters cause cancer?
Concerns that smart meters might cause health problems, including cancer, have been around for many years.
RF radiation given off by smart meters is a low-energy type of radiation called nonionizing radiation. This means it doesn’t have enough energy to remove electrons from atoms. Unlike UV radiation, x-rays, and gamma rays, which are forms of ionizing radiation, smart meters cannot directly damage DNA in cells of the body. This means that they are unlikely to increase the risk of cancer.
What do expert agencies say?
In general, the P站视频 (P站视频) does not determine whether something should be considered a carcinogen (something that can cause cancer). Instead, P站视频 looks to other respected organizations for help with this. Based on animal and human evidence, several expert agencies have evaluated the cancer-causing potential of RF radiation, such as that released from smart meters:
- The classifies RF radiation as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” This is based on the finding of a possible increase in risk for a specific type of brain tumor among cellphone users.
- The does not include RF radiation in its Report on Carcinogens, which provides a list of things known to be or reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens. Some NTP lab studies in rats suggested a possible link between cancer and high levels of RF radiation, but other animal studies have not shown such a link.
- The says current evidence does not show that using wireless devices causes cancer or other illnesses.
- The says that current research doesn’t provide enough evidence to show that exposure to RF radiation causes cancer.
- The ) states it does not know for sure whether RF radiation can cause health problems at this time. Scientists continue to study the possible health effects of RF radiation.
It would be hard to do a study that could prove or disprove a link between smart meters and cancer. This is because people are exposed to RF radiation from many sources, and smart meters give off only a small amount. Most people are exposed to much less RF radiation from a smart meter than from using a cellphone. Based on what we know today, it’s very unlikely that having a smart meter increases your risk of cancer.
Learn more about the lab studies and studies in people looking at cancer risk and RF radiation and cellphones.
Could smart meters cause health problems in cancer survivors?
Some people wonder whether RF radiation from smart meters could increase the risk of cancer or other health problems in people who have been treated for cancer.
So far, animal studies have not found evidence that this happens. It has not been studied directly in people.
How can I reduce my exposure?
There might not be much you can do to lower your exposure to RF radiation from smart meters, other than staying away from them. In some places where smart meters are being installed, people have the choice to opt out of having them, but this isn’t an option everywhere.
It might be possible to lower your exposure from cell phones and other sources of RF radiation.
We do not know whether lowering exposure to RF radiation improves health because current research has not shown that the low levels from smart meters cause harm.
- Written by
- References
The P站视频 medical and editorial content team
Our team is made up of doctors and oncology certified nurses with deep knowledge of cancer care as well as editors and translators with extensive experience in medical writing.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC). RF safety FAQ. Accessed at https://www.fcc.gov/engineering-technology/electromagnetic-compatibility-division/radio-frequency-safety/faq/rf-safety on July 14, 2026.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Wireless devices and health concerns. Accessed at https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/wireless-devices-and-health-concerns on July 14, 2026.
Food & Drug Administration (FDA). Review of published literature between 2008 and 2018 of relevance to radiofrequency radiation and cancer. Accessed at https://www.fda.gov/media/135043/download on July 14, 2026.
Foster KR, Tell RA. Radiofrequency energy exposure from the Trilliant smart meter. Health Phys. 2013 Aug;105(2):177-186.
Grimes DR. Radiation and Cancer: A Review. JAMA Oncol. 2022;8(3):456?461.
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. Volume 102. Non-Ionizing Radiation, Part 2: Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields. 2013. Accessed at https://publications.iarc.fr/126 on July 14, 2026.
IOT Analytics. Smart electricity meter market 2024: Global adoption landscape. Updated February 21, 2024. Accessed at https://iot-analytics.com/smart-meter-adoption/ on July 14, 2026.
National Cancer Institute (NCI). Electromagnetic fields and cancer. Updated May 30, 2022. Accessed at https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/radiation/electromagnetic-fields-fact-sheet on July 14, 2026.
Ostiguy G, Black T, Bluteau LJ, et al. Smart meters and routers radiofrequency disturbances study with pacemakers and implantable cardiac defibrillators. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2013 Nov;36(11):1417-26.
Tell RA, Kavet R, Mezei G. Characterization of radiofrequency field emissions from smart meters. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2013 Sep-Oct;23(5):549-553.
Tell RA, Sias GG, Vazquez A, et al. Radiofrequency fields associated with the Itron smart meter. Radiat Prot Dosimetry. 2012 Aug;151(1):17-29.
Last Revised: August 6, 2026
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