With so many folks out there suddenly concerned about the potential dangers of radio frequency radiation, the California Public Utilities Comission asked the power company to propose some radiation-free alternatives to the wireless SmartMeters. Unfortunately for PG&E customers with delicate brainwaves, opting out will be expensive. Various sources reported today that simply having the wireless radio turned off will stick a $135-$270 fee on your power bill, followed by another $14 to $20 per month to cover the cost of sending a meter reader out to your house.

There is still the matter of whether or not the wireless radiation is even harmful to human health - as the Chronicle reminds us, a state-commissioned study performed this year found no proof that the devices are harmful, but the study also conceded that adverse effects could be emerge down the road.

According to Bay City News, PG&E estimated in their presentation to the CPUC that, should you decide to leave your meter's wireless functions enabled, your household will only be subject to invasion by low-frequency radio waves for a total of "about 45 seconds every 24 hours." Which is about the same amount of radiation you just subjected yourself to by reading this post on a wireless Internet connection or a smartphone.

Of course, that data won't be any consolation to folks who live in dense urban apartment complexes where the power meters tend to be located all in one place. As the Examiner points out in their own report on the opt-out fees, disabling one or two meters in a building with 180 doesn't really help the woman who has the apartment located next to all of them.

All SmartMeter coverage on SFist
[Chron]
[BCN/SFAppeal]
[Examiner]