Longmont residents press council on smart-meter safety, insurance and medical opt-outs

Longmont residents raised fire-safety, health and insurance concerns about the city’s AMI smart-meter rollout during the July 29 open forum, prompting council members to say they will seek more information from Longmont Power & Communications and the fire chief and to confirm a pause on any planned service disconnections for opt-out cases. Diane Chavez, who described repeated unanswered questions to city staff, told council that homeowners had reported canceled fire insurance policies and said, “homeowners insurance policies have been canceled due to the fire danger posed by the smart meters, which I have come to understand do not have a UL listing for safety and are not grounded.”

The issue matters to residents who said meters can affect medical devices, create fire risk and leave people exposed financially. Those concerns contrasted with assurances from city and utility representatives during the meeting that Longmont’s new meters meet safety standards. Councilor Popkin, reading material from utility staff, said that “all of the new Landis+Gyr electric meters, both AMI and opt-out, are UL listed and comply with all applicable safety and electric codes and requirements and [are] grounded.”

Council members said the city has not documented any Longmont fires caused by AMI meters but acknowledged reports of meter fires elsewhere in the country and residents’ anxiety. Councilor McCoy told speakers the council would request a public statement from the fire chief addressing smart-meter safety and insurance questions. Councilor Christ confirmed a temporary pause on any disconnections related to the rollout while the city follows up; city staff later reported that Longmont Power & Communications sent a notice delaying planned actions.

Residents described multiple, overlapping concerns: possible electromagnetic interference with implantable medical devices, whether an opt-out meter truly removes wireless transmission, and whether homeowners’ insurers are denying or limiting coverage. Several speakers urged the city to offer a medical exemption that would allow residents with documented medical vulnerability to avoid an AMI installation or to retain a noncommunicating analog meter. Rosanna Jenny, who had a disconnect hearing, asked for more time to submit medical documentation and told council she feared a power shutdown because her CPAP and other needs make relocation difficult.

City staff and council offered procedural responses rather than policy changes during the meeting. Staff repeated that the Longmont Power & Communications (LPC) email states 91% of U.S. electric meters were smart-capable in 2023 and that the city’s newer meters conform to UL and applicable codes. Council members said they would ask LPC and the fire department for clarifying statements and follow up with residents who reported insurance cancellations. Councilor Christ also floated the idea of exploring a medical variance process for documented illnesses.

The meeting record shows the council did not adopt a new policy at the session; rather, it directed staff to collect information and promised public statements. Residents said they will continue to press for an analog opt-out option that cannot be remotely enabled and for clearer guidance from insurers and the fire department.

Ending: Council members closed the open forum after the smart-meter discussion and other public comments; staff follow-up and a potential public statement from the fire chief were the next steps identified by council.