Resident urges moratorium on Xcel smart meters, citing health and privacy concerns

MOUND CITY — During public comment at the June 24 Mound City Council meeting, resident Charles Warren requested the council consider a moratorium on mandatory smart meter installations by Xcel Energy and to conduct a public awareness survey after he said his meter began sending readings every 15 seconds.

Warren said the meters emit radiofrequency (RF) signals and cited reports from groups such as the Bioinitiative Report and the American Academy of Environmental Medicine linking prolonged electromagnetic‑field (EMF) exposure to health complaints. He also raised privacy concerns, saying high‑frequency usage data can reveal household routines and “may constitute a violation of the Fourth Amendment.”

What the council said: Mayor Holt and councilmembers responded that the city is not the state regulator of utility equipment and that the city would review Warren’s written materials. A council member asked staff to review the letter and return with clarifying information about municipal authority and any options for local outreach.

Clarifying points from the meeting: Warren said he is paying an opt‑out meter fee and that Xcel had replaced a meter despite his opt‑out; he provided links and printed sources to support his concerns. Council members and staff recorded the request and said they would look into the materials and identify appropriate next steps, including clarifying what local authority the city has over utility installation and opt‑out policies.

Ending: The council did not take action on the request during the June 24 meeting and will review Warren’s submitted materials and consider whether any local education or referral to state regulators is appropriate.

Speakers quoted in this article are taken from the meeting transcript and are listed below.