Dive Summary:

• Duke Energy cut the power to a Cincinnati-area woman's home after the woman refused to allow a smart meter to be installed on the property.
• Sharon Kinder-Geiger has started using her fireplace, candles, and a generator in the home where she resides with her daughter.
• A Duke spokeswoman defended smart meters and the lack of an opt-out policy for customers in a statement.

From the article:

"... Utility companies insist the concerns are unfounded, and that the meters are not used to monitor people's electric use.

Duke spokeswoman Sally Thelen also told us the meters have been tested by the federal government for years, and there is no reason for any health concerns.

'There's really not that sort of issue. Think of it as if you are going into a Starbucks, or going into somewhere with WiFi, like an airport, or a baby monitor, or garage door opener,' Thelen explained 'Wireless technology is all around us, it is not unique to just the power industry.' ..."