Smart Meter Fight Heads to Circuit Court

After the that an advisory referendum could not be placed on the March primary ballot, the attorney for the Smart Meter Awareness Group, which sought to have residents vote on the issue, said his intention was to file in district court.

Doug E. Ibendahl filed on behalf of the group in the 18th Judicial Circuit Court in DuPage County and was granted a hearing date, according to a story in the Naperville Sun. The opponent, Kevin McQuillan, who represents William Dawe, the man who objected to the ballot question, also filed a cross objection, according to the story.

The city of Naperville began installing the smart meters in residents’ homes earlier this month. The $22 million Smart Grid Initiative was partially funded through a federal matching grant. The city has invested $11 million from its capital improvements fund for the project.

The project includes an update of the city’s electric infrastructure. The city has said its Smart Grid Initiative will “modernize the electric grid using the latest digital technology to increase reliability, reduce operating costs, improve efficiency and reduce waste.”

Opponents in the mart Meter Awareness group have said they are not opposed to upgrading the infrastructure but take issue with the use of smart meters, which are digital meters that transmit utility information remotely. Opponents have raised concerns over the project’s cost, privacy, security and health issues.

The opponents have also filed in federal court .