The Australian reports on EnergyAustralia's plan to deploy 15,000 smart meters in New South Wales in preparation for the first national smart grid. The utility will conduct a privacy impact assessment in response to concerns that smart meters could be accessed by thieves or marketing companies in order to gain information about consumer energy usage. The utility will also meet with Privacy Commissioner Timothy Pilgrim and the federal government to discuss privacy concerns. Pilgrim said Australian privacy laws should be extended to protect households and shared concerns that the data smart meters collect could reveal private details of residents' lives, including whether their homes are alarmed or which appliances they use.
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