29 September 2025
Spencer Jones
By email:
[FYI request #32191 email]
Tēnā koe Spencer
Your request
Thank you for your request, received on 1 September 2025, under the Official Information Act 1982
(the Act) for the following information:
“….information held by the Electricity Authority (EA) relating to radiofrequency
(RF)/electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure from residential smart (advanced) meters:
Substantiation for EA website statements Please provide the documents and data underlying
EA statements that smart-meter RF exposures are “very low” and that “the maximum
exposure has been measured at one five-hundredth of the allowed limit for New Zealand”
(including who conducted the measurements, methodology, dates, duty-cycle assumptions,
distances, and how NZS 2772.1:1999 or ICNIRP limits were applied).
Reports, assessments, measurements (2012–present) Copies of any reports, memoranda,
scientific assessments, measurements, or briefing notes authored, commissioned, received,
or reviewed by EA since 1 January 2012 concerning RF/EMF exposure from residential
smart meters (including cumulative/peak exposure, duty-cycle assumptions, comparisons
with NZS 2772.1:1999/ICNIRP, cluster/banked meters, HAN traffic, and any consideration of
EHS).
Correspondence with ESR/PHF Science, MoH, MBIE, or WorkSafe (2012–present) Al
correspondence (emails, letters, attachments) between EA and ESR/PHF Science, the
Ministry of Health, MBIE, or WorkSafe regarding:
•
smart-meter RF/EMF health risk, exposure estimates, or thresholds; and/or
•
EA’s smart-meter FAQ/web content on RF exposure.
Note: ESR released two 2012 email threads where ESR’s NRL commented on EA’s FAQ
language and duty-cycle assumptions; please include all related and subsequent threads,
drafts, and attachments.
Internal drafting history of EA smart-meter FAQ/webpages (2012–present) Internal notes,
drafts, change logs, approvals, or review comments concerning RF/EMF content on EA’s
website, including references relied upon (e.g., CCST 2011, EPRI, Richard Tell Associates)
and any subsequent updates or reviews.
Our response
We have responded to each part of your request in turn below.
IN-CONFIDENCE - COMMERCIAL
Substantiation for EA website statements Please provide the documents and data underlying
EA statements that smart-meter RF exposures are “very low” and that “the maximum
exposure has been measured at one five-hundredth of the allowed limit for New Zealand”
(including who conducted the measurements, methodology, dates, duty-cycle assumptions,
distances, and how NZS 2772.1:1999 or ICNIRP limits were applied).
Reports, assessments, measurements (2012–present) Copies of any reports, memoranda,
scientific assessments, measurements, or briefing notes authored, commissioned, received,
or reviewed by EA since 1 January 2012 concerning RF/EMF exposure from residential
smart meters (including cumulative/peak exposure, duty-cycle assumptions, comparisons
with NZS 2772.1:1999/ICNIRP, cluster/banked meters, HAN traffic, and any consideration of
EHS).
This part of your request is refused under section 18(g) of the Act, as the information is not held by
the Electricity Authority (Authority). Note that the Authority is not a scientific body and we do not
conduct our own scientific research into the matters you have outlined.
There are resources online that may be of interest to you, such as this Ministry of Health report,
linked on the Authority’s websit
e: Interagency Committee on the Health Effects of Non-ionising
Fields: Report to Ministers 2018
Correspondence with ESR/PHF Science, MoH, MBIE, or WorkSafe (2012–present) Al
correspondence (emails, letters, attachments) between EA and ESR/PHF Science, the Ministry
of Health, MBIE, or WorkSafe regarding:
•
smart-meter RF/EMF health risk, exposure estimates, or thresholds; and/or
•
EA’s smart-meter FAQ/web content on RF exposure.
Note: ESR released two 2012 email threads where ESR’s NRL commented on EA’s FAQ
language and duty-cycle assumptions; please include all related and subsequent threads,
drafts, and attachments.
PHF Science (formerly ESR) provided us with the two 2012 email threads you refer to when
consulting with us on release of this information under the Act. We understand that these are now
published on FYI.org.nz so are publicly available and this part of the request is refused under
section 18(d) of the Act. However, please let us if you would like us to send them to you again.
Note that while we once would have held these emails, they are no longer held by the Authority
(other than the copies recently provided by ESR). No other correspondence was found in scope of
this part of your request. Accordingly, the remaining part of the request relating to ESR/PHF
Science, MoH, MBIE, or WorkSafe is refused under section 18(g) of the Act as the information is
not held, or despite reasonable efforts, cannot be found by the Authority.
Internal drafting history of EA smart-meter FAQ/webpages (2012–present) Internal notes,
drafts, change logs, approvals, or review comments concerning RF/EMF content on EA’s
website, including references relied upon (e.g., CCST 2011, EPRI, Richard Tell Associates)
and any subsequent updates or reviews.
This part of your request is refused under section 18(g) of the Act, as the information requested is
not held, or despite reasonable efforts, cannot be found.
IN-CONFIDENCE - COMMERCIAL
We have conducted a search for any correspondence regarding smart-meter FAQ webpages, but
have not found anything in scope, apart from the two email threads with ESR mentioned above.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision.
Information about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
freephone 0800 802 602.
As this information may be of interest to other members of the public, the Authority may proactively
release a copy of this response on our website. Al personal data, including your name and contact
details, wil be removed before publication.
If you’d like to discuss this response with us, please feel free to contact us by emailing
[Electricity Authority request email].
Nāku noa, nā,
Airihi Mahuika
GM Legal, Monitoring and Compliance
IN-CONFIDENCE - COMMERCIAL
