Is my smart meter privacy-safe — can someone tell when I'm home?
Detailed readings could in theory reveal presence patterns. In practice this is tightly walled since 2018. Here what the DPA and grid operators may.
Theoretical risk: quarter-hour readings reveal when someone is home, wakes, cooks, showers (from consumption peaks). The Dutch DPA imposed strict rules in 2017-2018: (a) detailed reading only once every 2 months to the grid operator; (b) supplier gets monthly aggregation by default; (c) sharing detailed data with third parties (energy coach, manager app) requires EXPLICIT consent; (d) history older than 6 years is wiped. Risk of breach/hacking depends on the operator and your home router (the smart meter connects via DSMR port to your home network if enabled). Practical tip: leave the P1 port off unless actively using an energy app. When in doubt: choose "administratively off" — meter stays, no detailed data.