@dever It's not like you need smart meters to do this. In the early 2000's I was running an ISP out of my basement using 64-port terminal servers and discrete modems. The total power draw was around 7kw. I had the Windows blacked out and boarded over because I didn't want anyone stealing my equipment. The cops come one day, without a search warrant, and claim someone called from the basement claiming they were being held hostage and they had to see. If that isn't the largest load of horse manure there ever was. But the truth is the power company had reported my electric usage, they did the math and figured oh 4 or 5 metal-halide lamps growing pot, what a disappointment it had to be to them to see it's just a bunch of computer equipment. The Forth Amendment isn't worth the paper it was written on when there all the cops have to do is make up a bullshit story.