The state of California has approved new rules to protect the data stored on so-called smart meters The rules protect the privacy and security of customer use data generated by smart meters. Electric and gas companies are prohibited from sharing or disclosing customer consumption data to a third party. The rules are among the first in the U.S. governing the security and privacy issues raised by smart grid technology, which is being rapidly adopted across the country. They will apply to all utility providers in the state, as well as third parties that are under contract with utilities.
Source: https://threatpost.com/california-approves-data-security-rules-smart-meters-081711/75557/