One key fundamental problem about the proposed smart grid network in the United States is fiscally. Exactly where is the money going to come from to build this vast new network? The smart grid is proposed to tie in the national electrical grid to each and every home. Hence the problem, the national grid is owned by many electrical utility companies. Historically utility companies carry quite a bit of debt, and are forced to refinance mortgage paper,senior notes, issue more stock to raise cash. In other words Electric utilities are operating on a shoestring budget,if not in debt already. Now when you are talking smart grid you are talking a massive new undertaking in CAPEX spending. Sure, recently the Obama administration pumped in some money to some utility companies that haven't even started any automatic meter installation programs yet. However just installing an automatic meter does not a smart grid make. there is much infrastructure that needs to built from the meter backwards. So who is going to fund this? Cisco? Ibm? Google? GE? itron?. These are the answers that must be addressed before any further talk of a "smart grid network" can even be considered.

     The other compelling problem with smart grid technology is the automated meter aspect in relation to wireless virus and malware being backhauled onto utility companies servers. Anytime you upload information wirelessly from a laptop the potential exists for it to have picked up some malware or virus and then the problem eats away at databases or worst causes problems with the nations electrical grid. These are issues that haven't been thoroughly tested as companies rushed their amr installations without a proper diagnoses of the otential terrorist threat. Google was recently hacked by some Chinese kids, i am sure tapping into a wireless frequency and farming data or inserting data would be a piece of cake. Sometimes smart meters aren't quite that smart.

     Automated metering systems data should be screened by a third party security detector before any information is uploaded onto utility servers. Computer aided dispatched orders uses several screening companies like net motion, cisco and others that verify everyhtingis ok.