If it transmits, does it also receive? As long as it can be limited to transmit the usage once a month, I would have little problem with it - assuming the answer to the above question is no.
It can be polled yes. I'm not sure of what the meter in question is capable of. All the article is about though is Radio Frequency radiation hysteria not surprising for Cali though.
I live in Tennessee. I came home one afternoon and my power was off. My neighbors weren't home so I wasn't sure if it was just my road {fed off a single tap} or just me. The dispatcher told me there was no power on my meter though. I drove to my neighbors and their lights were on. When the utility company came up they came to my place first and went straight to the transformer. Their fuse on their lines had came loose on the service to my home.
Really unless it has some capability to limit power at peak times {which would be very complicated and expensive} all they do is read the meter once a month unless you report an outage. IOW it saves them money & trouble shooting time by helping determine who all is without power. If they can determine if you have power from their computer at the distribution center or the man on calls home then they might save themselves and you time by saying "hey will you go try resetting your main circuit breaker? We show your meter has power to it."
What I don't get is why are they using antennas when they have systems out there that use the utility lines itself. BTW that is also likely the way your Cable TV, Internet, and phone service to your home will be routed through in a decade or so. Ma Bell knows it too. The power grid will soon also be the land line communications grid.