A method for mutual certificate authentication between a first mobile device and a second utility device based on location, wherein the second utility device includes one or more of a utility meter, a phasor measurement unit, a phasor data concentrator, and a power quality product, the method comprising: generating, by a first software agent (110, 302) residing on the first mobile device, a first public key and a first private key; receiving, in a server, a request from the first mobile device, wherein the request comprises a location of the first mobile device; registering, with the server, the first public key for the first mobile device in response to the request, wherein the registration associates the first mobile device with the first public key; issuing, by the server, a first certificate to the first mobile device; determining, in the server, at least one second utility device that can be accessed by the first mobile device based upon a location of the second utility device relative to the location of the first mobile device; notifying, by the server, the second utility device that the first mobile device requests access to the second utility device; generating, by a second software agent (112, 308) residing on the second utility device, a second public key and a second private key in response to the notification; registering, with the server, a second public key for one second utility device, wherein the registration associates the second utility device with the second public key; issuing, by the server, a second certificate to the second utility device; sending, by the server, the second public key to the first mobile device; sending, by the server, the first public key to the second utility device; and mutually authenticating, by the server, the first certificate and the second certificate when the first mobile device and the second utility device are connected; wherein the first public key or the second public key are valid only while the first mobile device is located at or within a defined distance of the second utility device and/or when the first mobile device intends to initiate a connection with a third utility device, a third certificate is issued to the first mobile device and based on its location, and based on a list of devices the first mobile device is authorized to perform operations on, further certificates are issued to the utility devices within a defined distance of the first mobile device. generating, by a first software agent (110, 302) residing on the first mobile device, a first public key and a first private key; receiving, in a server, a request from the first mobile device, wherein the request comprises a location of the first mobile device; registering, with the server, the first public key for the first mobile device in response to the request, wherein the registration associates the first mobile device with the first public key; issuing, by the server, a first certificate to the first mobile device; determining, in the server, at least one second utility device that can be accessed by the first mobile device based upon a location of the second utility device relative to the location of the first mobile device; notifying, by the server, the second utility device that the first mobile device requests access to the second utility device; generating, by a second software agent (112, 308) residing on the second utility device, a second public key and a second private key in response to the notification; registering, with the server, a second public key for one second utility device, wherein the registration associates the second utility device with the second public key; issuing, by the server, a second certificate to the second utility device; sending, by the server, the second public key to the first mobile device; sending, by the server, the first public key to the second utility device; and mutually authenticating, by the server, the first certificate and the second certificate when the first mobile device and the second utility device are connected; wherein the first public key or the second public key are valid only while the first mobile device is located at or within a defined distance of the second utility device and/or when the first mobile device intends to initiate a connection with a third utility device, a third certificate is issued to the first mobile device and based on its location, and based on a list of devices the first mobile device is authorized to perform operations on, further certificates are issued to the utility devices within a defined distance of the first mobile device.