What exactly is a smart meter

The world's more connected than ever before. Our homes and businesses are filled with smart technology lights, thermostats, and even appliances that can be controlled from practically anywhere in the world. So doesn't it make sense that our electric meters should keep up? Smart meters, technically called advanced metering infrastructure or AMI, are helping to bring our 100-year-old grid into the modern era.

Electric meters have always measured electricity use as the power comes off the grid, keeping count of kilowatt-hours, the measure of energy used as it is consumed. But unlike old analog meters, smart meters have the ability to take part in two-way communication with devices on either side of the meter. That helps your energy provider improve the efficiency and resilience of the grid.

Smart meters can monitor how much power you are currently using, how many kilowatt-hours you've used over a certain period, and some can even monitor what devices are operating in real time, periodically sending data back to the utility. And they no longer require someone to physically be on premises to look at the meter.

This reporting improves the billing process with regular feedback and more accurate data in every billing cycle. More importantly, they also provide a timely snapshot of what's happening on the grid.

This information can help people or systems react to potential issues more quickly and effectively. For customers who take part in demand response programs, smart meters can reduce energy use on certain appliances, which can potentially prevent outages during times of peak demand.

If there is an interruption, smart meters can deliver that information swiftly, alerting the appropriate parties that action is needed and identifying the scope of the issue. This helps lead to quicker and more efficient power restoration than waiting for reported outages from customers.

The key to a smart grid that is truly smart is communication throughout the process. Smart meters play a key role in providing the most accurate view of the grid supply and demand, so the generation and distribution systems can deliver it as effectively and dependably as possible.

Understanding what smart meters are capable of can give you better insight as to what the future of the smart grid is all about.