Smart meters are electronic devices that record utility consumption like electricity, water, or gas in regular intervals and communicate that information back to the utility. Smart meters are expected to be implemented widely in smart cities in India. While smart meters enable remote monitoring and billing, some issues have been raised regarding privacy, security, and potential health effects of electromagnetic radiation. For smart metering to be successful, consumer concerns around these issues need to be addressed.

1. Dr K M Soni, Chief Engineer, WZ-I, CPWD, Mumbai
Er K V Singh, Chief Engineer, WZ-III, CPWD,
Mumbai
SMART METERING FOR
UTILITY SERVICES

2. Smart meter
 A smart meter is defined as
an electronic device that
records consumption of
electric energy, water or gas
in fixed intervals such as of
an hour or less and
communicates that
information back to the
utility for monitoring and
billing. The meters may be of
gas type, thermal type of
ultrasonic type.
 Smart meters are expected to
be part of smart cities.
(www.optimalprediction.com)

3. Digital
Economy
Digital
Country
e-industry
Human
Resource
e-government
Infrastructure
e-society
Best Practice Global
Link
Smart cities concept
Will be based on smart solutions
http://pt.slideshare.net/bhawnakandari/

4. (adittest.com)

5.  Smart meters are likely to be the part
of all smart cities being developed in
India also.
Smart meters and smart cities
(in.nec.com)

6. http://www.mwpr.ca/

7. Smart meters
 The smart meters enable two-way communication
between the meter and the central system.
 Smart meters can gather data for remote
reporting and can provide information on actual
time of use.
 Smart meter sends the information back to the
utility by wireless signal such as radiofrequency
or microwave radiation signal instead of having a
utility meter reader come to the place and
manually record it.
 Such an advanced metering infrastructure differs
from traditional automatic meter reading in as it
enables two-way communications with the meter.
 Smart meters may be of gas type, thermal type or

8. SMART METERS AND ENERGY SAVING
CONCEPT
 Smart meters do not save energy themselves but
consumers do.
 The purpose of smart meters is to change the
behaviour of the consumers. It is hoped that the
consumers would save energy through awareness
and the estimated bills.
(www.switchon.vic.gov.au)

9. Smart grid
Smart grid is the digital and Wi-fi enabled power
meters that enable communication between the
appliances in the home or office with the power
provider.
(smartgridtech.wordpress.com)

10. Global smart network
(www.ibm.com)

12. Smart meters and appliances
The energy
consumpti
on of each
appliance
can be
recorded
and
communic
ated by the
smart
meters.
Smart
meters can
be
equipped
with the
chips that
would
allow the
appliances
to
communica
te between
the
appliances
and the (www.appliancedesign.com)

13. PEAK PRICING
 Systems of pricing
 Uniform pricing
 Tier pricing
 Dynamic Pricing
 Peak pricing
 Peak pricing is costly
and electric
companies would like
to reduce this cost by
raising bill during
peak pricing
http://www.slideshare.net/UttamSatapathy/
business-economics-09-market-structures-
pricing-strategy

14. (www.alabamapower.com)

15. ADVANTAGES OF SMART METERING
 No Human Interface
 Monitoring as per requirements and paying
capacity
 Pricing transparency
 Improvement of billing process
 CO2 reduction
 Energy efficiency
 Customer protection
 Prevention of theft of electricity

16. ISSUES OF SMART METERING
 SAFETY
 PRIVACY
 HEALTH
(www.emfsafetynetwork.org)
(www.activistpost.com)
(www.blogs.splunk.com)

17. safety
 In case of data are stolen, it may be
feasible that unlawful elements may use
the information for the theft or other type of
misuse.
 Cloning may raise the bill and by the time
you would be aware of the hackers, a hefty
bill will be in your hands.
 Companies and societies may stop
electricity at any time if dues are not paid.

18. Security issue
 All electronic equipments might be
susceptible of security threat easily.
 Smart meters would require electronic chips in
the appliances and if some companies
engaged in the spying just present free of cost
such appliances to VIPs or to those to whom
such companies want to keep on surveillance,
it might be relatively easy and even may be
that they themselves purchase such
equipment without their knowledge and install
without doubting on them.
 These spying gadgets then may be available
right in their offices, living rooms, bedrooms
and even washrooms.

19. health issue
 Smart meters are also said to radiate
electro-magnetic waves in the house and
around it. Some doctors describe such
radiation as “dirty electricity” or “electric
pollution”.
 Dr Sam Milham, author of “Dirty Electricity”
has made his study on the subject and it is
claimed that dirty electricity can lead to
dangerous diseases.

20. privacy
 Some electric companies might reconstruct
even most of consumers daily requirements
and their lifestyles like what appliances they
use and for what duration, when they wake up,
when they go to sleep, when they go to office
or for the business or on vacation, and may
pass data or information to other companies
or sister companies or to any third parties for
marketing or even sell it.
 Suppose you and your wife are not using
same room, electric company may be able to
reconstruct the data from the use of two
separate air conditioners installed in two
different rooms.

21. Marketing
 Companies and societies may stop
electricity at any time if dues are not paid.
 One may have to purchase all new
appliances compatible to smart meters in
future.
(www.nuritelecom.com)

22. (www.patriotsandpaulies.wordpress.co
(stopsmartmeters.org.uk)

23. Do you choice?
(www.stopsmartmeters.org.uk

24. conclusions
 Smart meters may come sooner or later with or
without knowledge of the consumers.
 There is a need of deliberations of the advantages
and dark sides of the smart metering system before
they are installed.
 Once the consumers are well aware and convinced
about the necessity of smart meters, they should
have option to select the meters with the
commitment that they would not be charged on
“peak pricing” basis in future.
 Also privacy, safety and security of the consumers
will require to be ensured by the companies and the
government by enacting suitable laws/Acts.
 Advantage of getting electricity on 24 x 7 basis if
connected in smart grid.