The reading of an electricity meter is a fundamental part of the energy market and a central process for determining the individual electricity consumption of households and companies. It provides the data required to bill for the energy used and ensures that consumers are billed based on their actual consumption rather than estimates. This accuracy is crucial for fair billing and for the efficient management of energy networks.

Traditionally, meter reading was carried out by the energy supplier or a contracted service provider, who recorded the meter reading manually on site. In recent years, however, this process has become increasingly automated. Modern smart meters, i.e. intelligent electricity meters, enable remote meter reading and transmit the data to the grid operator in real time. This technology not only contributes to greater efficiency, but also enables more accurate monitoring of electricity consumption, which in turn can lead to better planning of the grid load and integration of renewable energies.

For consumers, the advantage of digital metering is that they can monitor their electricity consumption in real time, which raises awareness of energy consumption and can lead to savings. In addition, the continuous collection of consumption data enables detailed analysis of load profiles, which is important for energy suppliers to ensure grid stability.

Overall, meter reading is a crucial process that ensures that both the consumption of electrical energy and its costs are correctly recorded and billed. The increasing automation and digitalisation of this process represents an important step forward in making the energy market more transparent and efficient.