Embracing change
Smart meters are the way forward for electricity management in Malaysian households.
IT SEEMS that everything is going “smart” these days. From mobile phones to household devices like refrigerators and air-conditioners, the Internet of Things is really taking over our lives.
Next up? Electricity meters. Come 2026, the majority of all Malaysian households will sport a smart meter. Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) says that the aim is to fit 9.1 million homes across Malaysia with the device by then.
This was revealed at a media briefing recently. The electricity provider stated that close to 300,000 smart meters were installed in Melaka between 2016 and 2018 under phase one of its plan.
The smart meter is a device that records your electricity usage and communicates this information automatically to TNB via radio-frequency waves for monitoring and billing.
Soon, you no longer have to wait at home for the metre man to drop by for a reading and issue the month’s electricity bill. This is a move forward in terms of offering convenience to households.
Through direct monitoring, the smart meter is able to read the daily electricity usage of a house. Which means it can also provide a much more accurate monitoring of bills for energy efficiency.
By using the interactive app (MYTNB) or surfing the website (www.mytnb.com.my), a person can track in real time how much energy is being used and current cost.
Detailed daily usage information will be made available this way. High-bill alerts can also be set, whereby you can get a notification when your monthly electricity usage reaches a certain amount.
“For this year until next year, we are targeting to install the meter
for 1.2 million TNB consumers around the Klang Valley,” stated Energy Commission Industry Operations director Roslee Esman.
TNB is currently putting up the necessary infrastructure around the Klang Valley. Radio frequency monopoles, for example, are needed to create a network system before the smart meter can be installed.
There is also the need to educate consumers on the myths surrounding the use of smart meters. One of the main misassumptions is that such a device poses a health risk. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Wireless Communications Centre lecturer, Chua Tien Han, was also present during the briefing. He said that smart meters are no more harmful than our mobile phones.
“People are afraid of things they cannot see. Misunderstanding is based on hearsay. People need to understand to fear less,” the expert stated, referring to the concerns people have over the installation of smart meters.
Chua explained that the use of radio-frequency waves and the subsequent radiation exposure is so minute that it can be deemed negligible. As such, people need not worry.
The safest level of radio frequency emissions for humans to be exposed to is 1,000 µw/cm² (microwatts per square centimetre). At 10 feet away, the smart meter only emits 0.1 µw/cm² whereas a microwave oven at two inches from the door emits 1,000 µw/cm².
According to TNB, all the smart meters that will be installed are tested and certified by Sirim. They comply with the safety regulations set and regulated by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.
Other benefits of the smart meter include the speed and ease with which households can transfer ownership of TNB accounts. TNB will also be immediately notified if a house’s power goes out.
Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Ministry deputy secretary-general, Noor Afifah Abdul Razak, pointed out that the United States, United Kingdom, Singapore and Japan have already installed smart meters.
“When the infrastructure is ready, it should be easy to fit homes with the smart meter,” she said. “We just need to correct the negative perception that the public has regarding its use.”
The installation of the smart meter by TNB is free. Carried out by appointed technicians, it is estimated to only take up between 30 minutes and an hour. Home owners will be contacted a few days prior, to confirm their availability.