MOVING FORWARD WITH SMART METERS
Smart meters provide consumers with data to manage power consumption
EVERY two years we upgrade to a new smartphone with the latest camera and the latest features.
Every five years we buy a new smart TV that records our shows, syncs perfectly with our smartphone and gives us picture quality that is of the highest definition.
In life, we are upgrading to smart living with smart devices. But, when it comes to our electricity meter, it is the same conventional meter that resides at our home.
Don’t you think it’s time to upgrade to a more advanced meter?
Like any other tech gadgets, our electricity meter is also a machine. It undergoes wear and tear and ultimately needs to be upgraded.
Many advanced countries, like the US, UK, Japan, Italy and Sweden, have already taken the step to upgrade to a more advanced, digital electricity smart meter across their homes and workplaces. It’s time we do the same here in Malaysia.
Upgrading in phases
The Malaysian government and the Energy Commission have started upgrading homes and workplaces in Malaysia with smart meters.
The first phase was completed in Melaka (March-April 2019) and we are already underway in upgrading the meters in the Klang Valley, starting with Shah Alam.
Smart meters will empower consumers with insights and data to properly manage their energy consumption.
With smart meters, consumers will now be able to monitor their electricity usage daily, through the myTNB App on their mobile phone. They will know exactly how much energy they have consumed in the month at any point of time.
Regular monitoring can help them optimise their daily usage and save money on their energy bill.
Two-way communication
Smart meters enable two-way communication between the meter and the utility.
Till now we had to depend on someone else to interpret the readings from our old energy meters.
But with the new advanced smart meters, we can now monitor the readings directly on our mobile phone or computer and also get alerts from them in case of any electricity service interruption.
Installing smart meters will definitely help us be more in control of our energy usage at home and at our workplaces.
Installation process
The installation process for smart meters is quite simple. You will receive a letter from your electricity provider, notifying the period within which the installation of smart meter will be done.
Post that, the customer is able to fix the date and time for installation. The installer will then come to your house on the designated date and time to change the old meter with the new smart meter.
The actual installation will take around one hour, and it will be done at no cost at all.
So, while the whole world is moving to new smarter meter, let us not be left behind.
It’s time to install the new smart meter at your home, for smart living starts with the smart meter.