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How Do I Read an Electricity Meter?

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min reading
Meter and magnifying glass

To read your electricity meter, simply read the numbers displayed on the panel or screen from left to right, which show your energy consumption in kWh. Electricity and gas meters record how much energy you use and are used by your energy supplier to calculate your bill. There are various types of meters in use in Ireland including standard, digital, smart, and PAYG (prepayment).

How Do You Read an Electricity Meter?

How you read electric meters depends on the type of meter you have.

There are several types of meters in use for both electricity and gas. In general, they can be classed into the types below:

  1. Standard Meters
    This is the most common type of meter. It includes a revolving disc and one row of numbers.
  2. Electronic Meters
    These meters record your consumption on a digital display. They are the easiest to read.
  3. Smart Meters
    These digital meters relay your live electricity consumption to your energy provider, eliminating the need for estimated bills.
  4. Pay As You Go (PAYG) Meters
    These meters have two components: the main meter from ESB Networks and a keypad for the customer to use. The keypad is normally on the side of the meter.
  5. Gas Meters:
    Gas meters work in the same way as electricity meters with the older, clock disk meters now having been replaced by digital meters.

Electricity and gas meters are largely the same and while most meters are read in the same way, there are some differences in how the information is displayed to you:

How Do You Read a Standard Electricity Meter?

Mechanical revolving disc meters have a display with five black digits and one red digit. 

Dial Meter

To submit a meter reading, you just use the first five (black) digits. Be sure to ignore any red digits or figures enclosed in a red box.

A Tip for Reading Mechanical Dials Accurately

Always remember the golden rule: If the pointer is between two numbers (e.g., between 4 and 5), always record the lower number (4). The only exception is when the pointer has already passed 9 and is moving towards 0, in which case you record the 9.

How Do You Read a Nightsaver Electricity Meter?

Nightsaver meters tend to be mechanical revolving disc meters

Both readings will be displayed on the same meter, and you’ll need to note both figures in order to submit a reading.

Night charges apply between:

  • 11pm and 8am late October and late March (winter)
  • 12am and 9am late March to October (summer)
Nightsaver meter

 

How Do You Read a Digital Electricity Meter?

To take the reading, read the numbers from left to right. Be sure to include all the digits

If your digital meter is a Time of Day meter, it will have a blue display button. Press this button to scroll from the day to the night reading.

The day reading will show a 2 on the left, and the night reading will show a 1 on the left. As with the 24-hour meter, take the reading from left to right and include all digits.

Digital meter

How Do You Read a Smart Electricity Meter?

Smart meters automatically send readings to your supplier and eliminate the need for taking meter readings, as you should only be charged for the electricity you use.

On the display, you can view your current time-of-use, electricity consumption and more.

  • Default display
    The screen you will see first. Shows the cumulative kWh reading for a 24-hour period. 2. Current time-of-use tariff (i.e T1, T2, T3) day, night and peak 3. Meter connection status.
  • Cumulative kWh display
    You can toggle between the total kWh used for time-of-use tariffs (T1, T2, T3) - day, night and peak - to see your energy usage patterns.
  • Other options
    By pressing the left push button, you can scroll through a number of displays before returning to the default, cumulative display.
Smart Meter Screen

Manually Reading Your Smart Meter

Although smart meters automatically send readings, you can manually check your consumption on the meter display. This is useful for verifying your consumption or checking your tariff usage.

  1. Press the Blue Button: Repeatedly press the blue button on the meter face. This cycles through various information screens.
  2. Look for T1, T2, T3: The cumulative readings will be shown next to labels such as 'T1', 'T2', and 'T3'. These correspond to the different tariff periods:
    • T1 (Peak): Usage during the busiest times of the day (e.g., 5 pm - 7 pm).
    • T2 (Day): Usage during standard daytime hours.
    • T3 (Night): Usage during off-peak night hours.
  3. Record the Reading: Read the numbers from left to right for each tariff code

How Do You Read PAYG Meters?

Unlike a digital meter, a PAYG meter (also known as a prepayment meter) will not show you your current reading on the screen, instead it will display your credit.

PAYG Meter

To get a meter reading, simply press number nine on the keypad.

Be aware that many PAYG meters have two components, the meter, and the keypad (which is normally positioned to the side of the meter).

How Do You Read a Gas Meter?

Gas meters in Ireland generally fall into two categories: older mechanical dial meters and modern digital meters. While the older dial meters are becoming rare, it is important to know how to read both types.

Reading a Digital Gas Meter

Modern gas meters typically have a digital display.

To take a reading from a digital gas meter, simply read the numbers from left to right, ignoring any numbers that appear after a decimal point, are enclosed in a red box, or have a coloured background. The reading will show your consumption in cubic metres (m3).

Digital Gas Meter Display

Reading a Dial (Clock) Gas Meter

Dial meters have a series of small clock-like dials. To read them:

  1. Ignore the dial on the far right. This one usually measures small units and is for testing.
  2. Read the remaining four or five dials from left to right.
  3. If the arrow on a dial is pointing between two numbers, always take the lower number.
  4. If the arrow is pointing directly at a number, check the next dial to the right. If the next dial is past zero, record the number the previous dial is pointing to. If the next dial is on or before nine, record the lower number. (For simplicity, always round down unless the dial is exactly on a whole number and the dial to the right has passed zero).
Dial Meter

Meter readings are carried out up to four times per year. If you move in or out of a property, you should submit an electricity or gas meter reading at the time of moving.

How Is Gas Consumption Converted to kWh?

Gas meters record usage in cubic metres (). Your supplier converts this reading into kilowatt hours () to calculate your bill. This conversion allows your gas bill to be compared directly with your electricity bill.

Where Is My Electricity Meter?

Modern gas and electricity meters are normally located outside dwellings in a meter box or cabinet, usually attached to a wall

If gates or fences are put in to separate the front and back garden, they must be behind the meter box, so that technicians can access it.

I Don’t Have a Garden. Where Is My Electricity Meter?

Occasionally, a meter box could be located inside a house - for example, if there is no garden.

If you’ve just moved into a new house and aren’t too sure of where the meter is, some common indoor places a meter is normally located include:

  • Under the stairs
  • Under the sink
  • In the garage
  • In a cupboard
  • Near the entrance

I Live in an Apartment. Where Is My Electricity Meter?

In apartment complexes, ESB electricity and/or gas meters are normally located in meter banks on the ground floor, in the basement or outside.

Often, tenants and owners will not have access to where the meters are kept, and will need to speak to the building manager or apartment complex management company, in order to gain access.

If this is the case for you, and you’re unable to organise a time to coincide with gaining access, you could ask the person with the key to take a photo of your meter reading instead. Send it to you.

You can tell which meter is yours by matching it up with your MPRN or GPRN on your electricity or gas bill.

Why Do I Need to Take Electricity Meters Reading?

Regular meter readings allow you to monitor your energy consumption. They also ensure that you receive accurate bills from your gas or electricity supplier and are not overpaying on your home energy.

Meter readings are carried out up to four times per year. If you move in or out of a property, you should submit an electricity or gas meter reading at the time of moving.

Eliminate Meter Readings with a Smart Meter

With the continued rollout of smart meter across Ireland, more and more households are seeing the benefits of accurate, real-time meter readings, eliminating overestimated bills. If you are still waiting for your smart meter installation, you can contact ESB Networks directly to organise an installation on 1800 928 123.

Who Manages Electricity Meter Readings?

ESB Networks deals with electricity meter readings, regardless of which supplier you have. The company is responsible for all electricity meters in Ireland, no matter the type of meter you have.

A meter reader will visit your property up to four times per year to take your electricity meter reading. If you are not present when the meter reader visits, they will leave a card with information about how to submit your meter reading online or by phone.

To submit your electricity meter reading, you will need to provide your Meter Point Reference Number (MPRN).

Who Deals with Gas Meter Readings?

Gas Networks Ireland handles your gas meter readings. As with electricity meter readings, a meter reader will come up to four times per year from Gas Networks Ireland. If they are unable to access the meter, you will be given a 'no access' card.

This will have your Gas Point Reference Number (GPRN) on it, which you will need to submit the gas meter reading either online or by phone. You can also find your GPRN on your gas bill.

What If I've Missed an Electricity Meter Reading?

If for some reason engineers were unable to access your meter, you will receive an estimated energy bill. 

Estimated bills are generally terrible for managing your household budget, and particularly in the colder months, can lead to some nasty surprises on your next bill.

We always recommend that in the event of missing a meter reading, you submit your own reading.

You can contact ESB Networks and Gas Networks Ireland via the following to submit a meter reading:

⚡ Contact Details for Meter Readings Submission
Meter TypePhoneEmailOnline Submission
Electric (ESB)1850 33 77 77[email protected]Online Reading Submission
Gas (Gas Network Ireland)1850 427 732N/AOnline Reading Submission

Using Your Electricity Meter Reading to Calculate Estimated Energy Cost

Taking your own meter reading allows you to accurately estimate your energy costs, preventing bill shock from supplier estimates.

To calculate your usage and estimate your cost, you need three pieces of information:

  1. Your New (Current) Meter Reading (in kWh)
  2. Your Old (Previous) Meter Reading (in kWh)
  3. Your Unit Rate (in €/kWh): Found on your latest energy bill.

Usage (kWh)=New Reading−Old Reading

Estimated Cost=Usage (kWh)×Unit Rate (€/kWh)

Example: If your new reading is 12500, your old reading was 12000, and your unit rate is €0.30/kWh:

500 kWh=12500−12000

Estimated Cost=500 kWh×€0.30/kWh=€150.00

Note: This calculation only estimates the unit cost; it does not include standing charges, PSO levies, or VAT, which are also added to your final bill.

The Importance of MPRN and GPRN

Your meter reading must be linked to the correct supply point. This is done using your unique identification numbers: the MPRN for electricity and the GPRN for gas.

  • MPRN (Meter Point Reference Number): This is a unique 11-digit number for your electricity supply point.
  • GPRN (Gas Point Reference Number): This is a unique 7-digit number for your gas supply point.

They are not the same as the meter serial number. The MPRN and GPRN identify the physical location of the supply point, regardless of which meter is installed there.

You can easily find your MPRN and GPRN on any of your past electricity or gas bills. You may also find it stamped or labelled on the meter box door.

Frequently Asked Questions about Electricity Meters

How Can I Tell if I Have a Smart Meter?

If you are not sure if you have a smart meter or not, look for the following:

  • A digital display on your meter
  • Check for a blue button on the meter
  • See if you received communication about a smart meter installation from the ESB.
  • Check your online account with your electricity supplier, and see if you are on a smart tariff or if you are no longer submitting manual meter readings.
  • If you are still unsure, you can contact your electricity supplier or ESB Networks directly to confirm.

What Is Meter Tampering

It is an illegal and punishable offence to tamper with a gas or electricity meter.

Both ESB Networks and Gas Networks Ireland have teams dedicated to detecting meter tampering, and both companies have policies of starting criminal proceedings against individuals caught tampering with meters.

If you suspect your meter has been tampered with, you report it to ESB on 1850 211 827 or to Gas Networks Ireland on 1850 200 694.

What Do I Do About a Faulty Meter?

If you suspect your meter is not working correctly, you can contact your energy supplier, who will organise a 'load test' to test the meter.

Beware, if it is found that there is no issue with the meter, you could be charged for the test, so it is better to check first to see if any faulty appliances are affecting your meter readings.

Can I Move My Meter?

Yes, it is possible to move your meter. Perhaps you are renovating your house, building an extension or simply want to move your meter from inside to outside. 

To do so you need to contact ESB Networks on 1800 337 777 or Gas Networks Ireland on 1800 464 464 to arrange for the move which you will be charged based on an initial quote given.

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