A Smart Meter monitors and records how much electricity you use and when you use it.
Smart Meters look like standard digital meters. They measure how much electricity you use and when you use it in order to calculate your bill based on the Time-of-Use (TOU) rates.
Smart meters do not automate your equipment or electricity usage patterns.
How does having a smart meter benefit you?
- Smart meters provide you with much more information about your electricity use, helping you to take more control over usage and bills.
- You can view your electricity consumption by the hour, day, month or billing period through Hydro Ottawa's online customer service portal, MyAccount.
- Smart meters will have the capability in the future to inform us when power goes out, speeding power restoration.
- Smart meter data provides comprehensive, detailed information for electricity system planning - increasing our efficiency and lowering system costs.
With one of the largest deployments of Smart Meters in the world, Ontario is well positioned to be a future leader in the development and deployment of Smart Grid technologies.
Smart Metering is an essential component for the implementation of Smart Grid capabilities.
What is a Smart Grid?
The electricity system is becoming "smarter", both on our local distribution systems and at the customer's location. Hydro Ottawa is investing in a smart distribution grid, which uses communications technology to link all parts of the system, resulting in a higher degree of automation and operational flexibility. Smart meters on our homes are a key part of the smart grid.
What are the benefits of a Smart Grid?
- More automation and sensors on Hydro Ottawa's system increase operational flexibility, efficiency, and help with planning and maintenance.
- Hourly consumption data enables customers to better understand and control their electricity use.
- As power is shifted to lower-peak periods, fewer new facilities have to be built, reducing the cost of the electricity system, and reducing the environmental impacts across the system.
- Smart grids enable the connection of larger amounts of local and renewable generation sources such as solar and wind power.