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Meter Reading

Your electric meter is an accurate measurement device, certified under Measurement Canada regulations. It is usually located on the outside of your home, about five feet off the ground. In most areas of the province, our meter readers enter readings into a hand-held computer that stores information about your energy consumption. The information from the hand-held computer is later downloaded onto our main computer system, and your bill is produced.

When we read your meter

Wherever possible, we read meters on a monthly basis. We can, however, also read meters at some other interval and estimate the readings for the intervening month(s). If we’re unable to obtain a meter reading due to circumstances beyond our control, we may estimate the reading. In areas consisting primarily of cottages, meters will be read at least four times a year, estimated readings will be made for all other months.

In the event of extreme weather conditions, our meter readers may not be able to get meter readings on a regular basis. In such cases, your reading will be estimated based on past usage and, if necessary, your bill will be adjusted when future readings are taken.

You can help ensure the safety of our meter readers by keeping the pathway to your meter free of ice, snow, and other objects and making sure that pets are kept away from the meter in an approved kennel or inside your home. For more information or to report a safety concern, please contact us at 1.888.737.1296.

How to read your meter

You can learn how to read your meter by following the steps outlined here.

Your meter has four or five small dials that record your electricity consumption. Adjacent dials turn in opposite directions—some turn clockwise and others, counter-clockwise. As electricity is used, a disk in the meter revolves. This disk moves the hands on the dial, just as a car’s odometer records mileage. The hands on the dials are read and recorded from right to left. When the hand is between two numbers on the dial, the lower number is recorded. The only exception is when the hand is between numbers 9 and 0. In this case, think of the 0 as equal to 10 and record 9 because it is actually the lower number.

Some of our customers have digital meters. If this is the case, the number associated with your electricity consumption is clearly indicated digitally.

Automated meter readings

To improve the service we provide to our customers, eliminate reading errors and estimated meter readings, and provide a faster response to meter readings in the event of a move, we’ve implemented a new Automated Meter Reading (AMR) System in several areas of the province. AMR allows for the automated collection of energy consumption information from electric meters that measure and record the amount of energy used and electronically transmit this information to a database for analysis and billing.  Hydro currently has approximately 20,080 AMR meters.