How do I read my electricity meter?

How to read electricity meter Singapore: which meter you have

Reading your meter starts with knowing which kind it is: a cumulative meter shows a running total you copy down, while an advanced meter's usage can be viewed in the SP app. EMA's Open Electricity Market site lists two kinds of electricity meter for homes: cumulative meters and advanced meters, also called smart meters. It notes that homes are usually on single-phase meters, and that a cumulative meter is read once every two months. In the month it is not read, SP Group estimates your consumption using an EMA-approved method, so one bill in two may rest on an estimate.

A cumulative meter adds every kilowatt-hour your home draws to a total that only goes up, so you work out your use by subtraction.

An advanced meter records consumption every half hour, so you see the shape of your day rather than one figure every two months. If you are also weighing up who should supply your power, our comparison of the open electricity market vs SP sets out the two routes.

Reading a cumulative meter

Bring a torch if the compartment is dim, because the small digits can be hard to make out in a shaded corridor.

1. Find the meter. In an HDB flat it is usually in the meter compartment outside the flat, near the main door or along the corridor. For landed homes, SP Group's handbook places meters in a weatherproof compartment at the gate pillar or perimeter wall, never inside the house.
2. Note the kWh digits. Read the figures from left to right and write down the whole number in kilowatt-hours with the date.
3. Compare with your last bill. Subtract the reading printed on your latest bill from today's figure to see what you have used since.

If the gap looks much bigger than expected, first check whether that bill was an estimate. Our electricity bills FAQ answers common questions about the bill itself.

Advanced meter Singapore

With an advanced meter there is nothing to copy down. EMA explains that it records consumption every half hour and that the usage can be viewed on the SP app. You can see the jump when the bedroom aircon goes on at night, or the dip while everyone is out at work or school.

A new meter should not come as a surprise. EMA says SP Group notifies households by mail before an advanced meter is installed. If you switch to a retailer, EMA adds that you can choose the load-profile option or an advanced meter, with an installation fee for the meter. Ask the retailer for the current charge.

Half-hourly data is easiest to judge with a reference point, so read it alongside our guide to how much electricity HDB flats use.

Submit meter reading SP

On a cumulative meter you need not wait for the two-monthly visit. SP Group suggests submitting meter readings monthly through the SP app to avoid estimated bills. Pick a regular day, such as the first weekend of each month, so each figure covers a similar stretch of time.

Changing retailer also calls for a reading. EMA says your last meter reading is needed for the switch: the retailer advises how and when to submit it, or SP Group estimates it.

When both the readings and the bills look too high, run through our guide on why an electricity bill is high before booking anyone.

Using readings to spot waste

Your meter can show what your home uses when nobody is using anything. This overnight test is practical advice, not an official procedure:

• Before bed, switch off everything you can, leaving on only the fridge and anything that must stay powered.
• Note the meter reading, or the time if you have an advanced meter.
• Read it again in the morning, before anything is switched back on.

On a cumulative meter, a noticeable rise overnight means something is drawing power in the background. On an advanced meter, the half-hourly figures in the SP app show the same pattern through the night. Chargers, TV decoders and other devices left waiting are frequent culprits; our guide to standby power shows how to find them.

If the figure keeps rising with almost everything off and you cannot trace why, a Licensed Electrician can check the circuits in your home.

Water meter too

Water works the same way. PUB's meter reading guide says HDB water meters are along the common corridor near the unit entrance, exposed or in a utility duct, or at the staircase landing below the unit. Check that the meter number matches the one on your SP Utilities app, so you know you are reading your own meter.

Then read the digits left to right. PUB's guide explains that black or white digits are whole numbers and red digits are decimals, with usage in cubic metres; take the reading to the first decimal place. If you have had a message about unusual water use, our post on the PUB smart water meter alert explains it.

Questions