The evaluation journey of electricity was not started in one go, it has taken around 135 years (1752 to 1887) from electricity visualisation discovery to AC generation:
- 1752 – Benjamin Franklin discovered electricity with his famous kite-flying experiments. He attached a wire to a kite in a thunderstorm, which showed that lightning consists of electricity.
- 1800 – Alessandro Volta, was able to ’string a current’ and create a first electric battery, making it easy for scientists to study electricity.
- 1832 – Michael Faraday discovered that electric current induced by passing a magnet through a copper wire. As of now, the electric generator and electric motor are based on this principle.
- 1882 – Thomas Edison had designed and built the first electric DC power plant in New York City and about 85 customers received enough power to light. Also invented the electric incandescent bulb in 1832.
- 1887 – F. Augus Haselwander developed the AC generators in 1887 in Europe on the principle of Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction.
The first demonstration of electric light in India took place in Kolkata in mid-1879 during British rule. A few decades later, this success led to the establishment of a generating station in Mumbai in 1905, which was set up to power a tramway.
Similarly, the journey of measurement of electricity did not have an easy beginning. It started from magnetic induction to smart metering & definitely so on … in future.
The invention of electricity marked a turning point in world development, revolutionizing the pace of progress and transforming the global economic system. The practical commercial use of electricity began in 1837 with its application in communication through the electrical telegraph. Later, the invention of the practical incandescent light bulb in the 1870s ushered in a new era of illumination and modernity and bring the ROSHNI in the life human being.
Journey of metering and standardisation
In 1872, the first electricity meter invented by Samuel Gardiner, measured the time energy was supplied to a load. It monitored connected lamps controlled by a single switch, and in 1988 the actual electro mechanical meter had been introduced to measure the kWh unit of reading. Thereafter, the journey of metering began, evolving from mechanical meters to smart meters.
The history of real electricity meters began in the late 19th century with the advent of electrical power distribution. Early meters were developed to measure and record electricity consumption, enabling utilities to bill customers accurately.
After that, use of traditional energy resources for industrialised purpose has converted into electricity viewing the new electrical parameter maximum demand, power factor, apparent / reactive energy & TOD measurement comes into picture. Viewing the control of measurement of energy & accountability, in 1906 the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) was established to create global standards for electrical equipment, including electricity meters.
The first electronics electricity meters (called static NON-DLMS) emerged in the 1970s, as advancements in solid-state technology enabled the development of digital energy measurement devices. These meters replaced the traditional electromechanical meters with electronic components, offering improved accuracy and reliability but lacking advanced communication features like DLMS/COSEM.
To bring the metering parameter & communication in uniform platform, in 1997 IEC (IEC 62056) introduced the DLMS/COSEM standard to enable standardized communication between electricity meters and utilities. And this is the evolution toward modern, interoperable metering systems. These meters were designed to support advanced data communication protocols and a universal language for data exchange, ensuring interoperability between meters from different manufacturers. The Static DLMS meters were developed to support two-way communication, enabling advanced functionalities like remote reading, load profiling, and tamper detection. These meters were initially adopted in Europe and gradually rolled out worldwide.
Meter standard adoption in India
The first Indian standard for electricity meters, covering electromechanical meters of IS 722 in 1981, defined accuracy classes and performance characteristics. Followed by IS 13779 in 1993 for static single-phase meters and IS 14697 in 1999 for static three-phase meters.
The BIS adopted IS 15959 in 2011, based on the DLMS/COSEM protocol, to establish national standards for data communication in smart and static meters.
As per the utility application meters are also standardised category wise for better control in uniformity as well as communication operation.
Smart metering
After standardisation of DLMS in static meters is the actually the first start of smart metering. The first true smart meter was introduced in the 1990s as part of efforts to modernize energy metering and grid management systems. These meters marked a significant advancement by integrating two-way communication and enabling real-time monitoring of electricity usage. These meters allowed utilities not only to read data remotely but also to send commands, such as disconnecting or reconnecting power and updating tariffs dynamically.
Pre-paid metering is the USP of smart metering that enables meters to display current balance amount with date time, last recharge amount with date time, balance at last recharge – by which consumers can monitor & control the efficient use of energy.
Utilities of Italy and Sweden were among the first to roll out one of the first successful implementations of smart metering on a national level in 2001, covering over 30 million customers. In India, smart meters became prominent in the 2010s, with the introduction of IS 16444 standards by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for smart meters, ensuring compliance with global specifications like DLMS/COSEM.
For smart meter the category-wise utilisation is also define for smooth COSOM file.
Smart metering architect and communication technology
Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) or smart metering system refers to a system that measures, collects, monitors energy usage providing consumption information from smart meter to electricity utility through communication media. The key components of AMI include Smart Meter, Communication Network, Head End System (HES) & Meter Data Management (MDM) and provision of consumption data monitoring for consumers.
The communication network equally plays a role the important in smart metering performance. There are basically three types of communication mode widely used but in present time cellular network is most preferable in respect of connectivity as well as economy wise.
- PLC (Power Line Communication): It uses existing power lines to transmit data between smart meters and utility substations, leveraging the existing infrastructure to reduce additional costs. However, its performance can be impacted by line noise and network congestion.
- RF (Radio Frequency) Communication: It uses wireless radio signals to transmit data, typically through proprietary or standardized RF mesh networks. This method is reliable for remote and rural areas but requires large-scale deployments of RF mesh infrastructure.
- Cellular Communication: It utilizes mobile networks (GPRS, 4G, 5G , LPWAN , NB-IoT) to directly transmit data to utility servers.
Uniqueness of smart meter
Smart meters and DLMS-compliant static meters share some common features, but smart meters have additional advanced functionalities that make them distinct and better suited for modern energy management systems. The Table 1 represents a comparison of features that differentiate smart meters from DLMS static meters.
Ultimately
The transformation of energy measurement has progressed from the early days of electricity to modern digitalization, culminating in the adoption of smart metering. Smart metering not only promotes energy conservation effectively but also enhances consumer convenience by providing accurate energy measurement, transparent billing, and seamless digital payment options. While smart meters have proven to work efficiently in post-paid mode, their implementation in prepaid mode remains challenging.
Despite significant efforts by DISCOMs, prepaid metering is not yet fully operational due to non-payment issues, particularly within government sectors. Many critical government departments still lack online payment mechanisms, which hampers the transition to a fully functional prepaid system. Therefore, there is an urgent need for clear and enforceable guidelines within tariff regulations or the electricity supply code to ensure the effective implementation of prepaid metering systems.
The successful implementation of prepaid metering would not only improve revenue collection and reduce arrears for DISCOMs but also align with broader goals of energy conservation, digitalization, and consumer empowerment. However, achieving this requires a concerted effort involving regulatory reforms, technological advancements, and collaborative engagement between DISCOMs, policymakers, and consumers.
Dheeraj Mehta is a techno commercial professional in power distribution business and holds expertise in metering & AMI. At present, he is working in Tata Power Northern Odisha Distribution Limited.
