Smart meters are replacing our current network of electricity meters. They use a dedicated low-power communications network to send us automatic meter readings that reflect the exact energy you use meaning you can wave goodbye to manual meter readings and estimated bills
A booklet on smart metering was delivered to every Island household and business in April 2021. A copy of it can be found here.
They can help you manage your energy consumption
Smart meters can help you monitor and control your energy consumption through the use of our SmarterLiving app. This will help provide a better understanding of your electricity usage and support you in making changes to your consumption behaviour.
We can upgrade your meter
Our smart meters are replacing our outdated meters, the types which are no longer manufactured. This is making them harder to maintain in the event of a fault and has made it impossible to replace like for like.
Our smart meter rollout represents an essential investment in our network. It aims to benefit residents through improved resilience and performance of our energy infrastructure. In the longer term, it will also support the Isle of Man Government’s drive towards cleaner, greener, more sustainable energy for our Island.
We can provide the most reliable and accurate billing
We have a legal obligation to provide reliable and accurate consumption billing. Our smart meters will use a dedicated low-power communications network to send us automatic meter readings that reflect the exact energy you use, meaning that manual readings and estimated bills are a thing of the past.
To better manage our electricity supply and demand
Smart meters help to create a smarter energy system, which will allow us to better match supply with demand and consider how best to integrate more renewable energy sources such as wind and solar in the future. A smart meter network also offers the potential for introducing flexible new tariff options to benefit consumers.
It can show your energy use in near-real time
You can keep track of your electricity usage in pounds and pence, or in Kilowatts/hour if you prefer, which means you will be able to better understand and manage your electricity consumption.
Automatic readings
Smart meters are self-reading and will automatically send us the details of your electricity usage, removing the need for manual readings and putting an end to estimated bills.
It can detect faults and send automatic alerts to us
It will enable us to provide quicker responses to outages and greatly reducing the time for investigation and repair work.
Ability to switch from prepayment to credit
If you are a SmarterPAYG customer who wishes to become a credit customer and receive periodic bills, we will have the ability to switch you to a credit customer without us having to visit your property, and vice versa.
No. Our smart metering system does not pose a risk to public health.
No high power communications
Smart meters undertake rigorous testing to ensure safety
Smart meters’ radio emissions are typically one million times lower than international health guideline levels according to Dr Azadeh Peyman, principal radiation protection scientist at Public Health England (PHE), the UK Government watchdog on public health – myth-busting smart meter problems.
High-quality scientific research
The Isle of Man’s Public Health Directorate has confirmed that there are no ill-health effects posed by this technology. The public health guidance is a rich source of information on electromagnetic field (EMF) and robust peer-reviewed blue-ribbon scientific information. We strongly recommend you include this as a starting point in any independent research you might be undertaking.
Please see a full database of all scientific research data on EMF, which allows you to search for details of more than 28,000 publications covering individual scientific studies on the effects of electromagnetic fields.
Science-Based Medicine is a non-profit project run by volunteer medical professionals, with a mission to influence public health policies through high-quality science. 'Are smart meters a health risk?` is an article published by its founder and executive editor Steven Novella, an academic clinical neurologist at the Yale University School of Medicine.
