Outsmarted by a Smart Meter

For someone like me who makes a living out of working in Information Technology, reading, skipping, and sifting through large volumes of data, the latest tech trends, and everything else under the sun with data is an everyday task, so looking at data is taken for granted. However, I realized this very skill of Data monitoring, IT's term for keeping an eye on, can spin head if asked to look at the latest Electric meter and personal consumptioLike all things 'smart' these days, I took the heavy heart decision, to move towards a smart home by replacing my old electric meter with a brand new Smart Meter. 'Smart' because it has a SIM card mounted on top that sends the meter readings to my energy provider. It doesn't need internet, charging, or manual intervention reducing time and effort. I now don't have to fill in the meter readings before paying the monthly bills, which I did diligently. All this is now automated, a bliss and a curse. With its new display, I can watch my usage and reduce consumption, where possible. During the pandemic, I moved to a more net zero lifestyle to reduce, recycle and reuse where possible. I thought the smart meter will help me in my goals, as I am still not there yet but in the right direction.

The first hour went in amusement and curiosity about the live data feed. Every few minutes, I glanced at the readings and what it cost, happy it being less initially and then steady increase. I couldn't take my eyes off it, the way these days most of us can't take our eyes off our mobile. The curious and thrifty person in me wanted to analyze how much electricity each appliance in my house consumed and what it cost me. I should have thought twice before doing this, but never mind.

Firstly, I switched off every appliance in my house except the fridge and noted the readings for a few minutes. Steady so far. So I switched on the wi-fi, and the reading fluctuated but was manageable. Then came the room heater, which made the meter jump as obvious. Then came the laptop again not much change in the numbers. The house lights were negligible. I was relaxed and happy with my low-medium readings and thought to celebrate with afternoon tea. The meter burst as soon as the electric gas/hob started. My heart skipped a beat as the reading and cost rose every minute. Never in my life have I thought that making tea at home is also costly. I barely managed to drink tea after this. I wished my bank balance would increase at the same rate, as the units, on my new smart meter.

The pre-pandemic me would have taken it with a pinch of salt and left it there. But the post-pandemic me with net zero goals and in the middle of a recession was astonished when it showed when and how I used (or wasted) electricity, a precious resource. It was not only eye-popping but also a time for some action plans to reduce gas usage. The frugal person in me rose to the occasion and decided to reduce cooking times and move to a more sustainable and healthy diet. The already thrifty me was now googling for ways to cook more with less energy, cooking in batches, avoiding extra hot water, salad recipes, and everything I could lay my eyes on. The smart meter monitoring made a fool out of me in no time.

I must admit I lost my mind and sleep for the first day. It was like a slap on the face to wake me up from my slumber. The next day, I packed the display back in the box and kept it away to avoid daily panic attacks. I know the electric meter will keep moving as always. Instead, I will focus on reducing waste rather than mindless monitoring without actions. Now, most of my electric devices are on low or battery-saving modes. The cooking times are more sensible with energy and time-saving recipes. It was a boon as now I wash fewer utensils, saving water. At times I feel the dark ages were better as people back then used the sunlight more, thus saving time, money, and resources. In this digital age, I feel, we squander everything time, energy, money, data, and mental peace. Alas, the meter outsmarted me.