30-Second Overview
In order to keep electricity bills accurate, it is important to regularly read your meter and submit readings to ESB Networks. In order to keep bills low, speak with one of our energy experts, and we will make sure that you are on the cheapest price plan available.
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How to read your electricity meter
You can provide electricity meter readings to your supplier, who will then in turn, provide those readings to ESB Networks. You can also provide meter readings directly to ESB networks on ESB's webpage for submitting electricity meter readings.
There are four main types of electricity meters in Ireland:
- Mechanical meters
- Electronic meters
- Smart meters
- Pay as You Go (PAYG) meters
Why Accurate Meter Reads Matter
Reading your electricity meter regularly and submitting accurate readings ensures:
- Correct billing: avoiding estimates.
- Greater energy control: for informed tariff decisions.
- Cost savings: by helping detect anomalies early.
Mechanical Electricity Meters
Mechanical meters are the old-fashioned meters with a revolving disc and a row of numbers.
24-hour meter
A 24-hour meter will have one row of numbers. You can record the meter reading by reading the number on the display from left to right, ignoring any numbers in red or surrounded by a red box.
Day & Night Meter
A day & night or night saver meter will have two rows of numbers. The top line is the day reading, and the bottom line is the night reading. You can record the meter reading by reading the number on the display from left to right, ignoring any numbers in red or surrounded by a red box.
Wattless Meter
A wattless meter will look similar to a 24-hour meter. It will differ by having the unit kVarh after the meter reading. You can record the meter reading by reading the number on the display from left to right, ignoring any numbers in red or surrounded by a red box.
Electronic Electricity Meters
Basic Electronic Meter
A basic electronic meter will have a digital display and a blue button to the right of the display. The meter can be read by pushing the blue button and scrolling through the screens.
- 24-hour Reading: Read the front screen from left to right, including all digits.
- Day Reading: The number ‘2’ will be visible to the left of the screen.
- Night Reading: The number ‘1’ will be visible to the left of the screen.
- Read the display from left to right, including all the digits.
- Meters may display an arrow ‘>’ symbol. This is not a decimal point.
Business Electronic Meter
There are several different models of business meters installed in Ireland. Below is a summary of the usual models installed, along with instructions on how to read the meters.
ABB Vision/Elster A1700
If your RM number is 548, 549, 645 or 647, you may have this meter. The RM number is at the bottom left-hand side of the meter. This meter has an electronic display which changes every 9 seconds.
- Flat rate & time of day customers use screens 9, 10 & 11
- Maximum demand customers use screens 14, 16, 18, 19 & 20
- Record numbers left to right, ignoring figures right of the decimal
ABB/GEC PPM Meter
If your RM number is 545 or 667, you may have this meter type. The RM number is at the bottom left-hand side of the meter. The meter has an automatic scrolling electronic display. The display changes every 6 seconds.
- Flat rate & time of day customers use screens 11, 12 & 13.
- Maximum demand customers can't submit meter readings as the information is not accessible. The meter must be read by ESB Networks.
- Record numbers left to right, ignoring figures right of the decimal.
Elster A1140/A1120
If your RM number is 648, 651, 627, 553 or 551, you may have this meter type. The RM number is located at the bottom left-hand side of the meter. This meter may have an auto-scroll feature that automatically changes screens. Press the button only if the meter has no auto-scroll.
- 24-hour reading: The total day & night reading is taken from the screen that displays 'CUM' to the left and 'kWh' to the right of the reading.
- Day reading: This is taken from the screen that displays 'TOU ACTIVE 2' to the left and 'kWh' to the right of the reading.
- Night reading: This is taken from the screen that displays 'TOU 1' to the left and 'kWh' to the right of the reading.
- Wattless Reading: 'CUM 1' is displayed to the left of the reading and 'kVarh' to the right.
- Record numbers left to right, ignoring figures right of the decimal.
- The decimal point is not included in the readings.
ISKRA MT173
If your RM number is 649 or 552, you may have this meter type. The RM number is located at the bottom left-hand side of the meter. This meter may have an auto-scroll feature that automatically changes screens. Press the button only if the meter has no auto-scroll.
- 24-hour reading: 1.8.0 will be displayed on the screen. This is the total day & night reading.
- Day reading: 1.8.2 will be displayed on the screen.
- Night reading: 1.8.1 Will be displayed on the screen.
- Wattless reading: 5.8.0 will be displayed on the screen.
- Record numbers left to right, ignoring figures right of the decimal.
Pay As You Go (PAYG) Electricity Meters
ESB Networks installs Pay As You Go meters for customers when requested by their respective electricity suppliers. To read your meter, press the number 9 on the keypad. To top up:
- You can top up your credit using the keypad on the meter itself.
- Press the * key on the keypad. The message 'KEYCODE' will be displayed.
- Enter the full Top-Up code, followed by the # key.
- If you enter any number incorrectly, you can erase it by pressing the * key.
- When a valid code is entered on the meter, 'ACCEPTED' will be displayed.
Smart Electricity Meters
Smart meters do not need to be read by the customer once they have been activated. Readings are automatically sent to ESB Networks. The meter can still be read by the customer.
- Read the display from left to right, including all the digits.
- 24hr reading: This is the main screen. A+ will be displayed in the top right corner of the screen.
- Night reading: The third press of the button will display the night reading. A+T1 will appear in the top right corner, and the meter will display ‘night’ above the reading.
- Day reading: The fourth press of the button will display the day reading. A+T2 will appear in the top right corner, and the meter will display ‘day’ above the reading.
- Peak reading: The fifth press of the button will display the peak reading. A+T3 will appear in the top right corner, and the meter will display ‘peak’ above the reading.
How to Submit Your Meter Read
- Read the appropriate figure (e.g., total, day, night).
- Submit to your supplier or directly via the ESB Networks reporting portal.
- This helps correct estimates and keeps billing accurate.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
To read an electricity meter, note the numbers shown on the display from left to right and ignore any digits in red or after a decimal. The exact process depends on whether you have a mechanical, electronic, PAYG or smart meter. Once you have your reading, submit it to your electricity supplier or directly to ESB Networks.
You can submit meter readings to your electricity supplier, who forwards the reading to ESB Networks, or directly to ESB Networks through their online meter-reading submission page. Submitting frequent and accurate readings prevents estimated bills and helps keep your costs correct.
Regular meter readings ensure: (i) accurate bills (no estimates), (ii) better control over consumption, (iii) early detection of usage spikes, and (iv) more accurate tariff comparisons, helping you choose the cheapest business energy plan.
For mechanical meters, read the numbers on the rotating display from left to right. Ignore any digits that are red or surrounded by a red box.
24-hour meter: one row of numbers
Day/Night meter: two rows (top = day, bottom = night)
Wattless meter: similar layout but labelled kVarh
Electronic electricity meters have digital screens that scroll. Press the blue button (sometimes yellow) to cycle through screens:
24-hour reading: main display
Day reading: screen with “2”
Night reading: screen with “1”
Record all digits shown, ignoring any decimal places or arrow symbols.
Larger commercial electricity meters (LVMD) vary by model. In general:
• Let the display auto-scroll or press the button to cycle.
• Note the correct screens for day, night, total, and wattless readings.
• Record digits left to right, ignoring anything after the decimal point.
While you can read your meter to keep track of consumption, ESB does not accept customer readings for billing purposes. The meter must be read by ESB Networks. If your meter has not been read by ESB Networks in over two months, you should phone them to schedule a meter reading.
If your smart electricity meter has been activated, ESB Networks receives automatic readings, so you don’t need to submit them. You can still read it manually by pressing the button:
• 24-hour reading: A+
• Night: A+T1
• Day: A+T2
•Peak: A+T3
If your electricity meter display is blank, flashing, or unreadable, contact ESB Networks immediately. You can also notify your supplier, who will log a service call with ESB Networks. Do not attempt to repair or open the meter yourself. ESB will arrange an inspection or a replacement if required.
For the most accurate bills, submit a reading every month or at least every billing cycle. Businesses with fluctuating usage (hospitality, retail, manufacturing) may benefit from submitting readings more frequently.
Businesses get estimated bills when ESB Networks cannot collect a reading, and no customer reading is submitted. Estimates can lead to overcharging or undercharging, so providing regular readings prevents unexpected corrections later.
Yes. An incorrect or outdated electricity meter reading can cause inaccurate billing. This can lead to higher charges if the reading is over-estimated, or large adjustments on your next bill. Always double-check before submitting.
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