Knowing how to read your meter can help you track your energy use and use your energy more efficiently. If you've never read your meter before, follow the instructions below. Reading a Meter is easier than you think.

Locating Your Meter

If there are several meters on the wall, yours will be labeled with the Meter Number in the Electricity Usage Section of your bill. If you need help finding this number on your bill, click here.

Before you can read your meter, you have to find it. Use the following tips to locate your meter.

• The meter is usually near the main fuse box or panel of circuit breakers.
• The meter is usually on the outside of the house or apartment building.
• The meter is usually about 5 feet above ground level.
• The meter has a round glass bowl covering four or five small dials that look like tiny clocks.

Reading Your Meter

A meter reading consists of 4 or 5 numbers. Use the following steps to read your meter correctly.

1. Your meter will have 4 or 5 round dials numbered clockwise from 1 to 0.

• Pointers indicate the reading on each dial.
• The pointers rotate in alternating directions (see example below).

2. Starting with the dial on the right and proceeding to the left, record the numbers indicated.

• If a pointer is between two numbers, record the LOWER number.
• If a pointer is directly on a number, check if the pointer on the dial to the right has moved past zero. If it has NOT passed zero, record the lower number from the original dial.

3. Congratulations! The 4- or 5-digit number (depending on the number of dials on your meter) you've just recorded is your new meter reading.

4. To determine how much electricity (measured in kilowatt-hours, or kWh) you've used since your meter was read last, subtract the previous meter reading (from the usage section of your bill) from your new meter reading.

For example?

The meter below reads 16064, as follows:

Pointer 5	Pointer 4	Pointer 3	Pointer 2	Pointer 1
1	6	0	6	4

To better understand the factors influencing your energy usage, review these Billing Inquiries.