Measuring your Electricity Consumption
Electricity is measured with a kilowatt-hour meter. This is the device used by the company to record the power you use. Reading your meter is very easy. Doing so regularly will enable you to track your energy usage and use your energy efficiently.
What is a Kilowatt Hour?
Electricity is measured in units called kilowatt hours. A kilowatt hour is consumed when you use one kilowatt continuously for one hour. All electrical equipment has a kilowatt rating which is usually printed on the equipment. Sometimes you will see amps (A) or kVA instead. A kVA is approximately equal to a kilowatt for most domestic loads. Four amps (4A) on a 240 volt device is also about one kilowatt. For example: an electric kettle rated at 1 kW used for 15 minutes uses 1 x 15/60 = ¼ kilowatt hour. Your consumption is shown on your bill in kWhs for the current month and for the previous 3 months. This makes it easy for you to monitor your usage.
Reading a Digital Meter
Over 99% of LUCELEC customers have AMI digital meters. A digital meter is simple to read. Just read off the numbers shown on the front. If you read your meter about the same date each month, and subtract the previous reading from the current reading, you will get your consumption for the month.
For example: If on the first of January your meter is reading 41,360 kilowatt-hours and on the first of February the meter reading is 41,440 kilowatt-hours, then your consumption for the period (one month) is 41,440 - 41,360 which equals 80 units (kWhs).
Your meter readings and your usage are shown on your bill.
Reading an Electromechanical Meter
Reading an electrochemical meter is similar to reading a digital meter. You simply read the numbers shown at the front of the meter from left to right. You subtract the reading at the end of the last billing period from the current reading to get the consumption in kWh for the current period.