Utilities calculate electricity bills using either register reads or interval data from smart meters. The use of register reads creates numerous operational and policy problems. Because register reads have a long tradition in the industry, their use should be permitted. At the same time, not permitting the use of interval data – also having a long history – results in inconsistency of data between consumer bills and other uses, higher costs, more estimated bills, reduced flexibility, increased complexity, and other serious problems.

Smart meter systems provide benefits in the area of outage management through the use of new technologies, better analysis and notification tools, and automated decision-making that result in improved public and employee safety and shorter outage restoration times.

With data Validation, Estimation and Editing (VEE), utilities can instantly verify the accuracy of data and make corrections in real-time. Problematic data from meter data collection systems is identified and addressed before it reaches other utility systems.

eMeter CEO, Gary Bloom defines the value of the information platform and how it will enable on demand, two-way communications supported by information processed real-time.