Electricity is measured with a kilowatt-hour meter. This is the device used by the company to record the power you use. If you've never read your meter before you'll find it's very easy. Reading your meter regularly will allow you to track your energy usage and use your energy efficiently.

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 (4) amps (A) on a 240 volt device is also about one kilowatt. For example: an electric kettle rate at 1 kW used for 15 minutes uses 1 x 15/60 = ¼ kilowatt. Your consumption is shown on your bill in kWhs for the current month and for the previous 4 months. This makes it easy for you to monitor your usage.

If you have a digital meter it 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 get your consumption for the month.

For example: On the first of January your meter is reading 41,360 kilowatt-hours. On the first of February the meter reading is 41,440 kilowatt-hours. Your consumption is 41,440 - 41,360 which equals 80 units.

Your meter readings and your usage are shown on your bill.

If you have a dial meter, it will look like this diagram. It will have four dials on the face each with a pointer and the numbers 1 through 0 around the outside. Your meter reading will consist of four numbers, one from each dial.

1. Write down the numbers on the dials from left to right. If a pointer is between two numbers, use the lower number. On the meter in our diagram, the reading is 5258. You now have your meter reading.

2. To determine how much electricity you have used (measured in kilowatt-hours, or KWh) since the last reading, just subtract your previous meter reading, taken from the "Meter Reading" section of your bill, from your new meter reading.