Smart Meters

No, customers typically do not need to be home for installation if the electric meter is accessible and located outside of your home. If your electric meter is indoors or otherwise inaccessible, please call our installation technicians at UPA: 877-635-7082.

Installation typically takes 5-15 minutes to complete.

Most customers will experience a power interruption of 10 minutes or less during smart meter installation. For all customers in National Grid’s Life Support, Blind and Disabled, or Medical Protections programs, advanced notice will be provided and installation appointments made.

National Grid has partnered with Utility Partners of America (UPA) who are considered leaders in the installation of smart meter technology.  The two companies will work together to install all new devices.

No. Since you are the account holder, your landlord does not need to sign off on your meter replacement or be present.

Yes. If a call is made to our customer service team, and it’s recognized that the customer doesn’t speak English, we will get an agent on the line who can speak with the customer. If a field technician arrives at the home of a customer who doesn’t speak English, the technician will direct the customer to call our customer service line.

No action needs to be taken. However, we will need to temporarily interrupt your electric service in order to complete the meter exchange.  The down time is typically less than 10 minutes and would have impacts that are no different than a typical, short-lived power outage. If you have a home alarm, typically there is enough time on the alarm to allow for the meter exchange. However, in rare instances, the power outage could trigger the alarm.

Yes. Since power will be temporarily interrupted to complete the meter exchange (typically, for less than 10 minutes), your generator will likely turn on. Some homeowners like to turn it off before we install the new meter, but during times when customers are not home or don't answer the door, the generator may turn on temporarily.

Visit Smart Meter Communications to see and download copies of customer communications in English, Spanish and Chinese.

National Grid is installing more than 1.4 million electric smart meters across Massachusetts over several years. Installation timing can vary by location, so even if neighbors have received theirs, yours may be scheduled for a later phase. If your meter hasn’t been installed yet, it wasn’t missed - you can expect to receive communication prior to your installation.

The smart meter begins measuring electric use immediately following installation, and data typically appears in your My Account portal within 24-48 hours.

In some instances, it may take up to 30 days for data to appear as the meter completes registration and network upgrades are finalized in your service area. If data transmission is delayed, we may temporarily estimate your usage for billing purposes, and those estimates will be automatically updated with actual usage as soon as the meter is fully connected.

Not necessarily. While smart meters provide accurate and up-to-date billing over 99% of the time, there are some instances where we may need to estimate your bill such as extreme weather, temporary connection issues, or software updates. In these cases, the estimated usage will be replaced by actual usage as soon as the meter connectivity is restored. It could take up to 30 days for your meter to fully connect and register as we continue to build out the network in your service area. 

The Sense Home app gives customers real‑time, appliance‑level visibility into how their home uses electricity, helping identify what uses the most energy and when. It’s only available for smart meters with the latest firmware, and some meters don’t yet support this capability. National Grid is updating all smart meters, including those already installed, so they will all eventually be compatible. If you try to download the app and your meter isn’t yet supported, you will receive communication about Sense once your meter has been updated. Learn more about Sense.

Your current meter needs to be replaced, as it has reached the end of its useful life. A smart meter is our standard replacement, but you may opt-out of receiving a smart meter and instead choose a new manual, “non‑communicating” meter. Because it doesn’t send data automatically, this meter will need to be read manually by a utility representative, which carries a monthly fee of $26/meter. Additionally, if you’ve already had a smart meter installed, there is a one-time change-out fee of $33 to replace the smart meter with a manual meter. If you wish, you can complete the opt-out request form here.

If you opt out, your account will be charged the monthly fee of $26 even if you send in your own meter reading, as we are required to go to your property to check the meter/equipment and verify readings.

Only if you opt out after a smart meter is already installed will you incur the one-time change-out fee. If you opt out before a smart meter is installed, your existing meter will be replaced with a new non-communicating meter, and you will not be charged the change-out fee.

There is no direct charge, at the time of installation. National Grid is funding the project during the preparation phase, which includes network communications and cyber security development. Meter installation will take place over the course of four years and customers have begun to pay for the upgrades through an increased rate, as included in the Company’s 2020 rate case.

Yes. Our field crew will come to your property to install your new smart meter regardless of your account status. Learn more about all the energy savings programs available to you.

National Grid is required by the Home Energy Fair Practices Act (HEFPA) to make an attempt to collect your past due bill amount in person before service can be disconnected. We will attempt to resolve your account in person before your service is disconnected for nonpayment. If we are unable to speak with you at the door, or if an in-person attempt to resolve the account is not successful, service termination can be done remotely.

There are several reasons your bill may increase (or decrease) after a smart meter is installed. Smart meters record your actual energy use, rather than estimated usage. If we weren’t receiving regular readings before, your past bills may have been underestimated, which can make your new bill appear higher.

Your bill may also change due to:

• Seasonal increases in energy use (such as heating or cooling)
• Changes in supply or delivery rates
  
  

Your smart meter gives you more visibility into how and when you use electricity, so you can better understand your bill and make informed energy-saving choices. You can view your usage and manage alerts in your My Account portal.

Yes. Smart meters have been in operation in the United States since 2006. As of 2022, U.S. electric utilities had about 119 million smart meter installations, equal to about 72% of total electric meters installations. [Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration]. Multiple audits by independent consultants for Public Utilities Commissions have shown these meters to be highly accurate and dependable.

At National Grid, we have protected the privacy of our customers’ data for decades, always improving our systems to meet changing technologies and will continue to do so as new, more advanced technologies are implemented. All data collected by your smart meter is transmitted through an encrypted network that meets national standards. And smart meters do not collect or transmit personal information. Only your energy usage data will be transmitted, which we will keep confidential.  To learn more, see our Privacy Policy.

Yes. Your smart meter technology does not use your Wifi or internet connection to transmit data to National Grid. You only need internet service if you want to monitor your energy usage online through MyAccount.

Yes. The low-level radio frequency (RF) technologies used in wireless smart meters produce RF at a fraction of the level found in commonly used household items, including cell phones, microwaves, wireless internet, and laptop computers. For more information about FCC guidelines regarding RF exposure, visit http://www.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety/. And visit our smart meter safety page for more information.

Our field area network (FAN) is a secure, wireless system that provides reliable two-way communication between the smart meter and National Grid. The various components of the network communicate with one another to transmit data. These components include utility meters as well as network gear known as mesh repeaters and gateways. The repeaters help the data travel, while the gateways collect data from repeaters and meters and then forward it over a cellular network to our systems. The network maintains data integrity by breaking long distances into a series of shorter hops. Because the network automatically adjusts if one connection is unavailable, it’s designed to be dependable and keep information flowing without interruption.

All older, removed meters will be tested; any that are no longer found to be accurate (and deemed at end of useful functional life) will be scrapped or recycled.  Any meters removed that are tested and deemed accurate will be used for our inventory or sold to a third party to be reused.

No. National Grid will be reassigning and/or reallocating this part of our workforce for other important duties.

To see what energy you’ve used per day, month, or even in 15-minute increments for the previous 24 hours, you can log into your account on the MyAccount Portal. 

During your smart meter installation, your panels will turn off and then turn back on automatically once the installation is complete. Your electrical service will be interrupted for less than 10 minutes. If you have concerns about your solar or its production, please reach out to your solar provider for assistance in triaging the operation of your system.

Your new smart meter sends your usage data directly to us without a technician needing to come to your property to read it manually. Learn more about the benefits of smart meters.

No. If you decide to install solar energy panels at your home after your smart meter is installed, you will not need a meter exchange or re-programming. However, we will need to update your account to net-metered billing instead of electric rate billing. This will be done as part of the connection process.

No. Your bill will remain exactly the same as with a traditional meter.