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North Carolina / Paying My Bill / Understand My Bill

Understand My Meter

Learn how to read your Electric or Solar Meter

Electric Meter

Energy use is measured in kilowatt hours (kWh). A kilowatt hour is equal to using 1,000 watts of electricity in one hour (or burning a 100-watt bulb for 10 hours). Most meters are read via FCC regulated secure radio frequency.

How to Read Your Meter

  1. What does the two digit number on the display mean?
    • This is the register number.
    • These numbers may flash or change on the display.
    • You can use the charts below to identify what each register measures based on your meter type.
  2. Where can I find the reading (kWh) recorded by my meter?
    • The reading is shown on the digital display. This is the current amount of electricity recorded by the meter in kilowatt-hours.
  3. What do the moving dots or arrows represent?
    • The moving dot or arrows are a visual sign that the meter is recording electricity use.
    • The speed at which the dots are moving correspond with the amount of energy being used.
  4. Where can I find the meter number?
    • The meter number is listed on the front of the meter and on your bill under “Account Details.”

Aclara Smart Meter

Register Number Description
Register 01 Total electricity used, measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh).
Register 02 Highest amount of electricity used at one time, measured in kilowatts (kW).

A register records the units measured by the meter. Each register shows a different type of meter information.

To find the number of kilowatt hours used, record current meter reading. Wait a period of time and record the new meter reading again. Subtract the earlier reading from the most recent reading to determine the kilowatt hours consumed during that period.

Electric meter Aclara Smart Meter

Solar Meter

Two meters are used for the typical solar installation:

  • The Net Meter (bi-directional readings)
  • The Generation Meter (one-way reading)

How to Read Your Net Meter

  1. What does the two digit number on the display mean?
    • This is the register number.
    • These numbers may flash or change on the display. These numbers reflect the type or direction of energy recorded.
    • You can use the charts below to identify what each register measures based on your meter type and solar program.
  2. Where can I find the reading (kWh) recorded by my meter?
    • The reading is shown on the digital display. This is the current amount of electricity recorded by the meter in kilowatt-hours.
  3. What do the moving dots or arrows represent?
    • The moving dots or arrows are a visual sign that the meter is recording electricity flow. The arrows correlate to the flow of energy in a certain direction: movement to the right indicates delivered power.
    • The speed at which the dots are moving corresponds to the amount of energy being delivered or received.
  4. Where can I find the meter number?
    • The meter number is listed on the front of the meter and on your bill under “Account Details.”

Aclara Bidirectional Meter

Register Number Description
Register 04 Electricity delivered from the grid to your home, measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh).
Register 35 Excess solar electricity received back by the grid, measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh).

The bi-directional meter measures electricity flowing in both directions. It records the power you receive from the electric grid and any extra power your solar panels send back to the grid.

Delivered kWh

To find the number of kilowatt hours supplied to your location, record meter reading in REGISTER 04. Wait a period of time and record meter reading in REGISTER 04 again. Subtract the first reading from the second to see the energy delivered during that period.

Received kWh

To find the number of kilowatt hours supplied to the grid, record meter reading in REGISTER 35. Wait a period of time and record meter reading in REGISTER 35 again. Subtract the first reading from the second to see the energy returned during that period.

Net Energy Used

Take the two values calculated from the period recorded and subtract the received from the delivered energy. If the value is positive, you used more than pushed to the grid. If the value is negative, you pushed more to the grid than you used.

Net meter Aclara Bidirectional Meter
Generation meter Aclara Generation Meter (Solar)

How to Read Your Generation Meter

  1. What does the two digit number on the display mean?
    • This is the register number.
    • These numbers may flash or change on the display.
    • You can use the charts below to identify what each register measures based on your meter type and solar program.
  2. Where can I find the meter number?
    • The generation meter number is listed on the front of the meter and on your bill under “Account Details”
  3. What do the A, B, and C indicators represent?
    • Indicates the service phase/s in which the meter is recording energy through.
  4. Where can I find the reading (kWh) recorded by my meter?
    • The reading is shown on the digital display. This is the current amount of electricity recorded by the meter in kilowatt-hours.
  5. What does this number represent?
    • Based on your rate and Program ID, this number is used to calculate the actual amount of electricity measured by the meter.Your electric meter only measures a portion of the electricity flowing into your building. Special equipment called instrument transformers safely reduce the amount of electricity the meter sees. Because of that, we apply a multiplier to the meter reading to calculate your actual energy usage.
  6. What do the moving dots or arrows represent?
    • The moving dots or arrows are a visual sign that the meter is recording electricity use.
    • The speed at which the dots are moving correspond with the amount of energy being received.

Aclara Generation Meter (Solar)

Register Number Description
Register 01 Total electricity received through the meter, measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh).

The generation meter measures all electricity produced by the solar panels. It records total solar production, regardless of whether the electricity is used in the home or sent to the grid.

To find the number of kilowatt-hours generated by the solar system, record the meter reading in Register 01. Wait a period of time and record the meter reading in Register 01 again. Subtract the earlier reading from the most recent reading to determine the kilowatt-hours generated during that period.