Smart Meters
To create a conservation culture in Ontario and become a leader in energy efficiency, the government is facilitating a number of key initiatives:
- introducing flexible, time-of-use pricing for electricity;
- commiting to install a smart electricity meter in all Ontario homes and small businesses by the end of 2010 and
- introducing legislation to enable implementation of the government's smart metering initiative and conservation targets.
The smart metering system includes an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and Meter Data Management and (Meter Data Repository MDM/R) functions. An AMI is the infrastructure within which date- and time-stamped hourly meter reads will be remotely collected and transmitted daily to a utility's control computer and, eventually, to a centralized MDM/R.
The MDM/R will provide a common infrastructure for receiving meter reads from all AMI in Ontario, process the reads to produce billing quality consumption data, store and manage data, and provide access to such data to interested parties. The Energy Conservation Responsibility Act, 2006, sets out the broad purposes and objectives for MDM/R.
Smart meters are different from net meters. You can obtain more information about net meters in the Renewable Energy section of this website.
Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI)
As part of the government's smart metering initiative, the Ministry of Energy engaged a Technical Advisor to lead the development of high-level specification for AMI. The specification was posted on the Ministry's website for a two-week period in late November 2005 to solicit comments from interested parties. The Ministry also held six public consultations sessions across Ontario on the draft specifications. In total, 184 participants representing 45 different entities attended. During the consultations, many questions were raised and helpful feedback was provided. Revisions to the draft high-level specification were made as a result of this consultation process as well as feedback received during the first wave of AMI procurement.
Meter Data Management / Repository (MDM/R)
To further the government's smart metering initiative, the Ministry of Energy posted draft specifications for the MDM/R functions to solicit feedback. Interested parties were invited to send written submissions for a three-week period ending June 30, 2006. The Ministry appreciates the level of detail provided in the responses received. Public consultation sessions on the draft specifications were also held during June 2006 and a great deal of feedback was received. In all, over 75 people attended the four sessions; their participation is appreciated.
Click here to read the feedback received through the consultations.
Smart Meters in Condominiums
Smart metering and smart sub-metering in condominiums is part of the government’s smart metering plan.
To enable smart metering and smart sub-metering in condominiums, the following two Ontario Regulations were made under the Electricity Act, 1998 and the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998, and are entitled:
- Installation of Smart Meters and Smart Sub-Metering Systems in Condominiums; and
- Licensing Sub-Metering Activities
Installation of Smart Meters and Smart Sub-Metering Systems in Condominiums
- If a condominium’s board of directors wishes to proceed, this regulation facilitates the voluntary installation of smart meters and smart sub-meters in condominiums without requiring an amendment to the condominium’s declaration.
- This regulation also provides the Ontario Energy Board with the authority to set criteria or requirements for metering technology used in condominiums and to ensure that the technology is capable of measuring electricity consumption or use in accordance with time of use rates and minimally is capable of measuring electricity consumption or use in hourly intervals.
- This regulation applies to both existing condominiums and condominiums under development.
Licensing Sub-Metering Activities
- To enhance consumer protection, and ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, this regulation requires commercial sub-metering entities that provide condominiums with smart meters, smart sub-meters, and any associated services to be licensed by the Ontario Energy Board.
The regulations are available on our Electricity Regulations page.
These regulations were a product of extensive public consultations over 2006 and
early 2007 which included posting of
draft regulations
on this web-site for public comment and receiving significant feedback from a wide
range of stakeholders. Please click here
to view these comments .
Criteria and Requirements for Meters and Metering Equipment, Systems and Technology
- O. Reg. 425/06 (Criteria and Requirements for Meters and Metering Equipment, Systems and Technology) made under the Electricity Act, 1998, as amended to implement a change to the AMI specification..
- The existing Functional Specification for an Advanced Metering Infrastructure dated
July 14, 2006 has been amended to remove the requirement that potential AMI providers
have 5,000 units deployed in the field. The new version is
AMI Specification Version 2
- This will ensure that the next round of AMI procurement is able to access the latest technologies that have received approvals since last summer.
- Distributors still have the obligation to ensure that any AMI procured is able to reliably comply with the AMI functional specifications. Requirements to be able to connect to the MDMR remain in place.
For copies of the amending regulations and the revised AMI functional specifications, please see our Electricity Regulations page
Smart Meters: Cost Recovery
- There are two new regulations amending O. Reg. 426/06 (Smart Meters: Cost Recovery) made under the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998.
- The amendments make it clear that distributors can recover costs, subject to Ontario Energy Board approval, for Smart Metering Entity enrolment and connection requirements – in essence plugging into the MDM/R.
- Secondly the amendments provide clarity around recoverability of costs associated with conventional meters that are replaced as a result of the smart metering initiative.
- Finally, the amendments clarify that the first five distributors integrated with the Smart Metering Entity’s MDM/R system will be able to recover costs, subject to Ontario Energy Board approval, relating to supporting the IESO’s finalization of the design and requirements of the MDM/R.
The regulations are available on our Electricity Regulations page
In August 2006, the Ministry introduced regulations pertaining to smart metering that identify authorized metering activities, prescribe procurement principles that must be followed by distributors, govern the recovery of distributors costs relating to smart metering, and identify priority installations. The regulations are available on our Electricity Regulations page.
IESO Smart Metering System Implementation Program
The Ministry of Energy has entered into an arrangement with the Independent Electricity
System Operator (IESO) whereby the IESO will support the government’s Smart
Metering Initiative by coordinating and project-managing implementation activities.
The IESO’s Smart Metering System Implementation Program specifically pertains
to the delivery of the MDM/R functionality, including all interfaces between the
MDM/R and local distribution companies’ AMI and customer information systems.
The Backgrounder document describes the responsibilities of the IESO, Ministry of
Energy, local distribution companies, and the overall project governance model.
Click
here to read the Backgrounder.
Be sure to monitor the IESO's website pertaining to this work at www.smi-ieso.ca
The Ministry expanded the IESO's objects to provide it with the authority to support the government's smart metering initiative as contemplated in the Backgrounder. This regulation is available for download on our Electricity Regulations page.