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;
- targeting to reduce Ontario's energy consumption by five percent by 2007;
- commiting to install a smart electricity meter in 800,000 homes and small businesses by 2007 and throughout Ontario by 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 the Ministry of Energy's website.
Smart Sub-Meters in Condominiums
Smart sub-metering is part of the government’s smart metering plan.
To enable sub-metering in condominiums, the Ministry of Energy is posting the following two proposed Ontario Regulations to be made under the Electricity Act, 1998 and the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998, entitled:
- Installation of Smart Meters and Smart Sub-Metering Systems in Condominiums; and
- Licensing Sub-Metering Activities
The proposed draft regulations are available on our Electricity Regulations page. Stakeholders were requested to provide comments on these regulations by November 17, 2006.
We received extensive comments on the proposed draft regulations. As a result, ministry staff will be arranging a further round of consultations in the New Year. Further details will be posted on this web-site.
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 process.
The Ministry recently included the Final Specification 
in a regulation.
The Ministry also introduced three additional regulations pertaining to AMI that identify authorized metering activities, prescribe procurement principles that must be followed by distributors, govern the recovery of distributors costs relating to AMI, and identify priority installations. The new regulations are available on our Electricity Regulations page.
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.
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 is proposing to expand the IESO's objects to provide it with the authority to support the government's smart metering initiative as contemplated in the Backgrounder. A draft of this proposed regulation is available for download on our Electricity Regulations page.
Page Last Updated: 13 December, 2006
