Yes. Smart Meters have an easy-to-read digital display instead of a series of dials. Once the communications systems are operational, you also will be able to track your daily usage on the internet.  Gas meters will continue to have dials, as they do today. Watch a video on how to read your advanced meter.

Our electric system is more than 100 years old and although it has served us well, it needs upgrading. The energy industry is poised for a dramatic change. In the face of expanding customer expectations, increasing environmental regulation, and new technology, the traditional approach of building new power plants to meet energy demand can no longer be the only option. We must find ways to improve our service and meet our customers’ energy needs in a smart, lower-carbon way. Renewable generation and energy efficiency must, and will, play a larger role.

And consumers want more information and control, too; they want reliable and affordable energy that’s clean, and this requires a unique balancing act. By deploying digital energy technologies and modernizing our power grid, we can bring the grid into the 21st century, empower consumers to make wiser energy decisions, and help create a cleaner, lower-carbon and more energy-efficient world.

One of the major potential benefits of smart meters is their ability to give consumers access to detailed data on their electricity usage via an in-home display or internet portals. In-home displays are not yet widely available but should become available with a variety of options in a range of prices in the future.