In 2019, national power utility Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) announced that it would be rolling out smart meters for all customers across Peninsular Malaysia. That decision, to equip some 9.1 million households with smart meters by 2026, was endorsed by the government and championed in equal measure by the country’s Energy Commission. It’s envisioned that the entire country would be powered by smart meters in the near future – an aspiration that runs parallel the nation’s vigorous digital transformation efforts.  

Electricity meters at our homes have evolved over the years and impacted Malaysians in many ways as illustrated in the video published by TNB here. To-date, there are as many as 2.3 million smart meters installed across the nation. For many residents, the change is a welcome one, delivering benefits such as more convenient digital billing, and access to unprecedented usage data. For some however, the novelty of the technology and lack of understanding of its application still prompts concerns.  

It’s understandable why consumers are hesitant to adopt new technologies, especially ones accessing their homes. However, success stories from countries like Italy, Sweden, China, and the United States are slowly turning the tide, showing that consumers are becoming more and more ready to embrace the benefits of smart meters.  

Whatever the stance, there does seem to be a hot debate when it comes to smart meters. Below, we tackle some of the basic information behind the smart meter, and what having this device installed in your home actually means.