What is a digital meter?

It goes by many names: Digital meter, electronic meter, telemetry meter or smart meter. The name is irrelevant. What is important, is that the old-fashioned electricity meters, those normally found in the dark meter rooms in housing communities, can now do so many more things.

The technology breakthrough began in 2010 and will be completed in 2019. This is when all electricity meters in Spain will be digital, electronic, with remote metering systems… In short, smart.

But, what exactly do we mean when we refer to these gadgets that measure the kWh of electricity you use as being smart?

Main advantages of a digital electric meter

The new meters provide energy consumers with more power, because they provide them with more information. And information is power.

As soon as smart meters are installed and enabled, 3 important things change forever:

1. Economic smartness: no more waiting one or two months for your electricity bill with the sum of all the electricity you have used. Now you will know how much electricity you use every hour of every day and you will know only a few days after using it. This is key to spending less and for signing up to a tariff that suits your consumption patterns.

2. Mobile smartness: a technician will no longer have to visit your house to check how much electricity you have used. You won’t have to go down to the meter room to jot down now the little number and send it to the power company. The new meters send the readings all by themselves, constantly and in a reliable manner. There is no longer any need for estimated bills. All your consumption will be strictly real and you will be able to check it from your mobile or your computer. Anytime and anywhere. And if you want to change your contracted power, you don’t need a technician to visit your house, because this too can be done remotely.

3. Secure smartness: the new meters are tamper-resistant. The operating mode is monitored remotely at all times and any problems with your power supply will be quickly diagnosed.

How to find out if you have a smart digital meter

The process is as follows: the distribution company will send you a letter informing you that your old meter is going to be replaced with a new one. When this is carried out, your power supply will be interrupted for a few minutes. The process is simple and fast.

Once installed, there is one last step: your meter must begin to communicate. As soon as it is integrated within the remote metering system, you will notice that your bills are based solely and exclusively on your real consumption. The term “estimated consumption” will no longer be used.

New features of digital meters in 2025

Thanks to new European regulations, important improvements have been introduced this year, including:

• Near real-time data access: You can now view your consumption with only a 15-minute delay, compared to the several days it used to take.
• Centralised access to information: We’re making progress toward a single system where all consumers can access their data from one platform. This means you won’t have to log into different portals depending on your distribution company.
• More transparency and control for users: Rules are being redefined on who manages meter data, with the goal of giving consumers greater autonomy and clarity over their consumption.

How to check if you have a digital meter

It’s easy: if your meter has a digital screen and a button to scroll through different codes, it's very likely you have one. You can also check this in your Customer Area or by contacting your distribution company.

How a digital meter helps you save

A digital meter gives you access to real consumption data, allowing you to make smarter decisions. For example, if you see that your usage spikes between 14:00 and 17:00, you can adjust your air conditioning habits or switch to a tariff that benefits you during those hours.

Tariffs like Tu Casa 50 or Tu Casa 50 – 12 months automatically apply discounts to your 50 highest-consumption hours. Thanks to the smart meter, those hours are identified precisely each month —without any effort on your part.

Endesa is here to help

At Endesa, we believe information is power. So, that’s exactly what a digital meter provides: useful data to understand your consumption and save. If you want to cut down your electricity bill this summer, start by learning your energy habits and choosing a tariff that fits your lifestyle.