The people who use the most electricity are actually the ones least likely to ever check their smart meter data.
March 24, 2026
Original Paper
Trends in U.S. Household Characteristics that View Smart Meter Data
SSRN · 6459469
The Takeaway
Policymakers assume that people with high-stakes electricity costs, like EV owners or those with electric heating, will be the most 'engaged' with energy data. In reality, appliance ownership does not predict data viewership at all; instead, things like having home solar or just owning more gadgets are the only real predictors of who bothers to check their usage.
From the abstract
Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) in the U.S. has increased in the last decade and provides an important link between customers, their load, and the grid. Smart meters are an essential function in that link. However, little is known about the households that engage with their household energy interval data. We extend the previous literature on smart meters by examining trends in smart meter usage, specifically viewing smart meter data. Using data from the U.S. Energy Information Agency’s