Overview[]
The Smart Metering Initiative (SMI) is an initiative of the Government of Ontario, Canada, intended to create in part a conservation culture and support demand management through province-wide smart meter deployment.
The initiative seeks to reduce the need for new power generators, increase conservation, improve reliability of electricity, and provide more accurate and timely energy use information to customers. A Smart Metering Entity (SME) was created to support this initiative by operating a central meter data repository. The SME assists local distribution companies to bill customers, depending on the time of day that customers use electricity (called "time-of-use"). Time-of-use prices are categorized as off-peak, on-peak, or mid-peak, and reflect how much it costs to produce energy throughout the day. The Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) is currently designated as the SME. The IESO is designated as an institution covered under Ontario's privacy and access laws.
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