FAQ

Following a European directive enacted by Luxembourg into national law, all electricity and natural gas meters on national territory must be changed, regardless of the network operator. This means more than 300,000 electricity meters and more than 80,000 gas meters.

These meters are not radio transmitters. However, like any electrical device, they create an electromagnetic field in their vicinity. In practice, the specific exposure linked to the transmission of data via power line communication (PLC) is very low and the transmissions are short: less than a minute for the collection of consumption data and a few seconds for the transmission of an event.

According to recent studies conducted by two separate organisations in homes in Luxembourg, the electric and magnetic fields emitted by smart meters in habitable areas remain well below the limits of the official ICNIRP standards, as well as the values of the EUROPAEM guidelines for day and night exposure. Therefore, PLC technology poses no known health risks. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there is currently no scientific evidence to support a link between exposure to electromagnetic fields and electromagnetic hypersensitivity. However, people suffering from electro-hypersensitivity can opt for the (paid) installation of a specific filter.

The technical reliability of smart meters is similar to that of conventional electronic meters. The lifespan of the smart meter is estimated at around 20 years and therefore comparable to that of existing meters (electronic or mechanical).

The old meters will have a second life after their replacement: depending on their condition, they will be resold to be reused as second-hand meters or recycled to recover the raw materials.

The meters have been designed according to the standards in force, which are intended to ensure that they do not affect the operation of other household appliances.

Should the consumer so wish, the smart meter can provide extremely detailed consumption data via smart home applications. With the consumer's agreement, suppliers can offer new services based on the smart metering system, particularly in the field of controlling energy demand, such as access to data via smartphone applications, or the option to activate or deactivate household appliances remotely in order to allow customers to better control their consumption needs. In all cases, the customer retains control over their domestic appliances.

The consumption index can be read off the meter in the same way as with conventional meters. In addition, in the future, consumers will be able to connect a remote display or smart home system in order to consult their metering data in real time.

The network operator can read energy consumption and supply quality indicators remotely. It can also perform software updates and remotely control the two relays built into the electricity meter. Only devices connected to the built-in relays can be controlled remotely (e.g. electric hot water tank).

Data is transferred between the smart meter and the central system via the existing electrical network by means of Power Line Communication, also known as Power Line Carrier (PLC). In certain rural areas with low population density, it is sometimes technically necessary and economically more advantageous to use meters communicating via GPRS, which is a standard for mobile telephony derived from GSM.

Please note, the electricity meters act as a secure communication gateway with the gas meter, but they can also communicate, where necessary, with water and heat meters via a wired or radio link.