The impact of environmental issues in the design and application of electricity meters

Electricity meters coming to the end of their useful lives in 1999 were designed in an era when environmental considerations were taken far less seriously than they are today. The meters replacing them could define the cost and working practices for as much as the next 50 years. With the dramatic increase in `green´ issue awareness over the last 20 years and likely future importance of this to the Utility´s customers, this paper explores the impact of environmental issues in the design and application of electricity meters. Environmental legislation, also public, customer and employee opinions on utilities and the manufacturers of electricity meters are discussed. Techniques used to increase the lifetime of whole meters and their constituent parts and actions taken to reduce the environmental impact and increase the options for increased recycling are also described