Measurement for Billing
Billing is the process that allows energy suppliers or their representatives to invoice their customers according to a defined contract, for measured usages or services.
This application (see table 6 of IEC TR 63213) is described below:
| Application | Interaction between: | 2nd party needs to access the energy index displayed on the meter operating in his premises? | Transaction | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st party | 2nd party | Profit on kWh price | Money exchange mean | ||
| Billing | Energy supplier[a] | Final customer | Yes, in order to let the 2nd party verify his invoice in comparison with the meter index | Yes[b] | Invoice (commercial transaction, including state taxes, e.g. VAT) |
- NOTE Billing is part of legal metrology applications, these applications usually require a meter that is approved by an accredited test laboratory, and/or a government legal metrology agency.
These applications are covered by international standards (such as IEC 62053-2x or OIML R46). Edition 2 of IEC 62053-2x was issued in 2020, with many technical improvements since the previous edition 1 issued in 2003.
National or regional regulations such as MID in Europe or NMI M-6 in Australia, ANSI C12 or UL2735 in the USA, LBM-EG-07 in Canada, NOM-001 in Mexico, INMETRO in Brazil, JJG 596 in China … may apply additionally.
Utility specifications may also apply additionally.
Billing meters are covered by legal metrology requirements and may then be subject to specific requirements such as periodic verification (usually every 8 to 10 years) according to national regulations.
