
Smart metering
Smart meters enable utilities to secure revenue collection through accurate reading and energy billing. As of 2020, more than 100 million smart meters had been installed in the U.S. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. is the leading advanced meter supplying utility in the U.S.. The California-based company provided over 5.4 million advanced meters to customers in Northern and Central California by 2020. Southern California Edison Co. followed in a close second, with some 5.3 million meters installed.Automation in the sector is expected to be dominated by investments in self-healing energy networks that are able to remotely identify and fix faulty areas in the system. These capabilities will allow for a reduction in time spent on restoring services during outages, such as those caused by storms. Integrating distribution automation and the sharing of infrastructure will help to further reduce operating costs in the industry.