The household energy consumer in a smart metering environment

Present time is characterized by important changes, determined by significant advances in technology. The modern society is information oriented, technology dependent and collaborative-network active. The paper discusses the existing conditions of the transition period from the old meters to the smart meters, in terms of its impact and considering the different types of electricity consumers. It also addresses the future perspectives of the smart meters implementation in the context of actual technological changes. As the young Web 2.0 generation is moving into adulthood, smart metering systems will be more easily accepted and their use will have a better consumer feedback. To obtain the most benefits from smart metering systems, the household energy consumer must be actively involved in the planning process from its early stages, to become both a real actor in shaping the future implementation and an aware customer who adopts good demand side behaviour.