How to tell what type of electricity meter you have

Check your home’s MCC

A Meter Configuration Code (MCC) is used by ESB Networks to describe the type of electricity meter installed on your property.

• MCC01: Standard 24hr meter
• MCC02: Day/Night meter
• MCC03: Standard 24hr meter with Night Storage Heating
• MCC12: Smart meter configured to send readings at 30-minute intervals
• MCC16: Standard smart meter that sends day/night/peak readings every two months

MCC12 and MCC16 smart meters are the same physically, they are simply configured differently in how frequently they send data readings.

Where to find your MCC

The simplest way to find your MCC is on your electricity bill. It will be located in the account details section, usually in the top right corner of the bill.

You can also contact your electricity supplier or ESB Networks directly. If you have your MPRN and account details, they can tell you what your current MCC is.

Older mechanical meters

Older 24hr and Day/Night meters are often analogue rather than electronic. These feature a revolving disk that goes around once for each unit of electricity used. Above this is a mechanical display where each number also rotates as your usage increases.

If there is only one numerical display, that means this is a 24hr meter. If there are two displays on top of each other it means you have a day & night meter.

Pay as you go meters

Electricity meters for pay as you go or prepayment electricity look very different to regular meters. These are electronic meters whose main distinguishing feature is a 9-digit keypad below the display. This keypad is used to enter top up codes.

If you are on a smart pay-as-you-go plan, with online top up, this means that you must have a smart meter.

Recognising a smart meter

A smart meter can be recognised by its digital display and the ability to view your electricity day, night, and peak electricity usage, and power exports. This distinguishes them from older electronic meters, which can only show day and night at most.

The main display of a smart meter, showing your cumulative electricity usage, will also have a symbol in the bottom right corner showing its connection status.

Electricity meters control the plans you can get

The electricity plans you can switch to are limited by what type of electricity meter you have. With an older 24hr or Day/Night meter you won’t be able to switch to a smart tariff. Similarly, if you have a prepayment meter then you can’t get any electricity other than Pay-As-You-Go.

Without a smart meter you are also limited in getting paid for exporting electricity from solar panels.