LETTER: FOR most of us, we were born into a life filled with electrical devices and a stable energy supply as it lights our homes and streets and powers our devices.
This energy also helps power computers and laptops to those who work from home, connecting our phones to our loved ones, to all the other appliances (security system, air-conditioners and more) that provide us with the comfort and assurance that we need to end every night in peace.
Alongside our nation's defence services and medical professionals are the engineers and technicians, working tirelessly to ensure our nation's electricity supply and distribution remain stable throughout the Movement Control Order (MCO) period.
They provide security and comfort to the police and armed forces by illuminating more than 120 temporary security posts around the nation, thus keeping these brave men and women safe as they do the same for us.
Service providers like Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) and Sabah Electricity (SESB) make sure that we can keep living our lives normally at home, for without electricity, decades of technological advancements can bring us no comfort nor benefit.
That said, as a result of the MCO, home electricity consumption nationwide has gone up drastically. This was acknowledged by TNB and the government, who have offered discounts to help ease the burden of the people.
But, it is important to highlight that it is still vital for people to be mindful of energy consumption. One way we can help the energy sector ensure this stability is by being mindful of our energy consumption levels.
To this end, homes that leverage smart meter technology have the advantage of knowing their electrical consumption on a daily basis, as they are able to track consumption using the myTNB app. Users who do not own smart meters are also able to track their consumption using the app, but on a monthly basis.
This not only helps smart meter users consume electricity more efficiently, it also serves a greater cause by saving energy and allowing it to be redirected to those who need it more, particularly to those in the healthcare sector who rely on electricity to treat patients.
Moreover, those who have smart meters have the added benefit of not requiring meter readers to check the meter. Instead, the meter can be read remotely.
The ever-increasing consumption of electricity necessitates a more efficient way to manage its consumption. It is in this area that we as everyday consumers of electricity can play a key role in energy management, as we are the ones who have some degree of control over demand of energy.
Smart meters also lay a foundation for the creation of Smart grids, which will further enhance the distribution of electricity across the nation. By leveraging on the Internet of Things technology, communication between areas that require more electricity supply and areas that do not can happen faster, allowing TNB to better manage the distribution of electricity and reducing wastage.
Response time will also be more efficient, thereby enhancing lives and paving the way for smart living and smart cities. Smart meters are part of our nation's journey towards digitalisation, a concept that makes so much sense today as we work and communicate from home.
But it is important to remember that digitalisation is not just about devices or the software we use on those devices. It is about transforming our way of life using technology. Smart meters help us do just that.
The challenging period we are currently in should act as a lesson and a reminder about the importance of electricity in our daily lives, and why we need to upgrade the tools we use to track our electricity, to pave the way for a better, brighter future.
TENAGA NASIONAL BERHAD
KUALA LUMPUR
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times
Source: https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/letters/2020/06/603535/be-smart-users-energy