AEA RCT Registry

General Information

Title

Impacts of smart meters on losses in electricity distribution, electricity reliability, and household investments in energy efficiency

RCT ID

AEARCTR-0010816

Initial registration date

January 22, 2023

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published

January 23, 2023, 7:23 AM EST

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Locations

Country

Kyrgyzstan

Region

Central Asia

Primary Investigator

Name

Robyn Meeks

Affiliation

Duke University

Contact Primary Investigator

Other Primary Investigator(s)

Additional Trial Information

Status

Completed

Start date

2018-01-01

End date

2022-12-31

Keywords

Environment & Energy

Additional Keywords

JEL code(s)

Secondary IDs

Prior work

This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.

Abstract

In collaboration with an electricity utility in the Kyrgyz Republic, we are implementing a randomised study on the impacts of and benefits from smart meter installation amongst residential consumers. Specifically, we are measuring the impacts of household smart meters on electricity utility bill collection, distribution losses (technical and non-technical), and quality of electricity services (power outages and voltage spikes). Most of the existing research on smart meter technologies has focused on their role in implementing time-of-use (and other forms of dynamic) pricing and specifically focused on developed countries.

To carry out this study, we are randomising the roll-out of a new smart meter technology at households in Kyrgyzstan starting in December 2016. By also installing smart meters at neighbourhood transformers, we will measure electricity losses as the differences between the transformer-level measurements of consumption and the aggregated household-level measurements of consumption. In addition, we will conduct household surveys to measure both the short-run and long-run household response to smart meters on outcomes such as electricity consumption, energy efficiency investments, appliance and other asset ownership, and small business activity, amongst others.

By measuring all of the outcomes above, we will identify the channel(s) through which smart meters impact household behaviours (for example, through improved reliability or increased enforcement of bill payment). Utilising data on changes in electricity service reliability and household asset purchases in a discrete-continuous choice model, we can estimate the demand for improvements in electricity reliability.

External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation

Meeks, Robyn. 2023. "Impacts of smart meters on losses in electricity distribution, electricity reliability, and household investments in energy efficiency." AEA RCT Registry. January 23. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.10816-1.0

Sponsors & Partners

Interventions

Intervention(s)

In collaboration with an electricity utility, 20 neighborhoods were selected within one city. Each neighborhood receives electricity services via a transformer, the component in the distribution system that converts high-voltage electricity to usable, low-voltage electricity for household use. These 20 transformers, and the approximately 1,600 households that they serve, were randomly assigned to treatment or control
status. At the end of summer 2018, smart meters were installed at all 798 houses in the treatment group. These replaced the houses’ old meters, which did not provide two-way communication with the utility, send alerts of poor service quality events, or automatically shutdown household connections when voltage fluctuates. The control houses, 846 in total, retained their old meters. Electricity prices remained the same across both groups during the study period.

Intervention Start Date

2018-06-01

Intervention End Date

2020-03-31

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)

Electricity service quality, electricity consumption, appliance ownership, energy efficiency investments

Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)

Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

In collaboration with an electricity utility, 20 neighborhoods were selected within one city. Each neighborhood receives electricity services via a transformer, the component in the distribution system that converts high-voltage electricity to usable, low-voltage electricity for household use. These 20 transformers, and the approximately 1,600 households that they serve, were randomly assigned to treatment or control
status. At the end of summer 2018, smart meters were installed at all 798 houses in the treatment group. These replaced the houses’ old meters, which did not provide two-way communication with the utility, send alerts of poor service quality events, or automatically shutdown household connections when voltage fluctuates. The control houses, 846 in total, retained their old meters. Electricity prices remained the same across both groups during the study period.

Experimental Design Details

Randomization Method

Transformers randomized by office computer

Randomization Unit

Transformer

Was the treatment clustered?

Yes

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters

20 transformers

Sample size: planned number of observations

1,600 households

Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms

Approximately 800 households per group (800 x 2 groups) = 1,600 households

Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)

Supporting Documents and Materials

IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name

Duke University

IRB Approval Date

2017-12-26

IRB Approval Number

2018-0283

Analysis Plan

Impacts of smart meters on losses in electricity distribution, electricity reliability, and household investments in energy efficiency

Pre-Trial

General Information

Locations

Primary Investigator

Other Primary Investigator(s)

Additional Trial Information

Registration Citation

Sponsors

Interventions

Primary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes

Experimental Design

Experiment Characteristics

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

Post-Trial

Study Withdrawal

Intervention

Data Publication

Program Files

Relevant Paper(s)

Reports & Other Materials