Starting June 1st, the Electricity Distribution Company of Serbia (EDS) will read electricity meters once every three months, but at least once per year, in accordance with new legislation and European practices. Article 197a of the Energy Law requires meter readings at least annually, but EDS, based on experience, decided to shorten this period.
Consumers who wish can monitor their electricity consumption and submit meter readings themselves between the 1st and 6th of each month. This can be done via email, the EDS mobile app, website, phone, or at local distribution offices.
EDS will send monthly consumption data—whether read, submitted, or estimated—to suppliers for billing purposes. Meanwhile, field workers will conduct on-site meter readings every three months.
If a consumer does not provide meter readings between official readings, consumption will be estimated using a combination of the consumer’s historical data, algorithms, and software models, as set by law. For those with smart meters, EDS performs remote readings once per month.
According to the Energy Law, if a consumer does not have a smart meter or remote reading capability, billing based on actual consumption must be provided at least every six months, or every three months upon request. Consumers without smart meters can fulfill their reporting obligations through self-reading and submitting their meter data, which the operator may verify. Billing based on estimates or flat rates applies only if the consumer fails to submit meter readings for a billing period.
For consumers with smart meters that allow remote reading, accurate consumption data is provided at least monthly and can be accessed online, with updates as frequently as the metering devices and systems allow.
Jelica Putniković, editor of the Balkan Energy portal, explains that the recent changes aim to reduce billing costs and align Serbia’s system with European standards. Household electricity consumption tends to fluctuate depending on events or weather, with higher use in winter, especially for electric heating, and lower in warmer months.
Bills often include a comparison with the same month of the previous year, showing small differences of a few percentage points for most consumers. The new system particularly benefits those living in rural areas, where meters are inside houses and harder to access.
The new approach is more relaxed and offers various ways for consumers to submit their readings—through apps, email, or phone. Putniković emphasizes that this will not affect the total amount paid by consumers, as electricity tariffs are calculated based on consumption.
Quarterly readings will be divided evenly across the three months in the period, for example June, July, and August. The next reading will then align with the autumn consumption period. Putniković believes consumers will quickly realize that quarterly reading does not affect their bills negatively. She also points out that more smart meters will be installed in Serbia in the coming years, making manual reading unnecessary.
On the other hand, Dejan Gavrilović, president of the consumer protection association Efektiva, argues that the current meter reading and billing system does not comply with the Consumer Protection Law. That law requires monthly bills based on actual consumption, issued without delay, allowing consumers to monitor their usage and charges for billing periods no longer than one month.
The law also mandates that meter reading services must be free of charge and clearly stated as such on the bill.
