The increasing electrification of our everyday lives and the establishment of new technologies–e.g., electric cars, artificial intelligence…–is a given. At the same time, Switzerland has ambitious power saving goals. Electricity is becoming increasingly rare and expensive. The digitalisation of power networks gives Energy Providers more ways to introduce new tariff models and dynamic pricing. A responsible and aware consumer wants to understand their own power consumption and the costs it incurs. And this is only possible if consumers can access their electricity consumption data in real time.

1. You need a Smart Meter equipped with a "Customer Interface". Every Swiss household will be equipped with this type of Smart Meter until the end of 2027. A great number of energy providers has started rolling out those Smart Meters a while ago.
2. You need to ask your energy provider to open the "Customer Interface" of your Smart Meter for you. To do this, you just need to ask your energy provider what procedure you need to follow, when your Smart Meter is installed (usually, you either need to fill out a form or do it through your user account on the energy provider's portal).

The Swiss Fédéral Office of Energy (SFOW) has published a Dashboard displaying current data on the Swiss energy situation. The figures–e.g. electricity and gas consumption, production and gas supply, are continuously updated. This allows anyone who is interested to know the energy situation in Switzerland. The Dashboard can be found here.

In principle, it can be stated that the smart meters on the compatibility list have a customer interface. The energy provider is therefore technically capable of enabling access.
There is also a statement from ElCom on this matter (official document only available in DE/FR/IT but below is an English translation):
39. If a customer has an existing smart meter (not compliant with the OApEl), is the network operator required to provide access to an available interface?
In accordance with Article 8a(1)(a)(3) of the OApEl, the network operator is obliged to provide access to the customer interface if the meter has an interface for the customer that meets the requirements of the OApEl (i.e. if there is a METAS authorisation for this model with the software used). Insofar as the installed metering system already meets the requirements for smart metering systems in accordance with Sections 8a and 8b of the Ordinance of the Electricity Metering Act, it should in principle be treated as such. If a metering system that is not yet OApEl compliant can be brought into compliance with the OApEl without incurring significant additional burdens for the grid operator (e.g. through an already planned software update or simply through appropriate configuration), we are also of the opinion that the grid operator should allow access to the interface.

With whatwatt – and for the first time ever – you can see in real-time how much energy your household is consuming and what it costs. This makes it possible for you to optimise your power consumption. whatwatt displays live energy data on the whatwatt Mobile App. And this data can also be integrated into other systems to help you make the most of it (e.g., automate, create flows)

Providing you with real-time consumption data is not part of the services your energy provider is bound to deliver to you. Your real-time data is only locally available; also, it is protected by the Swiss Data Protection laws and without your explicit consent, this data cannot be accessed by anyone else than you. Energy providers can only provide you with consumption data compiled in 15 minute intervals, with a delay of 24 hours, in your Customer Account.

whatwatt Go is a small device that you can connect to the Customer Interface of your Smart Meter. whatwatt Go is a universal device that supports standard DSMR-P1 and M-Bus interfaces on the same Smart Meter. It draws power from your Smart Meter and does not require an additional electric plug. In case WIFI coverage is not strong enough in your basement, you can plug a USB-C power cord to whatwatt Go to improve WIFI reception. Other available interfaces are: an optional external WIFI antenna to further improve WIFI performance, an SD Card, a LAN Port–in case you have no WIFI. whatwatt can be installed using DIN/Rail, wall-mount or a magnet.

Smart Meter Customer Interfaces are not standardised in Switzerland–unlike other countries. Each Energy Provider can modify the software of their Smart Meters or define their own Customer interface. This is why whatwatt's mission is to test the customer interfaces of all energy providers' Smart Meters and to inform you if your Smart Meter/Energy Provider is compatible with our systems.

Yes, there are 2 APIs: REST and MQTT. We recommend using the MQTT API. Please note: if you program the API yourself, you are responsible for the correct use of the available CPU resources. The processor power is limited. You will find the API documentation in the Download section of this site.

Yes. You will find the documentation on this in the Download section of this site.

A correct MQTT configuration and a WiFi/LAN connection. You will find the documentation on this in the Download section of this site.

Yes. MQTT Topics and OBIS codes can be defined by the user - see the guide for HomeAssistant via MQTT.

According to Article 31e, Paragraph 1 of the Electricity Supply Ordinance* (StromVV/OApEl), by the end of 2027, 80% of all measurement equipment in a network area must meet the requirements of Articles 8a(sexies) and 8b of the Electricity Supply Ordinance (StromVV/OApEl) (i.e., smart meters must be used). The remaining 20% can continue to be used until the end of their functional lifespan. By the end of 2027, the network operator will determine when they will equip final consumers, producers, and storage operators with a smart meter (Art. 31e, Paragraph 2, Sentence 1 of the Electricity Supply Ordinance ((StromVV/OApEl)).

Exceptions:
1.For final consumers exercising their right of access to the network, as well as for producers connecting a new power generation facility (except for balcony solar installations) to the electrical grid, smart meters must be installed immediately and in all cases (cf. Art. 31e, Par. 2 and Art. 31n, Sentence 2 of the Electricity Supply Ordinance (StromVV/OApEl).
2. According to Article 8a(sexies), Paragraph 9 of the Electricity Supply Ordinance (StromVV/OApEl), groupings for self-consumption and storage operators are also entitled, upon request, to the installation of a smart meter within three months (starting in 2026, this should also apply to participants in Local Electricity Communities (CA in French / LEG in German)).
*(Translator’s note: *No official translation in English of this Ordinance is available)

Smart meters must meet all the requirements of Article 17a of the Federal Electricity Supply Act in conjunction with Articles 8a(sexies) and 8b of the Electricity Supply Ordinance (StromVV/OApEl) (i.e., they must, among other things, be equipped with a client interface, as detailed below).
Exceptions
Network operators may use smart meters that do not meet all of the above-mentioned requirements and count them towards the 80% under Article 31e of the Electricity Supply Ordinance (StromVV/OApEl) until the end of their functional lifespan, if the acquisition was initiated before January 1, 2019 (Article 31l, paragraph 1, letter b of the Electricity Supply Ordinance (StromVV/OApEl); the exception under letter a is irrelevant as it is covered by letter b). Therefore, smart meters falling under this exception are not required to have a usable client interface. However, if a non-compliant measurement system can be made compliant with the Electricity Supply Ordinance (StromVV/OApEl) without significant additional effort on the part of the network operator (e.g., by an already planned firmware update or simply through an appropriate configuration), ElCom believes the network operator must provide access to the interface (see the Questions and Answers on the Energy Strategy 2050, question 39).*
Another exception is provided by Article 31l, paragraph 2 of the Electricity Supply Ordinance (StromVV/OApEl), which allows the use of non-compliant smart meters as long as no compliant models are available according to Articles 8a(sexies) and 8b of the Electricity Supply Ordinance (StromVV/OApEl). According to ElCom, this exception only refers to certification under Article 8b of the Electricity Supply Ordinance (StromVV/OApEl).
According to ElCom's newsletter 9/2019, the acquisition of a measurement system (or its components) is considered initiated as soon as it has been clearly and formally agreed upon (e.g., by a purchase contract). Internal decisions by an energy supplier, purchase negotiations, or requests for quotes are therefore not considered initiated acquisitions.

"According to Article 17a, paragraph 3 of the Federal Electricity Supply Act in conjunction with Article 8a(sexies), paragraph 1, letter a, item 3 of the Electricity Supply Ordinance (StromVV/OApEl), compliant smart meters must be equipped with an interface that allows the final consumer, producer, or storage operator to at least consult their measurement data at the time of recording (real-time values) and, where applicable, the 15-minute load values in an internationally common data format.
According to Article 8a(sexies), paragraph 2 of the Electricity Supply Ordinance (StromVV/OApEl), the network operator must provide, upon request, the technical specifications of the interfaces of the electricity meters used.
According to Article 31l, paragraph 6 of the Electricity Supply Ordinance (StromVV/OApEl), smart meters that do not have a client interface as defined in Article 8a(sexies), paragraph 1, letter a, item 3 of the Electricity Supply Ordinance (StromVV/OApEl) must be equipped with such an interface by June 30, 2021. However, the exception mentioned above explicitly applies to smart meters whose acquisition was initiated before 2019, as well as those acquired and installed at a time when no compliant smart meters were available.

The VSE/AES is currently developing a recommendation titled 'Client Interface Standards for Smart Metering Systems.' It is currently under consultation with distribution network operators and interested associations. ElCom believes that starting in 2026, the federal government will foresee in the Electricity Supply Ordinance (StromVV/OApEl) that network operators will be required to establish guidelines for commonly used international data formats at the client interface, clearly aiming at the aforementioned VSE/AES recommendation.

According to the ElCom's opinion, the optical interface of a meter is not a customer interface within the meaning of Article 8a(sexies), paragraph 1, letter a, item 3 of the Electricity Supply Ordinance (StromVV/OApEl).

It is the responsibility of the network operator to provide an interface compliant with the Electricity Supply Ordinance (StromVV/OApEl) for meters acquired from 2019 onwards. In the interest of efficient network operation, the ElCom permits the network operator to initially deliver smart meters without the communication module, as the customer interface is only used by a minority of customers. As soon as a customer requests access to the interface, the necessary additional module must be made available within a reasonable time according to the ElCom and, if necessary, installed on-site at the network operator's expense, if installation by the customer themselves is not possible, reasonable, or authorized (for security reasons). If a meter acquired before 2019 can provide a compliant (certified) interface by installing a communication module, we believe that the network operator is also obligated to install this module at their expense.

The Federal Electricity Supply Act does not specify a deadline. However, since the customer is entitled to use the interface, the activation should not take longer than what can be justified by technical and organizational aspects. The draft of the Swiss Association of Electricity Enterprises (VSE/AES) recommendation regarding the customer interface foresees a deadline of 10 days.
There are already network operators who aim to minimize manual effort and allow activation via their own customer portal, which enables their central system to perform the activation automatically. In this case, activation takes only a few hours.

As soon as your network operator activates the interface, they must provide you with the encryption key that you will need to enter during the installation process of whatwatt Go. whatwatt Go detects if the interface is encrypted.

For meters compliant with the Electricity Supply Ordinance* (StromVV/OApEI), the data security standard for the customer interface KS2 does not require encryption, but does require authentication. However, the Federal Electricity Supply Act does not prohibit additional encryption, as long as the network operator provides the necessary information and processes (key exchange) required for using the interface (Art. 8a(sexies) § 2 Electricity Supply Ordinance* (StromVV/OApEI).
*Translator’s note: No official translation in English of this Ordinance is available

whatwatt provides the data in real time. This means that in a vZEV, it is always possible to know how much locally produced energy is currently available. On one hand, this allows for the control of local consumers (e.g., heat pump, charging station), and on the other hand, all participants in a vZEV know at any given time if locally produced energy is available at a more advantageous price. In other words, participants have the ability to adjust their energy consumption and start, for example, the washing machine or the oven when cheap, locally produced solar energy is available.

The installation of a vZEV is much simpler. It is no longer necessary to have an electrician install an additional private meter at each participant's location. A balance meter is also no longer required. The discrepancies between the billing in the vZEV and the billing of the network operator are much smaller, as both the vZEV and the network operator use the same data source (smart meter).

whatwatt offers a Cloud-to-Cloud API via MQTT. If you are interested, please contact us. The use of the Cloud-to-Cloud API requires, of course, the individual consent of the customer.