# Automatic Meter Reading Obligation in Turkey: Scope, the 10 MWh Threshold and the Smart Meter Timetable

> Which industrial users does Turkey's meter reading obligation cover? The 10 MWh threshold, the 2027–2028 smart meter timetable, a 5-point check and data uses.

Source: https://digitalbridge.com.tr/en/blog/automatic-meter-reading-obligation-turkey.html
Publisher: Digital Bridge Teknoloji (https://digitalbridge.com.tr)
Topic: IoT & Hardware
Published: 2026-10-20 · Updated: 2026-10-22

The automatic meter reading obligation in Turkey (OSOS) requires the distribution company to read a site's meter remotely once annual consumption exceeds a threshold. As of 2026, non-communicating meters at sites using over 10 MWh a year are being replaced with smart meter PRO units: 70% by 1 January 2027, 100% by 1 January 2028. Most factories are in scope.

## Key takeaways

- [Automatic meter reading (OSOS)](https://digitalbridge.com.tr/en/glossary.html#osos) scope in Turkey rests on a 10 MWh annual consumption threshold as of 2026; the old threshold was higher.
- 70% of meters without remote communication are to be replaced with smart meter PRO units by 1 January 2027, and all by 1 January 2028.
- Meter replacement is the distribution company's responsibility; the industrial user provides access to the meter and plans around the interruption.
- The official meter measures only total consumption at the site boundary; visibility by line or machine requires sub-meters.
- According to the TEDAŞ 2024 Sector Report, industry accounted for 45% of Türkiye's net electricity consumption in 2023.

## Why should industrial users care about the meter reading obligation?

Most plant managers think of OSOS (Otomatik Sayaç Okuma Sistemi, Turkey's automatic meter reading system) simply as "the distribution company's meter". One day a technician arrives, swaps the meter or fits a modem next to it, and that is the end of it. Yet that meter is the single official source for your bill, your [reactive energy](https://digitalbridge.com.tr/en/glossary.html#reactive-energy) charges and your consumption history when you switch supplier.

The rules have changed substantially in recent years. Under the old regime OSOS scope rested on a higher annual consumption threshold; the new regime brings smart meter classes, a national metering system and a fixed replacement timetable. This guide answers three questions from an industrial user's point of view: am I in scope, what falls to me, and how can I use the data?

One caveat: this guide is a general overview of the regulatory framework as of 2026, not legal advice. For your own site, confirm the details with your distribution company.

## How has OSOS scope changed? Regulation from 2015 to 2026

| Period | Instrument | Scope logic |
|---|---|---|
| From 2015 | OSOS procedures under Board Decision 5707-1 of 30.07.2015 of the Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EPDK) | Scope based on an annual consumption threshold (e.g. 30 MWh in the ÇEDAŞ region) |
| 28.12.2023 | Electricity Market Metering Systems Regulation (Official Gazette 32413) | Smart meter EKO and PRO classes; National Smart Meter System (MASS) |
| 1.3.2026 | Procedures and Principles on the Roll-out and Use of Smart Meter Systems (Official Gazette, 5.12.2025) | Replacement timetable for sites above 10 MWh a year |

Under the old OSOS regime the threshold was higher than today's. The [automatic meter reading page of Çamlıbel Electricity Distribution (ÇEDAŞ)](https://www.cedas.com.tr/otomatik-sayac-okuma-sistemi), for example, citing the 2015 Board decision, lists consumer meters above 30 MWh a year, generation facilities feeding the grid, and new connections expected to exceed that consumption based on installed capacity.

The [Electricity Market Metering Systems Regulation](https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2023/12/20231228-2.htm) changed the picture. The regulation of 28 December 2023 defines two meter types (smart meter EKO and smart meter PRO), provides for a National Smart Meter System (MASS) and repeals the 2015 OSOS procedures. According to [the smart meter information page of Yeşilırmak Electricity Distribution (YEDAŞ)](https://www.yedas.com/otomatik-sayac-okuma-sistemi/), existing meters at sites whose previous-year or in-year consumption exceeds 10 MWh, separately metered charging stations with at least one 50 kW DC unit or consuming over 10 MWh a year, and the relevant meters of licensed generation plants must be smart meter PRO.

> As [reported by Anadolu Agency](https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/ekonomi/epdk-akilli-sayac-sistemlerine-iliskin-usul-ve-esaslari-belirledi/3762668), under EPDK procedures in force since 1 March 2026, meters without remote communication at sites whose previous-year or in-year consumption exceeds 10 MWh are to be replaced: 70% by 1 January 2027 and 100% by 1 January 2028, with priority for users who have chosen their supplier and high consumers.

## Does the automatic meter reading obligation cover your plant? A 5-point check

10 MWh a year works out at roughly 833 kWh a month; even a mid-sized single-shift workshop can reach that easily. In practice, most medium-voltage factories, plants in organised industrial zones (OIZs) and businesses buying power as eligible consumers from a supplier of their choice are in scope. Check yourself against these questions:

1. **Did you use more than 10 MWh in the past 12 months?** Add up active energy on your bills; if you did, you are most likely in scope.
2. **Does your meter communicate remotely?** If there is no modem or communication module and you are above the threshold, your meter is due for replacement.
3. **Have you chosen your supplier?** If you buy under a bilateral contract as an eligible consumer, you are in the group given priority for replacement.
4. **Do you have a rooftop or ground-mounted solar power plant?** Meters at licensed generation plants are covered separately; for unlicensed rooftop systems, confirm the status of generation and net-metering meters with your distribution company. We discuss solar in our article on [solar plant monitoring](https://digitalbridge.com.tr/en/blog/solar-plant-monitoring.html).
5. **Is there an EV charging station on site?** Separately metered stations with at least one 50 kW DC charging unit also fall within the smart meter PRO scope.

Smart meter replacement is the distribution company's responsibility; the Electricity Market Metering Systems Regulation places installation, operation and maintenance of meters with distribution licence holders. What falls to you is providing access to the panel and meter location and planning around any interruption during the swap.

## What does unmeasured electricity consumption cost industry?

Distribution data shows why meter reading matters. According to the [Turkish Electricity Distribution Corporation (TEDAŞ) 2024 Turkish Electricity Distribution Sector Report](https://www.tedas.gov.tr/FileUpload/MediaFolder/ff204253-90d1-4560-8946-cdc529dceff2.pdf), Türkiye's combined technical and non-technical distribution loss rate was 11.02% in 2023. The same report shows industry accounted for 45% of net electricity consumption that year.

For an industrial user the picture is this: the group responsible for almost half the country's consumption usually sees its own usage only through a monthly bill. By the time the bill arrives, a reactive power penalty, the wrong tariff or a compressor idling all night has already cost money. We cover the reactive side in detail in our article on the [reactive power penalty](https://digitalbridge.com.tr/en/blog/reactive-power-penalty.html).

Electricity demand is also growing. According to the [Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources electricity information centre](https://enerji.gov.tr/bilgi-merkezi-enerji-elektrik), Türkiye's electricity consumption rose 3.2% to 364.8 TWh in 2025, and the National Energy Plan expects it to reach 455.3 TWh by 2030. When demand is rising, a business that sees its data promptly negotiates supply contracts and plans production on firmer ground.

## How can a factory use smart meter data?

The distribution company's smart meter exists for billing and measures total consumption at the site boundary. The new procedures provide for smart meter data to be passed to the Energy Markets Operation Corporation (EPİAŞ), Turkey's energy exchange and market operator, in a form users can access. We suggest four steps for a factory to put that data to work:

1. **Pull the official data regularly.** Review the load profile available through your distribution company or EPİAŞ weekly rather than monthly.
2. **Combine it with sub-metering.** The incoming meter shows the total, not which line, compressor or furnace used the energy. For that you need your own sub-meters and a [factory energy monitoring](https://digitalbridge.com.tr/en/blog/factory-energy-monitoring.html) set-up.
3. **Reconcile.** Compare the sum of your sub-meters with the official meter. The difference reveals metering errors, unrecorded loads or unauthorised use. Our [anomaly detection guide](https://digitalbridge.com.tr/en/blog/anomaly-detection-guide.html) explains methods that flag unusual deviations.
4. **Use it for forecasting and planning.** Hourly history helps you predict next month's consumption and the volume in your supply contract more accurately; see our article on [electricity load forecasting](https://digitalbridge.com.tr/en/blog/electricity-load-forecasting.html).

We explain the general architecture of meter reading (meter, communication device, network and central software) in our [automatic meter reading guide](https://digitalbridge.com.tr/en/blog/automatic-meter-reading-guide.html). For communication options for in-plant sub-meters, see our [LoRa vs NB-IoT vs cellular comparison](https://digitalbridge.com.tr/en/blog/lora-vs-nb-iot-vs-cellular.html).

## How does Digital Bridge build in-plant metering beyond the OSOS meter?

At Digital Bridge we do not touch the distribution company's meter; that meter and its replacement are the distribution company's responsibility. Our job is to make consumption visible inside the site, beyond that meter, and to combine it with the official data.

- **Discovery and needs analysis.** We review your single-line diagram, existing sub-meters, panel layout and billing history, then set out the measurement gaps, scope, phases and cost in a clear written proposal.
- **In-plant metering infrastructure.** With our [OSOS meter reading](https://digitalbridge.com.tr/en/industrial-products/osos-meter-reading.html) solution we connect sub-meters to central software over the communication method that suits your site. Where off-the-shelf devices fall short, the same team designs the electronics, enclosure and embedded software, and the technical feasibility study for hardware is free of charge. We set out the stages in our [IoT product development process](https://digitalbridge.com.tr/en/blog/iot-device-development-process.html) article.
- **Monitoring and reporting.** Consumption by line, reactive ratio and alerts come together in our [energy monitoring and management](https://digitalbridge.com.tr/en/industry-40/energy-monitoring-management.html) panel. We match energy data with production data so that energy cost per unit becomes visible.
- **Forecasting and analytics.** For businesses that want forward-looking estimates from past consumption, we build models as part of our [demand forecasting analytics](https://digitalbridge.com.tr/en/technology-hardware/demand-forecasting-analytics.html) work.
- **Pilot, then roll-out.** We start with one line or one building and compare the sum of the sub-meters with the official meter for at least one billing period. We do not scale up until any difference has been explained.

For multi-point set-ups such as distribution and utility operators, we shape the project within our [energy and utilities solutions](https://digitalbridge.com.tr/en/industry-solutions/energy-utilities.html). More guides on meters, sensors and field devices are collected in our [IoT & Hardware hub](https://digitalbridge.com.tr/en/blog/topic/iot-donanim.html).

## What should an industrial user in OSOS scope do now?

An industrial user in OSOS scope should start by pinning down its position: gather the last 12 months of bills, check whether the meter communicates remotely and list the sub-meters on site. Then [contact us](https://digitalbridge.com.tr/en/contact.html) and we will scope a pilot that combines your official meter data with in-plant measurement.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Which users does the automatic meter reading obligation in Turkey cover?

Under the rules in force as of 2026, sites whose previous-year or in-year consumption exceeds 10 MWh, charging stations above a certain capacity and the relevant meters of licensed generation plants fall within the smart meter scope. Most industrial users exceed this threshold. For a definitive answer about your own site, check with the distribution company that serves your area.

### Do we have to pay for the smart meter replacement?

The Electricity Market Metering Systems Regulation places installation, operation and maintenance of meters with distribution licence holders. During the replacement, the user's role is to provide access to the meter location and plan around any interruption. For current practice and any special cases, rely on the information provided by your distribution company.

### When must the smart meter replacement be completed?

Under EPDK procedures in force since 1 March 2026, 70% of meters without remote communication at sites using more than 10 MWh a year are to be replaced by 1 January 2027 and all of them by 1 January 2028. Users who have chosen their supplier and high consumers are in the priority group.

### What is the difference between OSOS and a smart meter PRO?

OSOS is the general name for the system through which the distribution company reads meters remotely. A smart meter PRO is a specific meter class, able to communicate remotely, defined by the 2023 Electricity Market Metering Systems Regulation. Under the old regime OSOS scope depended on higher consumption thresholds; under the new one, PRO meters become standard at sites using more than 10 MWh a year.

### Is the distribution company's meter enough for in-plant energy monitoring?

No. The official meter measures total consumption at the site boundary; it does not show how much each line, machine or building uses. Seeing that breakdown requires sub-meters and monitoring software that collects their data. The most robust set-up regularly reconciles the sum of the sub-meters against the official meter reading.

### How can we access our own meter data?

Under the new regime, smart meter data is to be passed to EPİAŞ in a form users can access. During the transition, channels offered by your distribution company or supplier can be used; reviewing the load profile weekly rather than monthly is a good start. Pulling this data regularly and combining it with in-plant measurement lets you spot deviations before the bill arrives.