A ____ links an electric meter to a local utility.

• A. Smart grid
• B. Cloud storage
• C. Microcontroller
• D. Battery management

Answer: (B)

This question is about how energy meters communicate with the utility. A smart grid is the network that enables two-way communication and coordination between electric meters, substations, and the utility company. It provides real-time data on usage, remote monitoring, and faster responses to demand. That connection is what links an electric meter to the local utility.

Cloud storage is just where data is stored online; it doesn’t provide the link between a meter and the utility. A microcontroller is a small processor inside devices used to control actions, not the communication link to the utility. Battery management deals with charging and discharging batteries, not meter-to-utility communication. So the smart grid is the correct concept because it embodies the system that connects meters to the utility for data exchange and control.