What is the Previous or Prior Meter read?

Depending upon your state of residence and the terminology used by the utility company for your area, the Previous or Prior Meter Read is the number displayed on your electricity meter on the date the meter was read by the utility company for your area at the end of your previous billing cycle. This number does not indicate the actual usage for the month, but the number of kilowatt-hours (kWh) that have passed through the meter over the life of the meter. The Usage for your bill is determined by subtracting the Previous Meter Read number from the Current Meter Read number.