Getting Interval Meter Data with Bayou Utility API

Getting utility interval data with the Bayou utility API is straightforward.

Utility intervals are time-stamped records of how much electricity a customer used during a specific period—usually 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or 1 hour.

These readings come directly from the customer’s smart meter and are collected by their utility.

When a customer connects their utility account through Bayou, we fetch these interval records and return them in a standardized format. This is the rawest, most actionable data you can get for understanding how and when energy is consumed.

Why Intervals Vary by Utility

Not all utilities measure or report interval usage the same way. 

Some offer high-frequency data, like 15-minute reads; others only provide daily rollups. A few utilities make this data available in near real-time, while others publish it with a delay of up to 24–72 hours.

We normalize this data across utilities, but the availability and granularity depend on the specific utility and whether the customer has a smart meter configured for interval reads.

Retrieve Interval Usage Data for a Customer

Use the utility interval data API endpoint to access detailed, time-stamped utility usage data for an individual customer. 

GET /customers/{customer_id}/intervals

Bayou’s interval API gives you granular access to electricity consumption records—typically hourly or sub-hourly—directly from utility smart meters.

When you call this endpoint, Bayou returns a time-series of energy consumption data. 

These records are standardized across utilities and reflect exactly what the meter reported. All data is pulled directly from the utility via Bayou’s reliable utility data API.

URL Path Parameter

You’ll need to include the customer_id of the user whose data you’re trying to access. This is the unique ID associated with their utility connection in Bayou.

Optional Query Parameters

You can filter the returned data using any combination of the following:

• start_date: Limits results to usage that occurred on or after this date (in ISO 8601 format).
  
• end_date: Limits results to usage that occurred before this date (also ISO 8601).
  
• utility: If the customer is connected to more than one utility (e.g., gas and electric), you can specify which one to return data for.
  

Response Format

The response is a list of individual usage records that look like this:

[
  {
    "first_interval_discovered": "2021-11-01T00:00:00Z",
    "last_interval_discovered": "2022-11-01T00:00:00Z",
    "granularities": [
      15,
      30
    ],
    "meters": [
      {
        "id": "XYZ12345",
        "granularities": [
          15,
          30
        ],
        "intervals": [
          {
            "start": "2022-11-01T00:00:00Z",
            "end": "2022-11-01T00:15:00Z",
            "electricity_consumption": 20000,
            "net_electricity_consumption": 15000,
            "generated_electricity": 5000,
            "electricity_demand": 5000,
            "gas_consumption": 13.4,
            "created_at": "2022-12-01T00:00:00Z",
            "updated_at": "2022-12-02T00:00:00Z"
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
]

Each record includes the UTC timestamp for the interval, the amount of electricity consumed during that interval (in Watt hours), the customer’s meter number, and the utility name.

Some Things To Note

Bayou standardizes interval data across utilities, but not all utilities support the same granularity. Availability depends on the utility and whether the customer’s smart meter is enabled for interval reporting.

In most cases, data is available hourly. Some utilities support 15-minute intervals, while others may only return daily totals. Bayou will automatically backfill historical data upon initial account connection.

Common Use Cases For Interval Data

Interval usage data is one of the most powerful capabilities of Bayou’s utility API.

Whether you’re verifying performance, enabling real-time controls, or delivering customer insights, this endpoint gives you deep visibility into energy behavior.

Electrification incentives: Programs that rely on measured savings—such as heat pump or EV rebates—require high-resolution interval data to verify performance.

Energy monitoring apps: Build customer-facing dashboards that show when and how energy is being used, enabling better behavior change and engagement.

You can always check the Bayou dashboard for more status details or reach out to support@bayou.energy.

If you want to get started building with Bayou’s utility API today, grab your first keys and get your first ten customers for free.