Abstract: Instantaneous current and voltage values are digitized at each of a plurality of electrical utility customer sites and integrated by a processor to calculate electrical power consumed at each customer site. A communication interface couples the processor at each customer site to a central processor in a central utility site to communicate the power consumed values of each customer site to the central utility site. In a preferred embodiment, the automatic meter reader apparatus is mounted in an electrical watthour meter socket adapter which plugs into a watthour meter socket at each customer site. Telephone modem circuitry mounted in the socket adapter connects to telephone lines to communicate calculated power values from each customer site to the central utility site.