Abstract: A method, system and article of manufacture are disclosed for modeling a plan for deployment of smart meters in a plurality of locations that are attached to a grid operated by an energy provider that supplies energy to said locations, wherein the smart meters are used to measure the energy supplied by the energy provider to said locations. The method comprises the steps of using a market diffusion model to create a time-varying user adoption profile, including estimating the time lagged benefits realized from deployment of the smart meters; and estimating a response in the demand for said energy due to adoption of the smart meters. A program is used to capture the time-lagged benefits and a given set of constrains for a chosen planning time horizon to develop a meter deployment plan across the various locations and over that planning horizon.