**1. Introduction**

Recently, many countries, for environmental and political reasons, have been striving to increase the energy efficiency of production, distribution, and consumption of energy. The goal of increasing energy efficiency is closely correlated with the new approach to the power system, namely the concept of smart grids (SG). Intelligent networks use modern communication technologies to exchange information between market agents (producers, market operators, and end users) to improve production efficiency and energy consumption [1–4]. One of the milestone steps in the transformation of the traditional power system to SG is the extensive implementation of the smart meters (SM) among electricity end users [5–7]. A smart meter is an electronic device that measures energy use and sends this information automatically over wireless networks to the energy supplier. The consumer can benefit from SM in multiple ways—firstly, by receiving a much more accurate billing; secondly, by gaining an opportunity to control one's energy consumption in real time. The information collected by SM can provide consumers with a feedback on current energy consumption and energy efficiency via an SM information system (platform, SMP) that is a website or mobile application connected with SM [4,8–10].

Global roll-outs of SM are usually initiated by pilot programs and local deployment of SM in a given region or city [11–15]. A good example of such practices is Wroclaw—a capital city of Lower Silesia in Poland, with nearly 630,000 inhabitants. Since 2015 Tauron Dystrybucja S.A., the local electricity distribution system operator (DSO) has been running a project AMIPlus Wrocław, which aimed at installing a smart meter at each household and enabling access to the SM platform (both an Internet website and a mobile app called e-licznik).

As SM is still a novelty on the Polish energy consumer market, and most of the electricity consumers are not fully aware of the potential of the installed devices [3,4], we have taken this opportunity to better understand the process of adopting novel electricity solutions. Our longitudinal field study was performed to explore individual variables that foster or hinder progression in the stages of readiness to adopt using a smart meter platform: e-licznik. The originality of this contribution relies on using the stage model approach, so far not explored thoroughly in the energy related studies.

The remainder of the paper is as follows. In Section 2, we provide the literature review of variables having an impact on SM and SMP adoption and energy monitoring. We also discuss the theoretical background of the study. Next, in Section 3, we present the methodology of the survey and its design. In Section 4, the obtained results are presented and discussed. Finally, in Section 5, the outcomes of the survey are concluded and some practical recommendations are provided.
