Электросчётчик показывает расход электроэнергии.

Электросчётчик means electric meter / electricity meter.

It is a compound word:

• электро- = electric / electricity-related
• счётчик = counter, meter, device that counts

So the word literally means something like electricity-counting device.

You may also see a less compact phrasing such as счётчик электроэнергии, which means the same thing.

Yes, it matters for pronunciation and stress.

• счётчик is pronounced with ё
• the stress falls on that syllable: счЁтчик

In many printed texts, Russians often write е instead of ё, so you may see электросчетчик. But the intended pronunciation is still электросчётчик.

For learners, it is very helpful to remember the ё, because it tells you both:

• the correct vowel sound
• the correct stress

The usual stress is:

• электросчЁтчик
• покАзывает
• расхОд
• электроэнЕргии

So the full sentence is pronounced:

электросчЁтчик покАзывает расхОд электроэнЕргии

Показывает is the 3rd person singular present tense of показывать.

It is used because the subject is one thing:

• электросчётчик = the meter
• therefore: it shows

So:

• я показываю = I show
• ты показываешь = you show
• он / она / оно показывает = he / she / it shows

Here it means shows / indicates / displays.

Because this sentence describes a general or ongoing function: the meter shows consumption.

• показывать = imperfective, used for repeated, ongoing, habitual, or general actions
• показать = perfective, usually means to show once, to reveal, or to demonstrate completely

A meter’s normal function is not a one-time completed action, so показывает from показывать is the natural choice.

Here is the case breakdown:

• электросчётчик — nominative singular
  It is the subject of the sentence.

• расход — accusative singular
  It is the direct object of показывает.

• электроэнергии — genitive singular
  It depends on расход and means of electrical energy.

A useful detail: for many inanimate masculine nouns, the accusative looks exactly like the nominative. That is why расход does not visibly change.

Because расход often takes the genitive to say consumption of something.

So:

• расход воды = water consumption
• расход газа = gas consumption
• расход топлива = fuel consumption
• расход электроэнергии = electricity consumption

In other words, электроэнергии answers the question consumption of what?

That is why the genitive is used here.

Yes, расход электричества is understandable and natural in many contexts.

But there is a slight nuance:

• электроэнергия sounds more technical, official, or formal
• электричество sounds more everyday

So:

• Электросчётчик показывает расход электроэнергии = a bit more technical/formal
• Электросчётчик показывает расход электричества = more everyday

Both are good Russian.

No, Russian word order is flexible, but this version is the most neutral:

Электросчётчик показывает расход электроэнергии.

That is straightforward subject + verb + object order.

You could also say:

Расход электроэнергии показывает электросчётчик.

This is grammatical, but it puts more emphasis on расход электроэнергии. It sounds less neutral and more context-dependent.

For learners, the given word order is the best default choice.

Because Russian has no articles.

English needs words like:

• a
• an
• the

Russian does not. The meaning comes from context.

So электросчётчик can mean:

• an electric meter
• the electric meter

And расход электроэнергии can mean:

• electricity consumption
• the consumption of electricity

Context tells you which interpretation is intended.

Yes, it is a masculine singular noun.

You can tell this from both:

• its dictionary form
• the verb agreement in other tenses

For example:

• электросчётчик показывает = the meter shows
• электросчётчик показывал = the meter was showing / showed

The past tense form показывал is masculine, which confirms the noun’s gender.

It is completely natural, especially in a technical, instructional, or utility-related context.

It sounds like something you might see:

• in a manual
• on a utility website
• in a description of equipment
• in a textbook

In casual everyday speech, a Russian speaker might also choose simpler wording depending on the situation, but the sentence itself is standard and correct.