diff --git a/backend/src/middleware/cache.ts b/backend/src/middleware/cache.ts
index e51a35c..6694c8b 100644
--- a/backend/src/middleware/cache.ts
+++ b/backend/src/middleware/cache.ts
@@ -7,12 +7,14 @@ export function cacheFor(ttlMs: number) {
     const key = req.originalUrl;
     const cached = store.get(key);
     if (cached && Date.now() < cached.expiresAt) {
+      res.setHeader('Cache-Control', `public, max-age=${Math.floor(ttlMs / 1000)}`);
       return res.json(cached.data);
     }
     const original = res.json.bind(res);
     res.json = (data: unknown) => {
       if (store.size > 500) store.clear(); // bound memory
       store.set(key, { data, expiresAt: Date.now() + ttlMs });
+      res.setHeader('Cache-Control', `public, max-age=${Math.floor(ttlMs / 1000)}`);
       return original(data);
     };
     next();
diff --git a/backend/src/routes/meters.ts b/backend/src/routes/meters.ts
index 61932b1..c4ca3e3 100644
--- a/backend/src/routes/meters.ts
+++ b/backend/src/routes/meters.ts
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ export function createMeterRouter(stellar: StellarService) {
   /** GET /api/meters/export?format=csv|json — download all meter data */
   meterRouter.get(
     "/export",
+    requireAdminKey,
     asyncHandler(async (req, res) => {
       const format = req.query.format === "json" ? "json" : "csv";
       const result = await stellar.query("get_all_meters", []);
diff --git a/backend/src/routes/payments.ts b/backend/src/routes/payments.ts
index 40d9667..3744414 100644
--- a/backend/src/routes/payments.ts
+++ b/backend/src/routes/payments.ts
@@ -110,8 +110,12 @@ async function fetchPaymentEvents(
     const EVT_NS = StellarSdk.xdr.ScVal.scvSymbol("solargrid").toXDR("base64");
     const ACTION = StellarSdk.xdr.ScVal.scvSymbol("payment").toXDR("base64");
 
+    const latestLedgerResp = await (server as any).getLatestLedger();
+    const latestLedger = latestLedgerResp.sequence;
+    const startLedger = Math.max(1, latestLedger - Math.floor((days * 24 * 60 * 60) / 6));
+
     const response = await (server as any).getEvents({
-      startLedger: 1,
+      startLedger,
       filters: [
         {
           type: "contract",
diff --git a/frontend/src/app/dashboard/provider/page.tsx b/frontend/src/app/dashboard/provider/page.tsx
index a604cbc..e023f70 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/dashboard/provider/page.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/app/dashboard/provider/page.tsx
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 import { useState, useEffect, useCallback, useRef } from "react";
 import { useSearchParams, useRouter } from "next/navigation";
 import Navbar from "@/components/Navbar";
-import { Skeleton } from "@/components/Skeleton";
+import { SkeletonCard } from "@/components/SkeletonCard";
 import { useToast } from "@/components/ToastProvider";
 import { getAllMeters, type MeterData } from "@/services/meterService";
 import { parseWalletError } from "@/lib/errors";
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ export default function ProviderDashboardPage() {
 
   const [meters, setMeters] = useState<MeterData[]>([]);
   const [fetching, setFetching] = useState(false);
+  const [fetchError, setFetchError] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const searchInputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
 
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -66,11 +67,13 @@ export default function ProviderDashboardPage() {
 
   const fetchMeters = useCallback(async () => {
     setFetching(true);
+    setFetchError(null);
     try {
       const allMeters = await getAllMeters();
       setMeters(allMeters);
     } catch (err: unknown) {
       console.error("Failed to fetch meters:", err);
+      setFetchError(err instanceof Error ? err.message : "Failed to fetch meters");
     } finally {
       setFetching(false);
     }
@@ -314,30 +317,36 @@ export default function ProviderDashboardPage() {
                   </tr>
                 </thead>
                 <tbody className="divide-y divide-white/5">
-                  {fetching && meters.length === 0 ? (
+                  {fetchError ? (
+                    <tr>
+                      <td colSpan={7} className="px-6 py-12 text-center text-red-500">
+                        {fetchError}
+                      </td>
+                    </tr>
+                  ) : fetching && meters.length === 0 ? (
                     <>
-                      {[1, 2, 3].map((i) => (
+                      {[1, 2, 3, 4, 5].map((i) => (
                         <tr key={i}>
                           <td className="px-6 py-4">
-                            <Skeleton width="100px" height={14} />
+                            <SkeletonCard height={14} />
                           </td>
                           <td className="px-6 py-4">
-                            <Skeleton width="140px" height={14} />
+                            <SkeletonCard height={14} />
                           </td>
                           <td className="px-6 py-4">
-                            <Skeleton width="60px" height={18} />
+                            <SkeletonCard height={18} />
                           </td>
                           <td className="px-6 py-4">
-                            <Skeleton width="70px" height={14} />
+                            <SkeletonCard height={14} />
                           </td>
                           <td className="px-6 py-4">
-                            <Skeleton width="50px" height={14} />
+                            <SkeletonCard height={14} />
                           </td>
                           <td className="px-6 py-4">
-                            <Skeleton width="80px" height={14} />
+                            <SkeletonCard height={14} />
                           </td>
                           <td className="px-6 py-4">
-                            <Skeleton width="80px" height={28} />
+                            <SkeletonCard height={28} />
                           </td>
                         </tr>
                       ))}