A method of anode current monitoring in an electrolytic cell suitable for the Hall-Héroult electrolysis process, said cell comprising - a cathode forming the bottom of said electrolytic cell and comprising a plurality of parallel cathode blocks, each cathode block carrying at least one current collector bar and two electrical connections points, - a lateral lining defining together with the cathode a volume containing the liquid electrolyte and the liquid metal resulting from the Hall-Héroult electrolysis process, said cathode and lateral lining being contained in an outer metallic shell, - a plurality of anode assemblies suspended above the cathode, each anode assembly comprising at least one anode and a metallic anode rod connected to an anode busbar (so-called "anode beam"), - a plurality of alumina feeders by which alumina powder is fed into the liquid bath, said method comprising - providing a plurality of sensing assemblies at a plurality of locations along said anode busbar, each sensing assembly comprising at least one sensing element and converting means, for converting a measured analog signal into a digital output, - measuring with at least one of said sensing element(s) at least one set of values of a representative parameter of current at at least one sensing time, - digitalizing said analog signals of values into digital outputs, using said converting means, said digital outputs representing the current flow in the anode beam in the vicinity of the sensing assembly having generated said digital output, - transmitting said digital outputs to a common central unit , and wherein all sensing assemblies are connected with the central unit through a local controller network bus in a daisy chain configuration. - a cathode forming the bottom of said electrolytic cell and comprising a plurality of parallel cathode blocks, each cathode block carrying at least one current collector bar and two electrical connections points, - a lateral lining defining together with the cathode a volume containing the liquid electrolyte and the liquid metal resulting from the Hall-Héroult electrolysis process, said cathode and lateral lining being contained in an outer metallic shell, - a plurality of anode assemblies suspended above the cathode, each anode assembly comprising at least one anode and a metallic anode rod connected to an anode busbar (so-called "anode beam"), - a plurality of alumina feeders by which alumina powder is fed into the liquid bath, said method comprising - providing a plurality of sensing assemblies at a plurality of locations along said anode busbar, each sensing assembly comprising at least one sensing element and converting means, for converting a measured analog signal into a digital output, - measuring with at least one of said sensing element(s) at least one set of values of a representative parameter of current at at least one sensing time, - digitalizing said analog signals of values into digital outputs, using said converting means, said digital outputs representing the current flow in the anode beam in the vicinity of the sensing assembly having generated said digital output, - transmitting said digital outputs to a common central unit , <EOS>