Temperature measurement is described for a substrate carrier using a heater element array. In one example a method includes measuring a first combined current load of each of a plurality of heating elements in the electrostatic chuck, changing a power status of a first heating element of the plurality of heating elements, measuring a second combined current load of each of the plurality of heating elements after changing the power status of the first heating element, determining the difference between the first and second combined current loads, determining a temperature of the first heating element using the difference, and reverting the power status of the first heating element to that before the change and repeating changing power, measuring a current load, determining a difference, and determining a temperature for each of the other heating elements of the plurality to determine a temperature at each of the heating elements of the plurality.