Energy Matters Forums

[EnergyMatters]

Customers of Victorian electricity retailers will see charges for smart meters added to their bills from the beginning of this month - even if they don't have one yet.

http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.p ... cle_id=730

[MadMax]

I have already paid $400 for a smart meter, i wonder if I will be charged for one.

[scorpio]

They installed digital meter (not so smart) in December to count up and down and charged me for the tech.
I wonder is it legal to charge me twic when they change this not-so-smart meter to smart meter

[sarahj]

I have spoken with Powercor about the charge - they will install my new meter (to replace a meter 1yr old!). Powercor said that I will not receive any charge from them for the meter change (eg, truck fee which I got on the last change over to PV compatible). My electricity retailer (Origin) will be charging me for the meter. Contacted Origin who informed me that the Smart meter charge will be separate on my bill with the service to property charge, but the total will have no increase in cost. I was told this is 51c/day - I can only assume that a portion of this will be listed against the smart meter...
So it seems that with Origin at least there will be no charge for getting the new meter. It makes me wonder just how the meters are getting paid for. Will there be a "surprise" increase in the kwh charge to make up the difference?

[ElectricEd]

The following is copied from an email I have sent to SPAusnet:
>
In the FAQ section of the SPAusnet website
http://www.sp-ausnet.com.au/?id=230112250B1F1EC245EAE3FFBCA2576420082FF9D
concerning the cost of the new smart meters being installed it states:

For SP AusNet customers, the current pricing would result in an $86.10 annual
charge for the average small customer with a single phase single element meter
in 2010.

Clarification is needed here. Specifically:
1/ Is this an ongoing annual charge? If so, for how long?
2/ Is this different from and in addition to the normal service charge?
3/ Can I do a one-off payment for this meter and wave the annual charge?
4/ In 2009 I paid approximately $280 for a new meter for my grid connect PV system. Do I get a rebate on this cost?
>

I am worried that this is another case of the bean counting sharks taking back what we have gained from having a PV system.
Any comments?
Regards,
Ed.

[Victoria]

I was told by Origin it would cost me 42c per day on my bill, but over a 12 month period that adds up to significantly more than the $82 dollars that SP AusNet were claiming it would cost...what is the difference?

And why are Origin telling one customer that it was 51c per day, and me that it is 42c per day??

[sarahj]

Maybe this is how Origin are getting the payment for the smart meter - I will have to check my last bill to see the actual charge. Maybe there is an increase on the way to cover the cost which we have not been notified of.

Just checked Origin's website. Info on the service charge & smart meter charge is listed:
http://www.originenergy.com.au/files/PCA_Elec.pdf

33.638 c/day for supply
30.602 c/day for smart meter

this equals over 64 c/day. I wonder just how long the additional smart meter fee will go on for.

Victoria, It looks like we were both told the wrong thing! I will definitely be checking what I have been paying, especially as I was told that there was no increase in the total c/day charge even including the smart meter.

I don't know about the SP Ausnet charging as I am not in their area, but if it is significantly cheaper I wish I was!!

[ElectricEd]

My network supplier is SP Ausnet and my electricity retailer is Origin.
$86.10 / 365 = 23.589c per day

If Origin's charge for the meter is 30.602 then they are doing a 30% markup on the charge from SP Ausnet.
Another case of our wonderful free enterprise system ensuring a stitch up at every stage along the way.
I think we should demand that we pay SP Ausnet directly and keep Origin out of the equation.

[sarahj]

ElectricEd,

This link may be more relevant to you then:
http://www.originenergy.com.au/files/SPAUSNET_Elec.pdf

Also from the Origin website.
Seems it may be the network suppliers, not retailers which have different fees....

[ElectricEd]

Hi SarahJ,
Hopefully that will be the valid price. It seems there are different pricings all over the place.
What really annoys me is that we are effectively renting the smart meters, not buying. This is where the suits are operating on the principal of entrapping the customer base into regular payments consiting of interest and capital. By keeping the capital component low they are ensuring that it will effictively be a permanent charge. This impacts adversely on lfixed income people such as pensioners. It won't be long until a pensioner's discressionary spending has been taken up completely by charges like these.
What I'd like to know is the real cost of these smart meters.
I seem to remember that some time in the past the network boundary was at the outlet of the meter and the network supplier owned all equipment up to the network boundary.There was a one off connection charge to cover the cost of the installation.
Now the bean counters have gotten into the act and we lose.