Smart Meters and Electricity Bills

Spanrz · 07-02-2011, 11:57 PM

Ahhhh, need some feedback.
Few months ago, I had my electricity meter changed to the new Smart Meter - non solar. (SE Melb)

I am now well overdue for my electricity bill. Well over a month overdue.
Last meter read was back in Dec '10 and last bill stopped in late Sept '10.

I'm with TRU Energy. After 2 calls about the meter reading and billing, I was told that there was a delay, from what I could gather, it wasn't TRU that was the problem.
I'm guessing that there is a bungle from meter reading system till it gets to TRU Energy.

I've just been told "delayed, just have to wait for the bill".
I'm hoping I don't get an estimated bill or a short time to pay, otherwise they'll be getting an irrate call.

Anyone else had the same issue.

GTpilot · 08-02-2011, 02:43 AM

poor bugger, Mate knowing what tru energy are like they will send you 6mths worth of bill and give you 2 weeks to pay it.

Smartmeters are a complete shambles....Right up there with myki.. Ohh and just wait till it gets hacked. They are riddled with secuity holes..

Kryton · 08-02-2011, 03:16 AM

Already heard of people getting $2000 bills even though a normal bill is usually $250ish.

**Charliewool** · 08-02-2011, 08:16 AM

Same happened to me last year after smart meter install.. No bill for 4 1/2 months.
Then one came followed by another 1 week after... Rest assured, They DO NOT forget!

pcman · 08-02-2011, 09:00 AM

friends of mine didnt get a bill for 12 months after getting there smart meter

Spanrz · 08-02-2011, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pcman

friends of mine didnt get a bill for 12 months after getting there smart meter

I read somewhere "heresay", that if after 12 months after usage, they can't bill you?

ohzone · 08-02-2011, 10:13 AM

Use an old bill and pay an amount which would be normal for you (keep the reciept) on the normal due dates.
When you finally get your bill there should be no huge surprises unless they stuff up big time

Paxton · 08-02-2011, 11:38 AM

Ahh yes, the estimated bill. I had three of them in one year. The fourth bill (when Integral Energy could be bothered reading my Meter) was astronomical. I rang up and abused them, and had the bill reduced to be in line with the estimated ones, and told them that if they wish to estimate my meter again, I won't be paying it.

Since then (2009), they haven't missed a reading.

gcg2503 · 08-02-2011, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spanrz

I read somewhere "heresay", that if after 12 months after usage, they can't bill you?

Correct.

Moved in to my place in March 2009

Just received my first bill two weeks ago. Forgot to set me up.....I thought the bills were getting sent to the family home and were being covered by Dad.

$1680....less amount they couldnt bill me for since it exceeded a certain timeframe

Amount due and payable $880 odd

Brent · 08-02-2011, 01:19 PM

I'd be interested in hearing from others who have had Smart meters installed too. After getting one or two propaganda flyers in the mail which I ignored, my wife & came home from work a week ago to see a shiny new smart meter attached to our wall. Bugger. I've heard horror stories about bills doubling and tripling and so it will be interesting to see what the outcome is.

Personally, unless you have an electric hot water system that can be programmed to do the heating during the night, or have solar that places power back into the grid, smart meters will be "smart" for the power companies only.

All this rubbish about them encouraging use of off peak power is utter BS. Don't know about anyone else, but my wife and I work 5 days per week. Up at 6am, home at 6 to 6:30pm. So, its sort of obvious that we'll be using our power in err, the morning and err, in the evening......unless we're going to adopt some weird sort of noctural double life and do the washing and ironing in the nude at 3am.

Will keep a close eye on it and on the frequency of the billing regime.

Brent.

GreenR · 08-02-2011, 01:30 PM

Everyone should keep in mind that once your smart meter is installed your rate (cent per Kw) increases. Especially with TRU Energy (and most overseas retailers) it takes a big jump and you will most likely find yourself and a very high peak rate. Although you have an off peak rate that is lower don't be fooled as you don't get much use from off peak unless you run a pool,spa,electric water heater etc.

The meter reads are done by your power supplier (Narre Warren is SP Ausnet).If for some reason they can't read you meter they notify TRU and you then receive an estimated bill. Make sure it is accessible to avoid estimates. However if you get 1 or 2 do not stress too much because when you get a proper correct bill it will automatically adjust itself If your retailer has over estimated.

outside · 08-02-2011, 02:13 PM

a guy from work (nsw) have his gate locked so the meter readers cannt get to the meter and only get estimated bills.
i wait for the day that he gets a reading on his meter and has to pay what he really owes.
then he may stop skiting (sp) about how little he pays

**ebxr8240** · 08-02-2011, 02:46 PM

He may have a lock that the authority / meter readers has key for ???

If you can read meter/s write it down and check your own usage per kw...
I'm sure at times they just send any amount out ???

outside · 08-02-2011, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ebxr8240

He may have a lock that the authority / meter readers has key for ???

nar its behind a locked gate

i have a authority lock on mine that the readers have a key for

charles_wif_xf · 08-02-2011, 05:42 PM

The smart meters are a scam plain and simple. If there are ANY discrepancies compared to the the bills thus far, they will know about it and how!

I think its time my generator setup goes live and I cut the power company off.

Spanrz · 08-02-2011, 07:43 PM

I knew my usage of the old meter (around 12kw per day) and this new meter is pretty much on the money too.

The problem that I have, is of course no bill, but when the bill does come, a cost component of it, is of the new meter and the Wi-Fi access by the electrical supplier.
In other words, we do do pay for the meter and access via Wi-Fi (assuming 3G??), but it's supposed to be spread around a long time, that we don't feel the burden of the initial cost.

If I'm paying a component for Wi-Fi access, there should not be any errors with the reading. Period.
If it's not up and running yet, then why would I be getting charged.

I'll find out when the bill arrives. LOL.

GK · 08-02-2011, 08:20 PM

They are a scam for sure. Great for the company. They can turn the power on and off remotely and know what you're using by computer, so they'll fire their meter readers.

The features apart from that are not much, and as has been said earlier, most of their smart features are not easily used, unless you have newer tech items.

And to think now we're stuck with them and the price hike that our dumb green-blinded former government approved of.

The desal plant also comes to mind here!

An utter disgrace.

GK

shedcoupe · 08-02-2011, 08:26 PM

err mr pedanto here ............ a kW is not a kWh.
It isn't that hard to understand. Electric current can be thought of as electrons passing handfuls of energy down the line - the more energy-passing going on, the more power (kW) is being provided to the load. The longer this goes on for (the 'h' for hour bit) the more energy is being consumed by the load. You're being billed for energy (kWh - 'kilowatt hours') not power (kW). So there nyah nyah

My32Doors · 08-02-2011, 08:36 PM

Can't understand why they call them SMART meters if they have to estimate all the time. Anyway you fellas have it cheap. $800 - $1000 every quarter up here!

Spanrz · 08-02-2011, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shedcoupe

You're being billed for energy (kWh - 'kilowatt hours') not power (kW). So there nyah nyah

LOL, I know what you mean. Just add a "h" to my post

I just didn't type it.

sneaky · 08-02-2011, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by outside

nar its behind a locked gate

i have a authority lock on mine that the readers have a key for

wait til his service wire falls down or blows up and his power doesn't get fixed until someone is home to unlock the gate

as for the smart meters, i have had one for about 18 months and my bills have been fine (especially since having solar for the last 6 months).

I have compact fluoro globes in the hole house, set the dishwasher and washing machine for after 10pm most of the time and turn things off when i'm not using them, gas hot water, gas heater, so that's what helps the bills.

the bit that hurts the bills is the wife and 2 young kids at home all day - so plasma telly/radio/laptop on a fair bit, kids lights on all night and air con on if it's hot (only had aircon for a month).

-tim

shedcoupe · 08-02-2011, 09:21 PM

Spanrz LOL, I know what you mean. Just add a "h" to my post

I just didn't type it

No worries there. I don't bother to correct people other than the apprentii at tafe and understanding mates, however you guys are likely to be interested in sciency stuff so there it was.
You pay for energy when you fill the tank with fuel (in this case it is 'potential energy' as it can be burnt to expand gas against pistons) and that fuel is turned into energy that does 'work' - the faster the work occurs, the more power is required to do that work.
Sort of like a work situation where a kid with a teaspoon can move a tonne of sand from one place to another (the same amount of 'work'), but the guy with the bobcat will do it quicker because he has more power in hand - a machine rather than a spoon.
So when you bury the right foot the energy gets consumed faster than when you were cruising because the motor needs more fuel to produce more power.
In electrical terms, when you switch 'on' loads, the current (the energy-passing electrons) has to increase to supply the increased power requirement. So flow in wires and fuel lines does the same thing. Sort of.

cycle myth · 11-02-2011, 10:05 PM

This may work in your favour.

For a residential purposes - a retailer can no bill you for amounts they haven't billed you for after 9 months over due.

So if you put the money aside in readiness for a delayed bill then you can pay for it as you would have or if it goes over 9 months then those amounts become free.

If you get billed all at once its likely you could negotiate some terms to pay.

The smart meters will take some time to get working right. At the moment they are just acting like dumb meters..

Hope this helps.

gcg2503 · 11-02-2011, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cycle myth

For a residential purposes - a retailer can no bill you for amounts they haven't billed you for after 9 months over due.

If you get billed all at once its likely you could negotiate some terms to pay.

100% correct on both counts

Stumper · 12-02-2011, 01:44 AM

I received my first estimated bill for my workshop last month and they didn't even estimate the same as the previous bill or bills before it they just assumed I used less power this time which is ok for this bill but the next one will be the killer, I have just asked to do the reading myself from now on and they are fine with that they just send me a card a week before it is due to be read, I fill it out and send it in and they send me a bill. It all of a sudden become an estimated bill because of the new guard dog on the premises LOL.

shedcoupe · 12-02-2011, 04:08 PM

"Smartmeters are a complete shambles....Right up there with myki.. Ohh and just wait till it gets hacked. They are riddled with secuity holes.."

Hacked meters, security holes, what's that about ? Who'd want to hack a meter and why ? Some kid rounding up everyone's bill for $2K a week pocketmoney, prankster mate creates $50K bill, or something else ?
The idea of charging different tariffs is reasonable from a business sense and can make sense for the consumer too, but there are of course times when you are paying top dollar for energy because you need the power during the day and changing the am/pm week/weekend time of use can't be done. The retailers set up their smart tariffs to suit themselves of course and you take it or leave it.
But if you're lucky and can run electrical loads at night and pay less than a straight non-variable rate you're ahead.
And if you have 5 kW of solar power (generates say 20-25 kWh / units per day averaged out over the year) that will take a slice off your bill on a straight tariff, and may even earn you some money if the solar panels are feeding back into the grid at a smart-meter rate.
Different states have different feed-in arangements too. A quality solar supplier will be able to explain the local set-up.
Here in the southwest of the island the easterly wind is pumping, so a grid-connected wind turbine on a smart tariff would be an earner. Turbines are a bit cheaper than solar kW for kW but they wear out faster too .......

GreenR · 13-02-2011, 04:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cycle myth

For a residential purposes - a retailer can no bill you for amounts they haven't billed you for after 9 months over due.

So if you put the money aside in readiness for a delayed bill then you can pay for it as you would have or if it goes over 9 months then those amounts become free.

If you get billed all at once its likely you could negotiate some terms to pay..

If this happened you do not have to pay the full owing amount for all of the previous months by the due date ( usually around 2 weeks). So do not feel like you need to negotiate, but instead demand.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shedcoupe

"Smartmeters are a complete shambles....Right up there with myki.. Ohh and just wait till it gets hacked. They are riddled with secuity holes.."

I agree, however current analog meters are hacked also and have security holes. Done to benefit the person who has the metre.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shedcoupe

And if you have 5 kW of solar power that will take a slice off your bill on a straight tariff, and may even earn you some money if the solar panels are feeding back into the grid at a smart-meter rate.

Here in the southwest of the island the easterly wind is pumping, so a grid-connected wind turbine on a smart tariff would be an earner.

Solar is a money saver, however keep in mind some retailers will not give any extra discounts or deals if you have solar contributing to your bill. Also some retailers will put you on a higher rate to somewhat counter the savings on your bill.

Barnaby · 13-02-2011, 11:43 AM

For those wondering why they are still getting estimated bills...the new meters communicate via a mesh network. Until all the meters are installed, they cant use one another to communicate back to a central point. This will take time until everyone has the new units. I have heard that the new government in Vic. have put the rollout on hold pending an investigation into a $500mil blowout

so it might take a while yet...

Spanrz · 13-02-2011, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barnaby

For those wondering why they are still getting estimated bills...the new meters communicate via a mesh network. Until all the meters are installed, they cant use one another to communicate back to a central point. This will take time until everyone has the new units. I have heard that the new government in Vic. have put the rollout on hold pending an investigation into a $500mil blowout

so it might take a while yet...

So if my bills show up with an extra cost of "supply" with access to the meter, then can this be classified as "illegal"?

Charging for something, that isn't working? Not so much the amount, but being forced to pay more for something that isn't working.

The letter that I got clearly states about extra cost for access to the meters.
I might have to get advice on this (if the charge is being billed and it not working).

EDIT: going by the above posts, it's showing that estimates are still happening with the new meters. Wi-Fi musn't be working yet as per Barnaby. Hmmm.

castellan · 14-02-2011, 12:17 PM

A mate has the 10 solar panels feeding back into the grid.
SMART hey but when the flood knocked the power out in our area he did not have any power at all so you can not even help your neighbors out it's that smart.

He had to used his own generator and a neighbor his other gen.
If he could use his solar power he could of helped more people.

But the ALP in QLD calls it's self the smart state does it not.