Smart Meter
When we upgraded our switchboard, the power distributor - Energy Australia replaced the old kWhr meter with a new - so called smart meter.
What they didn't tell us, was that such events automatically trigger the system to activate a new time of use tariff, where rates are roughly doubled during peak time.
When approached to revert back, both AGL and Origin managed to waste a lot of our time, ( and the Enery Ombudsman's ) before concluding that they could not assist.
I am amazed that they can get away with such nonsense. Why should we be paying a different rate for electricity than our neighbours?
Finally switching over to Energy Australia did the trick.
Pity that they are now partly foreign owned , together with the whole gas distribution network.
EM1000 not so smart meter
Country Energy, and Energy Australia program their 'smart' meters to have different menus?
see following links
http://www.essentialenergy.com.au/asset/cms/pdf/contestableWorks/CEOM8014_52.pdf
http://www2.energyaustralia.com.au/internet/pdfs/ES3%20Part%20B+CIA1347.pdf
In the case of Energy Australia their excuse for not showing separate time of use category sub totals is that the meters are unable to track public holidays - but they are working on it.
In the meantime usage is categorised after download to their computer - ie after the event
which raises many questions.
I also doubt that the accuracy of these meters is anywhere near that of the old mechanical ones - but that's just an educated guess.
