Victorian electricity meters would need to be changed under new rules
THOUSANDS of “smart” electricity meters which cost Victorian households $2.2 billion to roll out would have to be replaced or upgraded under changes to the national electricity rules.
VIC News
Don't miss out on the headlines from VIC News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THOUSANDS of “smart” electricity meters which cost Victorian households $2.2 billion to roll out would have to be replaced or upgraded under changes to the national electricity rules.
The Andrews Government is scrambling to exempt Victorian meters from a key aspect of the new national rules in order to avoid new costs for consumers.
Under the changes, made by federal energy authorities, power prices will be recorded in meters every five minutes, rather than every half hour.
This has been done to encourage investment in technologies that would help avoid blackouts or power shortages during peak power use.
For example, households or businesses could opt in to discount deals where their electricity is turned off for a few minutes when power prices surge.
POWER BILLS TO LIST CHEAPER ENERGY OPTIONS
ELECTRICITY MARKET REVIEW SHOWS SMART METERS FAIL TO REDUCE RISING POWER BILLS
But Victorian meters are not designed to cope with the amount of data required under the reforms, meaning the Andrews Government will have to step in and provide exemptions.
The Department of Environment has released a consultation paper showing concerns about the costs of replacing meters.
“Several distribution businesses have stated that together they refurbish around 17,500 AMI (smart) meters per year, saving around $2.7 million annually on the cost of new meters,” the paper said.
“The loss of the option to refurbish AMI meters would eventuate in an increase in metering charges.”
Distribution companies, which control and operate smart meters in Victoria, have also warned about flow-on impacts.
Energy Networks Australia said that the five-minute intervals “represents nearly a sixfold increase in the meters’ storage, which would increase meter costs”.
Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said she was “preparing a ministerial order to protect Victorians from these changes”.
“Existing Victorian meters will not have to be replaced or upgraded as a result of the new arrangements,” she said.
Opposition energy spokesman David Southwick said: “This is just another reminder of Labor’s botched $2 billion rollout of smart meters.
“Victorians are already doing it tough with their household budgets, so if Daniel Andrews has any decency he will step in and make sure there’s no further costs to consumers.”