Smart meter refusers could be charged for manual readings, minister says
The few remaining Tasmanians clinging to old-school electricity meters may soon pay the price for their resistance to modern technology.
Electricity customers who elect not to have smart meters installed could be charged a fee to cover the rising cost of meter readings in the future, a parliamentary committee has heard.
Minister for Energy and Renewables Nick Duigan told a GBE hearing in Hobart that smart meters were now so widespread that the cost of manually reading the remaining meters was rising.
“It brings with it new ways of doing things, new opportunities, people who are somewhat resistant to it, and I understand that.
“We are into what I think you would call the tail, and those are either premises that are very difficult to do because the wiring is old, or there’s been something built in front of it, or potentially the customer has some reservations about changing over.
“As there are fewer and fewer old school meters out there in the community, the cost of reading them manually goes up.
“I think at some point that needs to be reflected for those people who refuse to have their meter automatically report. If they want that manual reading, then they probably should expect to see a charge coming for it.”
Aurora CEO Nigel Clark said the day was approaching when a fee might be charged for meter readings.
”Eventually, people who have a basic meter, who choose not to have comms connected, really will have to have a user pays concept of meter reading, because the meter reading cost is going to become prohibitive.
“We would argue that that is unfair on the balance of Tasmanians who have adopted the technology.”
Originally published as Smart meter refusers could be charged for manual readings, minister says
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