A WAGGA resident at the centre of a wrangle with Origin Energy over electricity meter readings has welcomed new technology aimed at eliminating “bill shock”.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
In January, Glenfield resident Craig Veitch was amazed to discover a 241 per cent increase on his electricity bill which amounted to an extra $295.26 he had to pay.
The bill was the result of an estimated meter reading, a legal calculation used when companies are unable to access electricity boxes for a physical reading, despite Mr Veitch’s power box being unlocked for physical reading for the past 15 years.
While Mr Veitch said he hasn’t been approached for the smart meter, he was in favour of the technology which is attached to a power box and record electricity usage every half an hour for the customer and company to track in real time.
“It’s got to be a positive,” Mr Veitch said. “It’s better than guesswork.”
But he was expecting some opposition from residents.
“I think some of the older generation might be a bit hesitant,” Mr Veitch said.
Use of smart meters in Australia has not been without controversy, and in Victoria the technology was the subject of a mandatory roll out with speculation that they caused a number of fires.
But a 2012 report by Energy Safe Victoria concluded the meters were safe, and there had only been “two incidents related to production faults out of 1.2 million meters already installed” where they had caught fire.
The government body also found that faults discovered in 90 smart meters in the North Melbourne suburb of Pascoe Vale had been the result of “criminal damage” and interference.
“Energy Safe Victoria (ESV) has consistently stated that in relation to electrical safety all available evidence confirms that smart meters are safe and if they fail, they fail safely,” the report stated.
On Wednesday, Origin Energy confirmed the new technology was being made available to certain customers.
"Origin commenced smart meter installations for customers with difficult-to-access meters in May, while smart meter installations for existing solar bonus scheme customers in the Wagga area will begin later this year,” an Origin Energy spokesperson said.
The Origin Energy spokesperson also said that as per the NSW Department of Industry, there were no plans for a mandatory roll out of smart meters.
