New meter technology rolls out

In 2010 Yeppoon and Emu Park residents will be two of the first towns in Queensland to have their electricity meters upgraded to the latest technology. The upgrade and technology trials will help Ergon Energy test the feasibility of introducing the same advanced technology to the rest of Queensland and inform future Queensland Government decisions.

The trials honour a Queensland Government commitment to the Australian Government Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism, Ministerial Council on Energy, to take part in a national meter initiative. The Smart Meter Decision Paper outlining Queensland’s and other state commitments was released on 13 June 2008. In most cases the trials will mean no changes to our customers, apart from having a new meter installed at their premises.

By the end of 2010 between 15,000 and 20,000 new meters will have been installed across Queensland as part of the trials, providing a much better understanding of the new technology’s impact on Ergon Energy’s business systems and processes. Another trial will test the extent to which around 7,000 volunteer customers take advantage of the new technology to manage their electricity usage at peak times.