Smart Meter Frequently Asked Questions

Smart Meter FAQ's

Q What is a smart meter?

A Smart Meters have many capabilities that manually read meters do not have.  Smart Meters installed through the Adelaide Solar City Project have the ability to record electricity consumption every 30 minutes.  The meter stores and then transmits this data remotely to your electricity retailer for billing purposes.

Q How can I read the smart meter?

A You will receive a How to read your smart meter  (397KB) instruction booklet at the time when your smart meter is installed.

Q Can I see my solar panel generation on the smart meter?

A If you have solar panels installed, and you have had a separate generation meter fitted, you will be able to see the amount of solar energy exported to the electricity grid from your solar electricity system.  Note this will be lower than reported by your interter as you will be consuming some or all of your solar energy in the home.

Q What happens with the standard manually read electricity meter?

A The standard manually read electricity meter will be removed and replaced by the smart meter.

Q Can the old electricity meter be re-installed again?

A The same old electricity meter will not be re-installed again. If you decide to switch to another electricity retailer, you will need to contact that retailer to confirm the servidces they offer with smart meters.

Q Somebody came out to read the meter, why?

A If someone came out to read your meter, this may be a misunderstanding. The smart meter does not need to be read manually anymore as all the electricity consumption data is electronically transferred back to the local utility for monitoring and billing purposes. The meter reader may not have been updated by the network distribution company about the meter change at your property.

Q My bill does not match up to the smart meter information online or with the meter information, why?

A The information that appears on your electricity bill may be different to the information displayed on the Smart Meter.  this is becuase your electricity bill data is aggregated and may not cover the same time period as your Smart Meter displays.  The electricity bill data may also look different becuase it has been validated for possible errors or adjustments.