The Victorian Government has mandated that digital electricity meters, known as ‘smart meters’, be installed in all Victorian households and small businesses by the end of 2013. The new meters will replace ageing mechanical technology with a smarter electricity network and will bring about a range of benefits for consumers.
About 2.5 million mechanical meters are being replaced, with SP AusNet installing more than 713,000 new digital electricity meters at premises across northern and eastern Victoria.
Also known as Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), the smart meter program is the biggest investment in Victoria's electricity network since the introduction of poles and wires. Some of the benefits of the AMI program include:
- Better access to electricity consumption information – available in real time (with an in-home device), empowering customers to understand and manage their energy usage and bills as they choose
- Remote meter reading – improves accuracy of customers’ bills by minimising estimated readings
- Faster connection and disconnections when moving home – reduces costs of relocating and manual meter reading.
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