Photo David Dodge, Green Energy Futures www.greenenergyfutures.ca/episode/smart-meters-are-good-t…
New Zealand’s Electricity Authority says that more than 70 percent of New Zealand electricity connections now have smart meters, and an increasing number of electricity retailers are exploiting the technology to deliver new customer services.
The Authority says its latest data shows over half of electricity retailers have more than 80 percent of their customers with smart meters. “Newer retailers have 100 percent smart meters installed as they only accept customers with smart meters,” it says, adding: “The retailers that require smart meters to be installed, have built their business models to use smart meter data to reduce costs, increase efficiency, improve customer service and offer new services and tariffs.”
Electricity Authority chief executive Carl Hansen said: “Many of the new entrants in the electricity market over the last two years have built their business models on the basis of smart meter technology. This is creating new choices for consumers and further enhancing competition.
“There are some distinct advantages for businesses that use smart meters. Smart meters are read remotely and are able to provide meter readings every half hour if needed. Reading meters remotely cuts costs and provides usage information to customers more quickly.”
In Australia the Victorian Government announced in mid 2015 that the rollout of smart meters in Victoria was “now effectively complete with almost 2.8 million meters installed across the state.” We have been unable to locate figures for other states, but believe they are well behind Victoria.
