Environment commissioner calls for 'smarter' smart meters - Video

There are at least three protocols needed as a minimum to ensure consumers are treated fairly by the introduction of advanced metering technology and "smart" meters.

1 Different tariffs for different times of electricity use must be signalled to consumers in advance with a reasonable amount of notice.

2. All the readings and data stored in the meters and subsequently used for billing must be capable of being read at the meter by the consumer so that the consumer can:

a) use the readings for managing time of use and peak demand type charges, and
b) verify the readings used for billing actually originated from their meter.

3. The maximum time of use tariff should be equivalent to the retailers scheduled anytime charge and off peak time of use charges should be discounted from the maximum; and not the other way around where peak charges are incremental to the anytime charge.

Clarkie

What is the point when most of the appliances being sold here don't have smart chips anyway

HI TV3
I’m a lecturer in the electrical field, and listen to you news, I can’t believe that it true that it will cost only a few dollars to up grade the meter. Firstly if you do put a chip in a meter you need extra wiring from the meter to the rest of all the appliances in your house you want to control. As house are wired the only part it could control is your water heater but it’s already controlled by a ripple relay. Lots of dollars need to be spend to upgrade your house to have that facility.

Home work need to be done before such a meter can control your appliances in your house.
The story on TV3 is not 100% correct.
Greetings
Marius