Energy meters

Electricity and gas meters track how much energy you use. These meters are generally owned and read by your electricity and gas retailer.

There are 2 different types of meters.

Gas and standard electricity meters

These are the traditional meters that are physically located on your property. Your retailer arranges for someone to visit and read your meter. They’re legally required to do this once a year, but it normally happens every 3 months or when you bill is due. Your electricity or gas bill will tell you when your next meter reading is due.

Reading your meter

The meter reader is a person whose job it is to access your property to read your meter. If they can’t get safe access, you may need to contact them and organise a new time for the reading. Or you can read the meter yourself and share the details with your energy retailer.

Smart meters

Smart meters are modern electricity meters. Most retailers are gradually replacing traditional meters with smart meters. They automatically record your electricity use throughout the day and send the data directly to your energy retailer. This means no more manual meter reads.  

Your energy retailer may also give you access to an online account or app so you can check your electricity use and download your data whenever you want.

Advantages

• No need for manual readings: Your usage is automatically sent to your retailer.
• More accurate billing: The readings and charges are more precise.
• Increased access to time of use tariffs: You can take advantage of time of use tariffs to reduce your bill.
• Better understand your energy use: You can track your usage and make your home or business more energy efficient.

Under national energy rules, all new and replacement meters are required to be smart meters. Find out more about the national smart meter rollout.

If you want to upgrade to a smart meter, contact your retailer.

If you have concerns about your smart meter, speak to your retailer first. If it's not resolved, contact the Energy and Water Ombudsman NSW.

Understanding estimated meter readings

Sometimes your bill may show an ‘estimated reading’ or ‘E’ next to your energy use. This happens because:

• the meter reader couldn’t access your meter (for example, your gate was locked)
• the meter reader didn’t send the data to your energy retailer in time for the next billing cycle
• you provided the energy retailer with your own meter reading, and the bill was adjusted based on that information.

Estimated meter readings are based on your past energy use or a similar household nearby. Your energy retailer can only do this if they do an actual meter reading once a year.

If the estimate looks wrong you can give your retailer your own reading and they’ll adjust your bill.