❓ Hon. Kate Doust questions the replacement of existing smart meters with new ones in the Perth Solar Cities program, focusing on refunds and the rationale behind replacing 'superior' meters. Minister Collier responds, justifying the replacements and outlining refund policies.
AnsweredQoN 664Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
SOLAR CITIES PROGRAM
I refer to the Perth’s Solar Cities program. (1) Is the minister aware that some residents who had already paid for and installed a smart meter have had those meters replaced with a poorer quality meter as part of this program? (2) What has the minister done to ensure that all residents, and not just those who complain, who had already paid for a smart meter before this program began, are refunded? (3) Why were those residents with a superior smart meter not allowed to keep those meters when the rollout occurred? Hon PETER COLLIER
I refer to the Perth’s Solar Cities program. (1) Is the minister aware that some residents who had already paid for and installed a smart meter have had those meters replaced with a poorer quality meter as part of this program? (2) What has the minister done to ensure that all residents, and not just those who complain, who had already paid for a smart meter before this program began, are refunded? (3) Why were those residents with a superior smart meter not allowed to keep those meters when the rollout occurred? Hon PETER COLLIER
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes, I am aware that the existing bidirectional meters have been replaced as part of the Perth Solar City program. However, the new smart meters installed by Western Power offer a range of functionality above and beyond any other meter currently installed in residential Western Australia. This functionality is enabled by a two-way communication system that allows the meters to remotely provide information to Western Power. (2) While the new smart meters offer a suite of benefits not afforded by any residential meter previously used in Western Australia, Western Power and Synergy recognise that residents within the trial area who have recently paid for a bidirectional meter would have had little opportunity to realise the benefits of their investment prior to the change. For this reason, Western Power and Synergy have arranged for an automatic refund for all customers who paid for a bidirectional meter up to five months prior to the start of the new smart meter trial. Those who paid for bidirectional meters before 1 January 2010 are invited to contact synergy, and the provision of a refund will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. (3) As a result of the way in which smart meters need to communicate with one another and back to the network, Western Power must install meters to allow for full coverage in each area. This is the only way to ensure the trial provides all the necessary information for Western Power to examine exactly how the network operates and to identify the most cost-effective solution.
(1) Is the minister aware that some residents who had already paid for and installed a smart meter have had those meters replaced with a poorer quality meter as part of this program? (2) What has the minister done to ensure that all residents, and not just those who complain, who had already paid for a smart meter before this program began, are refunded? (3) Why were those residents with a superior smart meter not allowed to keep those meters when the rollout occurred? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes, I am aware that the existing bidirectional meters have been replaced as part of the Perth Solar City program. However, the new smart meters installed by Western Power offer a range of functionality above and beyond any other meter currently installed in residential Western Australia. This functionality is enabled by a two-way communication system that allows the meters to remotely provide information to Western Power. (2) While the new smart meters offer a suite of benefits not afforded by any residential meter previously used in Western Australia, Western Power and Synergy recognise that residents within the trial area who have recently paid for a bidirectional meter would have had little opportunity to realise the benefits of their investment prior to the change. For this reason, Western Power and Synergy have arranged for an automatic refund for all customers who paid for a bidirectional meter up to five months prior to the start of the new smart meter trial. Those who paid for bidirectional meters before 1 January 2010 are invited to contact synergy, and the provision of a refund will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. (3) As a result of the way in which smart meters need to communicate with one another and back to the network, Western Power must install meters to allow for full coverage in each area. This is the only way to ensure the trial provides all the necessary information for Western Power to examine exactly how the network operates and to identify the most cost-effective solution.
(2) What has the minister done to ensure that all residents, and not just those who complain, who had already paid for a smart meter before this program began, are refunded? (3) Why were those residents with a superior smart meter not allowed to keep those meters when the rollout occurred? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes, I am aware that the existing bidirectional meters have been replaced as part of the Perth Solar City program. However, the new smart meters installed by Western Power offer a range of functionality above and beyond any other meter currently installed in residential Western Australia. This functionality is enabled by a two-way communication system that allows the meters to remotely provide information to Western Power. (2) While the new smart meters offer a suite of benefits not afforded by any residential meter previously used in Western Australia, Western Power and Synergy recognise that residents within the trial area who have recently paid for a bidirectional meter would have had little opportunity to realise the benefits of their investment prior to the change. For this reason, Western Power and Synergy have arranged for an automatic refund for all customers who paid for a bidirectional meter up to five months prior to the start of the new smart meter trial. Those who paid for bidirectional meters before 1 January 2010 are invited to contact synergy, and the provision of a refund will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. (3) As a result of the way in which smart meters need to communicate with one another and back to the network, Western Power must install meters to allow for full coverage in each area. This is the only way to ensure the trial provides all the necessary information for Western Power to examine exactly how the network operates and to identify the most cost-effective solution.
(3) Why were those residents with a superior smart meter not allowed to keep those meters when the rollout occurred? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes, I am aware that the existing bidirectional meters have been replaced as part of the Perth Solar City program. However, the new smart meters installed by Western Power offer a range of functionality above and beyond any other meter currently installed in residential Western Australia. This functionality is enabled by a two-way communication system that allows the meters to remotely provide information to Western Power. (2) While the new smart meters offer a suite of benefits not afforded by any residential meter previously used in Western Australia, Western Power and Synergy recognise that residents within the trial area who have recently paid for a bidirectional meter would have had little opportunity to realise the benefits of their investment prior to the change. For this reason, Western Power and Synergy have arranged for an automatic refund for all customers who paid for a bidirectional meter up to five months prior to the start of the new smart meter trial. Those who paid for bidirectional meters before 1 January 2010 are invited to contact synergy, and the provision of a refund will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. (3) As a result of the way in which smart meters need to communicate with one another and back to the network, Western Power must install meters to allow for full coverage in each area. This is the only way to ensure the trial provides all the necessary information for Western Power to examine exactly how the network operates and to identify the most cost-effective solution.
Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes, I am aware that the existing bidirectional meters have been replaced as part of the Perth Solar City program. However, the new smart meters installed by Western Power offer a range of functionality above and beyond any other meter currently installed in residential Western Australia. This functionality is enabled by a two-way communication system that allows the meters to remotely provide information to Western Power. (2) While the new smart meters offer a suite of benefits not afforded by any residential meter previously used in Western Australia, Western Power and Synergy recognise that residents within the trial area who have recently paid for a bidirectional meter would have had little opportunity to realise the benefits of their investment prior to the change. For this reason, Western Power and Synergy have arranged for an automatic refund for all customers who paid for a bidirectional meter up to five months prior to the start of the new smart meter trial. Those who paid for bidirectional meters before 1 January 2010 are invited to contact synergy, and the provision of a refund will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. (3) As a result of the way in which smart meters need to communicate with one another and back to the network, Western Power must install meters to allow for full coverage in each area. This is the only way to ensure the trial provides all the necessary information for Western Power to examine exactly how the network operates and to identify the most cost-effective solution.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes, I am aware that the existing bidirectional meters have been replaced as part of the Perth Solar City program. However, the new smart meters installed by Western Power offer a range of functionality above and beyond any other meter currently installed in residential Western Australia. This functionality is enabled by a two-way communication system that allows the meters to remotely provide information to Western Power. (2) While the new smart meters offer a suite of benefits not afforded by any residential meter previously used in Western Australia, Western Power and Synergy recognise that residents within the trial area who have recently paid for a bidirectional meter would have had little opportunity to realise the benefits of their investment prior to the change. For this reason, Western Power and Synergy have arranged for an automatic refund for all customers who paid for a bidirectional meter up to five months prior to the start of the new smart meter trial. Those who paid for bidirectional meters before 1 January 2010 are invited to contact synergy, and the provision of a refund will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. (3) As a result of the way in which smart meters need to communicate with one another and back to the network, Western Power must install meters to allow for full coverage in each area. This is the only way to ensure the trial provides all the necessary information for Western Power to examine exactly how the network operates and to identify the most cost-effective solution.
(1) Yes, I am aware that the existing bidirectional meters have been replaced as part of the Perth Solar City program. However, the new smart meters installed by Western Power offer a range of functionality above and beyond any other meter currently installed in residential Western Australia. This functionality is enabled by a two-way communication system that allows the meters to remotely provide information to Western Power. (2) While the new smart meters offer a suite of benefits not afforded by any residential meter previously used in Western Australia, Western Power and Synergy recognise that residents within the trial area who have recently paid for a bidirectional meter would have had little opportunity to realise the benefits of their investment prior to the change. For this reason, Western Power and Synergy have arranged for an automatic refund for all customers who paid for a bidirectional meter up to five months prior to the start of the new smart meter trial. Those who paid for bidirectional meters before 1 January 2010 are invited to contact synergy, and the provision of a refund will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. (3) As a result of the way in which smart meters need to communicate with one another and back to the network, Western Power must install meters to allow for full coverage in each area. This is the only way to ensure the trial provides all the necessary information for Western Power to examine exactly how the network operates and to identify the most cost-effective solution.
(2) While the new smart meters offer a suite of benefits not afforded by any residential meter previously used in Western Australia, Western Power and Synergy recognise that residents within the trial area who have recently paid for a bidirectional meter would have had little opportunity to realise the benefits of their investment prior to the change. For this reason, Western Power and Synergy have arranged for an automatic refund for all customers who paid for a bidirectional meter up to five months prior to the start of the new smart meter trial. Those who paid for bidirectional meters before 1 January 2010 are invited to contact synergy, and the provision of a refund will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. (3) As a result of the way in which smart meters need to communicate with one another and back to the network, Western Power must install meters to allow for full coverage in each area. This is the only way to ensure the trial provides all the necessary information for Western Power to examine exactly how the network operates and to identify the most cost-effective solution.
(3) As a result of the way in which smart meters need to communicate with one another and back to the network, Western Power must install meters to allow for full coverage in each area. This is the only way to ensure the trial provides all the necessary information for Western Power to examine exactly how the network operates and to identify the most cost-effective solution.
(1) Is the minister aware that some residents who had already paid for and installed a smart meter have had those meters replaced with a poorer quality meter as part of this program? (2) What has the minister done to ensure that all residents, and not just those who complain, who had already paid for a smart meter before this program began, are refunded? (3) Why were those residents with a superior smart meter not allowed to keep those meters when the rollout occurred? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes, I am aware that the existing bidirectional meters have been replaced as part of the Perth Solar City program. However, the new smart meters installed by Western Power offer a range of functionality above and beyond any other meter currently installed in residential Western Australia. This functionality is enabled by a two-way communication system that allows the meters to remotely provide information to Western Power. (2) While the new smart meters offer a suite of benefits not afforded by any residential meter previously used in Western Australia, Western Power and Synergy recognise that residents within the trial area who have recently paid for a bidirectional meter would have had little opportunity to realise the benefits of their investment prior to the change. For this reason, Western Power and Synergy have arranged for an automatic refund for all customers who paid for a bidirectional meter up to five months prior to the start of the new smart meter trial. Those who paid for bidirectional meters before 1 January 2010 are invited to contact synergy, and the provision of a refund will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. (3) As a result of the way in which smart meters need to communicate with one another and back to the network, Western Power must install meters to allow for full coverage in each area. This is the only way to ensure the trial provides all the necessary information for Western Power to examine exactly how the network operates and to identify the most cost-effective solution.
(2) What has the minister done to ensure that all residents, and not just those who complain, who had already paid for a smart meter before this program began, are refunded? (3) Why were those residents with a superior smart meter not allowed to keep those meters when the rollout occurred? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes, I am aware that the existing bidirectional meters have been replaced as part of the Perth Solar City program. However, the new smart meters installed by Western Power offer a range of functionality above and beyond any other meter currently installed in residential Western Australia. This functionality is enabled by a two-way communication system that allows the meters to remotely provide information to Western Power. (2) While the new smart meters offer a suite of benefits not afforded by any residential meter previously used in Western Australia, Western Power and Synergy recognise that residents within the trial area who have recently paid for a bidirectional meter would have had little opportunity to realise the benefits of their investment prior to the change. For this reason, Western Power and Synergy have arranged for an automatic refund for all customers who paid for a bidirectional meter up to five months prior to the start of the new smart meter trial. Those who paid for bidirectional meters before 1 January 2010 are invited to contact synergy, and the provision of a refund will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. (3) As a result of the way in which smart meters need to communicate with one another and back to the network, Western Power must install meters to allow for full coverage in each area. This is the only way to ensure the trial provides all the necessary information for Western Power to examine exactly how the network operates and to identify the most cost-effective solution.
(3) Why were those residents with a superior smart meter not allowed to keep those meters when the rollout occurred? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes, I am aware that the existing bidirectional meters have been replaced as part of the Perth Solar City program. However, the new smart meters installed by Western Power offer a range of functionality above and beyond any other meter currently installed in residential Western Australia. This functionality is enabled by a two-way communication system that allows the meters to remotely provide information to Western Power. (2) While the new smart meters offer a suite of benefits not afforded by any residential meter previously used in Western Australia, Western Power and Synergy recognise that residents within the trial area who have recently paid for a bidirectional meter would have had little opportunity to realise the benefits of their investment prior to the change. For this reason, Western Power and Synergy have arranged for an automatic refund for all customers who paid for a bidirectional meter up to five months prior to the start of the new smart meter trial. Those who paid for bidirectional meters before 1 January 2010 are invited to contact synergy, and the provision of a refund will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. (3) As a result of the way in which smart meters need to communicate with one another and back to the network, Western Power must install meters to allow for full coverage in each area. This is the only way to ensure the trial provides all the necessary information for Western Power to examine exactly how the network operates and to identify the most cost-effective solution.
Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes, I am aware that the existing bidirectional meters have been replaced as part of the Perth Solar City program. However, the new smart meters installed by Western Power offer a range of functionality above and beyond any other meter currently installed in residential Western Australia. This functionality is enabled by a two-way communication system that allows the meters to remotely provide information to Western Power. (2) While the new smart meters offer a suite of benefits not afforded by any residential meter previously used in Western Australia, Western Power and Synergy recognise that residents within the trial area who have recently paid for a bidirectional meter would have had little opportunity to realise the benefits of their investment prior to the change. For this reason, Western Power and Synergy have arranged for an automatic refund for all customers who paid for a bidirectional meter up to five months prior to the start of the new smart meter trial. Those who paid for bidirectional meters before 1 January 2010 are invited to contact synergy, and the provision of a refund will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. (3) As a result of the way in which smart meters need to communicate with one another and back to the network, Western Power must install meters to allow for full coverage in each area. This is the only way to ensure the trial provides all the necessary information for Western Power to examine exactly how the network operates and to identify the most cost-effective solution.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes, I am aware that the existing bidirectional meters have been replaced as part of the Perth Solar City program. However, the new smart meters installed by Western Power offer a range of functionality above and beyond any other meter currently installed in residential Western Australia. This functionality is enabled by a two-way communication system that allows the meters to remotely provide information to Western Power. (2) While the new smart meters offer a suite of benefits not afforded by any residential meter previously used in Western Australia, Western Power and Synergy recognise that residents within the trial area who have recently paid for a bidirectional meter would have had little opportunity to realise the benefits of their investment prior to the change. For this reason, Western Power and Synergy have arranged for an automatic refund for all customers who paid for a bidirectional meter up to five months prior to the start of the new smart meter trial. Those who paid for bidirectional meters before 1 January 2010 are invited to contact synergy, and the provision of a refund will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. (3) As a result of the way in which smart meters need to communicate with one another and back to the network, Western Power must install meters to allow for full coverage in each area. This is the only way to ensure the trial provides all the necessary information for Western Power to examine exactly how the network operates and to identify the most cost-effective solution.
(1) Yes, I am aware that the existing bidirectional meters have been replaced as part of the Perth Solar City program. However, the new smart meters installed by Western Power offer a range of functionality above and beyond any other meter currently installed in residential Western Australia. This functionality is enabled by a two-way communication system that allows the meters to remotely provide information to Western Power. (2) While the new smart meters offer a suite of benefits not afforded by any residential meter previously used in Western Australia, Western Power and Synergy recognise that residents within the trial area who have recently paid for a bidirectional meter would have had little opportunity to realise the benefits of their investment prior to the change. For this reason, Western Power and Synergy have arranged for an automatic refund for all customers who paid for a bidirectional meter up to five months prior to the start of the new smart meter trial. Those who paid for bidirectional meters before 1 January 2010 are invited to contact synergy, and the provision of a refund will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. (3) As a result of the way in which smart meters need to communicate with one another and back to the network, Western Power must install meters to allow for full coverage in each area. This is the only way to ensure the trial provides all the necessary information for Western Power to examine exactly how the network operates and to identify the most cost-effective solution.
(2) While the new smart meters offer a suite of benefits not afforded by any residential meter previously used in Western Australia, Western Power and Synergy recognise that residents within the trial area who have recently paid for a bidirectional meter would have had little opportunity to realise the benefits of their investment prior to the change. For this reason, Western Power and Synergy have arranged for an automatic refund for all customers who paid for a bidirectional meter up to five months prior to the start of the new smart meter trial. Those who paid for bidirectional meters before 1 January 2010 are invited to contact synergy, and the provision of a refund will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. (3) As a result of the way in which smart meters need to communicate with one another and back to the network, Western Power must install meters to allow for full coverage in each area. This is the only way to ensure the trial provides all the necessary information for Western Power to examine exactly how the network operates and to identify the most cost-effective solution.
(3) As a result of the way in which smart meters need to communicate with one another and back to the network, Western Power must install meters to allow for full coverage in each area. This is the only way to ensure the trial provides all the necessary information for Western Power to examine exactly how the network operates and to identify the most cost-effective solution.
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