Type 5 Electricity Meters

You may have noticed your electricity meter looks a little different. And the way it works is a little different too. It’s called a Type 5 Meter, or ‘Interval Meter’ because it records your electricity consumption (in kWh) every 30 minutes and then stores that information electronically until it’s read.

Reading your meter.

With traditional meters, your consumption was calculated by subtracting the previous meter reading from the current one to show how much electricity you have used. This subtractive method gives you the figure for the billing period. Now, when your Interval Meter is read, the recorded intervals provide us with a total consumption figure for that billing period. After being read your meter is then reset and starts adding up from zero again. It’s just a small change in calculation methods.

Reading your bill.

Just because your meter looks different, it doesn’t change the way your bill looks. It contains all the regular features including your opening balance, activity during the billing cycle and the total amount due.

In the future, we’re looking at ways to give you more details about your energy use. The breakdown of your use from your new meter rather than an overall figure will make this possible. It’s a small difference but it will add up in your favour.

Interval Meters

At the moment, customers are unable to tell how much electricity they are using until their quarterly bill arrives in the post.  Interval meters use revolutionary new technology to measure how much electricity you are using at the time you use it.  With an interval meter, you get a clear idea of how much electricity you are using and what this will cost - giving you the opportunity to better manage your consumption and reduce your energy bills.

For example, you may decide to run your washing machine during an off-peak period, when electricity rates are cheaper.  Or you might program your pool filter to only work at night, again when the cost of electricity is lower.

Interval meter products are not yet currently available to customers.  The Victorian government has announced that it will be looking to start a rollout of new interval meters to homes and business beginning 2008.  TRUenergy will continue to work with government and the energy industry following this announcement to secure the best outcomes for our customers.