Can't have Single rate with AGL?

[MimiDC]

I just signed up with AGL a few hours ago and will undergo the 10 days cooling period. My plan with the current provider is a TOU and wanted to move to a single rate (same rate all day long, all week) - and was told by AGL resolution team that that is not possible. I do have a Smart meter as this was upgraded when I had my solar installed. Though the TOU rates are better than the current provider, I still want to pursue the single rate plan. Am I on a dead end here?  (stuck on TOU with AGL?)

[Lester]

We had a similar thing happen here, when we installed solar about 6 - 7 months ago.

A new digital meter (meters, with CL too) fitted after solar install, never thought about plan, just thought we'd stay single rate, like with the analogue meter.

At no time did the solar installer, or later AGL, mention that we would automatically be placed onto a TOU plan.

After a short time, we realised that TOU was slightly better for us, WITH OUR PARTICULAR POWER USAGE, and this is so important.

What might suit some, won't suit others.

Very often solar (alone) won't help households where people living there work during the day, and are home before and after work using power in non solar hours at peak rates . . . or, where feed in tariffs are very low in the 5c / 6c range, then it is very hard to make solar really helpful in all but summer and summer shoulder months.

I think you are correct in your assumption that once you are on TOU, you can't switch back to single rate.

I was told AFTER the fact from a battery company that if you tell them before you are changed over, you can request (almost demand) to stay on single rate with a digital meter and solar.

Now, I didn't test this at any stage.

The source did say at the time if I called AGL and explained that the options were not made clear, I could push to get changed back, but as said, it worked out fine for me, and if / when we do get a battery, then it will be TOU much better all the way, so left it at that.

Not sure your situation is the same there, so probably not possible to reverse anything, as you didn't change to TOU when with AGL.

Maybe you can cancel and reapply in a couple of months on the proviso you can go on single rate ?

Just look into it a bit more with your usage pattern for power, you might find you are actually neutral or slightly better off on TOU.

[MimiDC]

Thank you for your input. Just to clarify, I was TOU from inception and continued to be on TOU after my solar was installed and meter replaced with a smart one. The rates of my current one is higher on TOU compared to AGL. You're right, it varies particularly when solar comes to play. During summer, I have no issues on TOU but on winter - things get a little complicated. I also installed a Catcher for my water heater so it no longer activates during off peak hours but will do so under solar (so "0$" on controlled rate.) During winter, this becomes expensive as it can activate during the peak hours and if there's not enough solar, you get slugged peak rates.

We spend a lot of time working from home and firewood is also expensive (and efficient as I have a 5m high ceiling in my living room), so cranking up the heater is a must as it gets truly cold inside.

I do have a cooling period with AGL of 10 days so I will ask my current provider if they can shift me to single rate from TOU - then cross the bridge when I get there.

[Lester]

"Just to clarify, I was TOU from inception and continued to be on TOU after my solar was installed and meter replaced with a smart one."

Hmm, maybe they needed to update you to a new smart meter able to cope with solar then.

If you have always been on TOU, then you must have a smart meter for that before, I was just assuming you must have been analogue previously.

I am doing something like you with the HWS, as the TOU for that is now switched on night permanently using my day / night switch, so it only comes on during 0000 - 0600, at least only using off peak CL tariff.

That's better for now than coming on anytime it's needed on TOU, even though the rates are less than normal TOU.

The plan is to remove the CL altogether, install a dumb timer, rather than a much more costly HW diverter.

Good luck with sorting out going single rate.