Could I save money on another Electricity Plan?

[op9]

Greetings

I have a Smart Meter installed for me about 3 - 4 months ago.

My current AGL electricity energy plan is

(1)  Residential Standard Energy + Single Rate Tariff is 46.78 c/kWh + Supply Charge is 109.96 c/day.

       I am not eligible for the AGL Senior Saver plan offer yet.

I am considering other options as follows:

(2)  Residential Standard Energy + Time of Use Tariff is 
Peak  53.96 c/kWh (0000 to 0059 + 0600 to 0959 + 1500 to 2359);
Off-Peak 36.98 c/kWh (0100 to 0559);  Shoulder 31.63 c/kWh (1000 to 1459) + Supply Charge is 102.256 c/day; 

(3).  Residential Value Saver + Single Rate Tariff is 43.505 c/kWh + Supply Charge is 102.256 c/day; 

(4).  Residential Value Saver + Time of Use Tariff is 
Peak 50.17 c/kWh (0000 to 0059 + 0600 to 0959 + 1500 to 2359) ;
Off-Peak 34.39 c/kWh (0100 to 0559);  Shoulder 29.40 c/kWh (1000 to 1459) + Supply Charge is 102.256 c/day; 

It seems to me that I could save more if I switch  from my (1) current Standard Energy + Single Rate plan to either option (3) Value Saver + Single Rate or option (4) Value Saver + Time of Use -. 

Am I correct or not?

How can I work out which Type of Tariff of the Value Saver plans (3) or (4)  is best for me for sure? What data and calculations do I need to use?

What pitfalls to avoid? Are there any penalty / exit / switching / joining fees?

When the change / new charges will take effect?

Can I switch back / forth between the plans? How often?

Where can I get the "Plan Confirmation Pack" for all of the 4 options above?

Are there any other better plans I should consider?

Kind regards,

Thi

[John-T]

@op9 

Hello,

First of all I do not work for AGL, so my reason for this post is so I can get my head around your rates.

IE:

What State are you in

Who is your Energy Distributor

Kind Regards

John

Plan:    Solar Savers

Dist:     Endeavour Energy

State:   NSW 

[NeilC]

@op9 @

Hi Thi,

If you don't have solar (which I don't think you do), then you need to look at when you use the electricity.

You can see this on your daily usage graph (because you have Smart Meter).

Then take into the Peak, Shoulder and O/Peak times.

In respect to @John-T question you have to be in SA otherwise you would be complaining about having to pay more that 32c a kWh.

Now you can switch rates (online by accessing your MY Account) any time you like. The rates should take effect at Midnight on the day you enter them.

By the way the Senior Savers Plan is not the best plan and is (in my opinion) just a flag to get seniors to take a higher playing plan to AGL's benefit.

Now if you want you can send me a PM and I will give you an email address that you can send me a copy of the file you can down load from your online page (from your smart meter) and I will run some reports to show you how much it would cost (in kWh you need to do the maths to do costing).

But I would also like to, then come back to this post and present the reports as a 90 day report to show the results.

Now in my last bill, I went through 4 price changes, I can track them all and know that all is well.

I would also expect that you would take the time and click the LIKE button below replies that you like.

[op9]

Hi Neil

Thank you for responding to my query very quickly. Much appreciated!

You're correct, I'm in SA, have no solar panels installed, and have Smart Meters installed ~4 months ago.

By the way, what does "PM" in your message stand for?

I am 30 days into my current billing period (Jul – Sep; 90 days) and still have 60 more days to go.

Should I go for Option (1) or (2)?

Option (1)

Change from my current Standard Energy Plan/Single Rate (SR) tariff (46.783 kWh + 109.956 c/day) to AGL Value Saver/SR tariff (43.505 kWh + 102.356 c/day) in a couple of days;

Then for the next period (Oct – Dec), switch from AGL Value Saver/SR tariff to AGL Value Saver/Time of Use (TOU) tariff whilst keeping an eye on the usages + costs;

Then If TOU is more expensive than SR then I will switch back to AGL Value Saver/SR

Option (2)

Change from my current Standard Energy Plan/SR directly to AGL Value Saver/TOU for the remainder of this period ((Jul – Sep);

Then if TOU is more expensive than SR then I will switch back to AGL Value Saver/SR

On my Smart Meters the following codes + readings are shown in kWh:

03           nnn kWh

13

07

43

53           nnn kWh

63

04           nnn kWh

14           nnn kWh

I do not know what the above codes means? Please explain!

How come some are being measured (03; 53; 04; 14) and the others are not (i.e. 17; 07; 43; 63 are always zeros)

How can I work out how much electricity I use on lighting, standby, home appliance (e.g. cooking; laundry; TV; Internet; home phone; stove/oven; microwave; phone charge and anything else)?

Could the Government/Energy Regulator or energy retailers (aka. AGL) help to reduce the energy bills by extending the Shoulder time from (10am – 3pm) to (9am – 4pm)?

So that the total time of Shoulder (7 hrs) + Off Peak (5 hrs; 1am - 6am) = 12 hrs is the same as the total time of Peak 12 hrs (7am – 10am) + (5pm - 1am).

Yes, I am able to see my electricity usage on a graphical display (vertical bar for each day with usage in kWh and cost $), I call this graph 1 (… until AGL comes up with a name for this graph).

However, today - by accidentally clicking on a daily vertical bar on graph 1 takes me to graph 2 (… until AGL comes up with a name for this second graph) with 24 hour layout of the usage and associated costs for that day spread across the “Night”; “Morning”; “Afternoon”; “Evening” groups for that day (which is useful).

I wonder if there is a quick way (aka graph 3?) to also group this data into the “Peak”; “Shoulder”; “Off Peak” groups to help quickly work out whether the energy plans with Time Of Use tariff is better or worse than the ones with the Single Rate tariff? And by how much?

Kind regards, OP

PS: I've found the residential retail electricity price increase and disparity between the Australian States is so ridiculous, and the Fed+State Governments + Energy Regulator have been inactive for finding appropriate solutions to resolve this pricing hike (which .was the result of  their own policy making decision), with their high paid packets they are able to have solar panels + batteries installed for them so the price rise has very little or no effect on their pockets as they may get some money/credits back or possibly make more money over time.

It's all good for them but not for all!

What about the reiterated governing mantra on election night in 2022: “No one held back, and no one left behind" - a government that looks out for all Australians?

What happens to the pre-election key promise to lower power bills by $275 for all? 

Well, I'm still waiting!

And "If not now, when?"?????????

[op9]

Hi John-T

I am in SA and Energy Distributor is Power Network.

Please refer to my reply to Neil for more information.

Thank you for responding to my query quickly.

Kind regards, OP

[NeilC]

@op9 @John-T 

Hi Thi and John,

As John knows I am in SA.

A PM is a Private Message.

To send a PM just click on the users name

And you can see details about a user. (You can see yourself here) and the fact that you have not liked and of the two replies you have had.

Click the send private message to the user and you will get an EMAIL LIKE INTERFACE.

Now as to your question how can you work out your usage.

You can purchase a cheap meter that plugs into a GPO (General Purpose Outlet, what you know as a power point) and measure the power going through the meter.

That is handy for reading individual devices that plug into GPO's.

Other wise you can find websites that give you usage for common devices (and possibly for actual devices that you own).

AGL on your My Account page allows you to down load your meter data for up to the last two years.

I can examine that file and produce reports (if you have access to a spread sheet) if you want, so if you click on my user name you can send me a PM.

I have an email address that I can then send to you and I can process the file for you in various reports and send them back to you. I do not charge for this but may do in the future as people are taking advantage of my generousity and not even liking my posts.

Hope this helps

[op9]

Hi John

FYI, I did click Like to your response to my post (& did the same thing to Johns ) and thanked you indeed for your help with my queries so far. 

I noted that the Like counter went up 1 after I had clicked on it. I don't know why it is not shown show on my @Username's email interface ... AGL may know better!

Cheers, op.

[John-T]

Thank you for the info @op9 

@NeilC Has basically covered everything. Now my head wont explode trying to work out what state and distributor you have as I was extremely curious about your rates.

Kind Regards

John

Plan:    Solar Savers

Dist:     Endeavour Energy

State:   NSW

[NeilC]

@op9 

Thi,

I will not respond any more.

It takes me a lot of time to respond to queries like yours and starting to feel like it is a waste of time.

Have told you how to contact me, but you have not taken this option, without knowing your usage I cannot answer you queries.