First estimated bill

[PeterKim]

Hello AGL,

I got my first bill a month ago and I was annoyed because it was over estimated and I found that there is usage data on the SAPN page.

I don't know why the bill was estimated even though there is usage data on SAPN.

I complained about this and I got a response that they are still aware of this issue and It's going to be applied. But I found it's not applied when I've got a new bill.

I also got a replaced bill from my previous retailer with detailed data. 

I don't know why you still estimate data even though my previous retailer got detailed data.

If you want I can give my account credentials to SAPN.

Regards,

[-Jenna-]

Hi PeterKim,

Thanks for being part of the Neighbourhood. 

I will need to access your account to assist with this query. As this is a public community, I have contacted you via a private message to obtain your details.

Thanks,

Jenna 

[NeilC]

@PeterKim, @-Jenna-

The nice thing about the SAPN data is that it is in the INDUSTRY STANDARD FORMAT as a .CSV file.

EASILY READ by any SPREADSHEET APP / PROGRAM.

The problem is that AGL will not release the data in that format and force you to try and decode the data by their amended 30 minute data file that is not easily decoded.

It is even worse that the data file they (AGL) supplies is in EST (daylight or standard time) and not in CST.

You can request a NEM format (Industry Standard) file but this (when you wait a week  or so)  is still in EST but you should be billed in CST.

To make matters worse AGL reports different data on their billing compared to their web page and what the data SAPN gives you.

Now it is annoying by SAPN in their NEM format file they report 400 issues that do not appear in the AGL .CSV report file.

However, I can tell you that after four THREE years with AGL that the data I obtain from AGL and the data that I get from SAPN is accurate to about ONE HALF an HOURS DATA  use.

In my case I can calculate my Electricity Bill to about an accuracy of about 1/4 of a kW usage.

Now even more confusing is that SAPN tells me that they get the data from AGL and AGL tells me they get the data from SAPN.

Anyway, when it comes to PUSH or SHOVE they are both in the same ball park.

Now I am about to do a meter reading for midnight EST and then midnight CST and update my data to correct my spreadsheets.

Just taken my EST midnight reading for PEAK and SOLAR waiting now for CST readings this is so I can correct the minor information (meter shows to 1 decimal point but data is to 3 decimal points).

However AGL only gives meter readings to 0 decimal points but charges to 3 decimal points.

I have asked AGL to put the 3 decimal points on their bill but this has fallen on deaf ears.

To confuse matters even more for some reason my SMART METER was reset to 0 for all of its internal  meters on the 7th July 2021 at around 15:30 and I had to do a lot of recalculations to reset my spreadsheets.

Now I can tell you that your smart meter can have a command sent to it to report its meter total data back to the requester ( It can also be turned off remotely).

Any way I suggest that you go to your meter box and on the day that your meter will be read (that's midnight (23:59) on the day) and take a reading of the meters as close as you can to midnight just so you can check on your billing.

Now if you like my post please click the like button.

Cheers

Neil

PS I will update this tomorrow with the readings taken at MIDNIGHT compared with the readings from SAPN, then I will have to wait the ONE TWO or THREE days that it takes AGL to produce the data for the 20th APRIL 2022.

[NeilC]

@PeterKim 

So my actual meter readings  for Midnight (EST) was 1441.2 and 1441.4 for CST on the 20th Apr.

According to SAPN I consumed .201 kW between 2330 and 0000 last night which is shown in the the different meter readings.

The reading for the start of my last billing period (8 days ago) to be was calculated by me to be  1390.412,  so adding the 51.197kW that I have consumed over the last 8 days should give me a meter reading of 1441.609 but my meter read 1441.4 so I had to do a meter adjust on my spreadsheet of -.209  to get the correct meter reading.

Downloading the .CSV file from AGL (data up to Midnight 19th Apr) and running it through my program AGL2NEM put me in about .1kW of the true meter reading.

By the way there is an issue with the AGL file because of the change to Daylight Savings Time the file only contains data for 23hours not 24hours on those days.

Anyway the difference in my calculated bill and the bill that AGL presents is only 4 or 5 cents different, something that does concern me enough to try and get the correct amount.

Last AGL bill I got a credit of $134.34 but my calculations work out to be $134.29.

Oh well 5c in my favour.

This is what I have found to be true since we switched to AGL on the 28th April 2019 (oops that's 3 years not 4 years as I had stated previously).

Cheers Neil

[PeterKim]

Hi Neil,

Thanks for your response and detailed answer.

But what I want to know is that.

I want to know why AGL estimated it even though there is data on SAPN.

Could you please double check the AGL and SAPN data for the period from 20-Jan-22 to 2-Mar-2022 ?

Please check the attached screenshots.

Regards,

Peter Kim.

[NeilC]

@PeterKim @-Jenna-  @David_AGL 

For those that want to know the answer to his issue .

Peter sent me his SAPN data file and his AGL data file.

1. SA Power Networks is reporting on 4 meters

2. AGL is reporting on only two of those meters and not correctly.

Peter's meters are configured for 15 min interval whilst AGL's data download is reporting only 30min intervals and even then, not correctly, for only two of his four meters.

Cheers Neil

PS:

If you like some-one's post take the time to click the LIKE button to show your gratitude.

In this case @PeterKim should also Solve this as I have supplied the answer.

It is up to him and AGL to sort out the underlying issues.

[NeilC]

@Reece8 

An estimated bill is based on a few things.

However, IT MEANS THAT THE RETAILER DOES NOT HAVE A CURRENT METER READING.

So the estimated bill will be based on previous bills or in some circumstances current data on the number of people and your location.

In this case AGL is not reading the meters correctly and are estimating.

I have reported your POST to AGL, as I believe this does not meet the required Guidelines

I  have replied to Peter Kim via direct email and he does not even have the courtesy to respond either privately or via this forum.

Cheers Neil

[LindyLou281]

Re PeterKim's issue, there should be some consistency.  It seems like it's AGL's issue.

And please you don't need to get snarky about it.