AGL says figures displayed on meter are not reflective of usage.

[AlanN]

In response to a previous posting in which I asked for explanation of the figures displayed on our meter I quoted the entire string of figures as they appeared on our meter. I subsequently received a reply from AGL and this is it.

Hi Alan, 

Thank you for this. The information displayed on the meter is not reflective of your usage at all and not something that you can read in terms of it being relevant to your billing or consumption data, we don't use that information either so I couldn't tell you what it is for your meter model.

Your usage is recorded in 30 minute intervals and information is sent from your meter to our system daily.
The usage data is available online via My Account or AGL App if you're wanting to monitor your usage. 

Thanks,

Olgi

Our meter is ATLAS Mk7A. IF the figures displayed on the meter have no relevance to usage and are not used for billing I would like to know why they are displayed on the meter. This also raises questions as to - is this meter correct for the job it is intended to perform, does it supply accurate data for billing, and can we rely on the data supplied by this meter - which we are not able to see. 

I do not believe I have been given completely accurate information in relation to my query and I would like to hear the thoughts of others with this model meter installed. Has anybody an explanation as to what the data displayed on the meter refers to. We do not have solar. Just an ordinary Brisbane suburban residence with a solar hot water system.

AlanN

[Giff]

Hi Alan

I have been doing some research and found this fact sheet which looks like it may help explain your meter reading. Although the reading references are 3 digits, so the meter software maybe different.

https://www.yurika.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/YUR-4194-EDMI-Mk7A-Read-sheet_5-MIN.pdf

In Sydney the meters are actually read by Ausgrid and this data is then passed on to the supplier, e.g. AGL.  Perhaps they have the answers.

[Update] Found this info on the Ausgrid site.  (not very helpful I'm afraid. It points us back to the retailer, AGL, in this case)

Smart meter readings

Your electricity retailer (the company that sends your electricity bill) is responsible for reading your smart meter. Smart meters are generally read remotely via communications systems, so a technician doesn't have to visit your property. The remote readings are 30-minute interval kWh data, which are sent through to our metering and retailer billing systems by your retailers appointed meter data provider. Your electricity retailer calculates your final bill. Information about smart meters can be found at Australian Energy Regulator. 

Cheers

    Giff

"Like" if this helps.

[AlanN]

Hi Giff.

Thank you for your interest in my meter problem. Unfortunately the read figures in the fact sheet do not agree with those appearing on our meter. Even though my knowledge of these things is very limited I believe that through some research that I have done I have found an explanation of the readings. The problem now is that I do not understand the technical aspects of all this but I expect clarification of that in the near future as a result of another avenue of inquiry which is current.

AGL have done everything but explain or try to explain what the readings in question relate to. Even so far as saying "the figures displayed on the meter are not reflective of usage". Really? Why are they there then?. 

Regards

AlanN.