Smart Meter Upgrades: Know Your Rights

If you wish to upgrade to a smart meter, or if your electricity retailer wants to upgrade your current meter to a smart device, here’s what you need to know.

A smart (advanced) meter records electricity consumption – and exports where the home has solar panels – in 5- to 30-minute intervals. It wirelessly transmits this information to a customer’s electricity retailer for billing purposes. A smart meter can also provide electricity customers with more information on their energy consumption and generation.

All new and replacement meters in the National Electricity Market (NEM)¹ are smart meters these days, and non-smart meters are replaced when solar panels are installed. But electricity retailers will increasingly be upgrading non-smart devices generally, even if the existing meter is still doing its job.

NEM Smart Meter Consumer Rights (Currently)

As things currently stand, if you haven’t requested a smart meter but your retailer has proposed to install one, you can opt out (for now – further information below). The retailer must tell you how and give you enough time to do so.

The retailer must provide you with two written notices preceding the upgrade; the first being between 60 and 25 business days before the proposed replacement date. The second must be at least 10 days after the first, and no less than 15 business days before the proposed replacement date.

The notices must also contain detail of any upfront charges you will incur; if any. And if you don’t want your meter to have remote communication capabilities, you can ask for these capabilities to be turned off; but note there may be ongoing costs associated with this.

If you are the initiator of the upgrade request, it’s likely your electricity retailer will accommodate it². The retailer must arrange for the meter to be installed either by a date agreed with you, or if no timing is agreed, no later than 15 business days after they receive your request. Be sure to get clarification on any costs and …

Beware Tariff Changes

Once your smart meter has been installed, be aware your Distributed Network Service Provider (DNSP) may assign you the default network tariff for smart meters in your area. As a result, the rates under the plan with your retailer could change; for better or for worse depending on your situation.

For example, instead of being charged a flat rate for all electricity usage, you may be switched to Time-of-Use (ToU), where rates vary depending on when mains electricity is consumed. Whether you’ll be able to switch back to a flat tariff depends on the DNSP and your electricity retailer. The DNSP may not allow it; or the retailer may not offer a flat rate option for smart meter customers.

So, that’s something definitely worth looking into – you can compare electricity retailer plans here to get an idea of the impact of a change.

If you run into problems with an upgrade/proposed upgrade that cannot be resolved through negotiation with your retailer/DNSP, contact your state’s energy ombudsman.

The Smart Meter Times, They Are A Changin’

The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) requires universal smart meter deployment across the NEM by 2030³. The AEMC sees the devices as essential for transitioning Australia to a renewable energy system and achieving net zero emissions targets. But it was also aware of numerous consumer complaints about forced switching to time-of-use or other unexpected tariff changes after smart meter installation along with other concerns.

In November last year, it issued its final rule requiring accelerated deployment. The final rule contains reforms it says will help protect customers by:

• Prohibiting any upfront costs ahead of a smart meter installation.
• Requiring explicit informed consent and notification requirements ahead of any retail tariff changes.
• Make flat tariffs available to customers with a smart meter (subject to implementation by jurisdictions).
• Ensuring customers can access all the benefits that smart meters provide.
• Introducing new customer-friendly information requirements.
• Enabling customers to request a smart meter from their retailer for any reason.

However, prohibiting upfront charges or exit fees on small customers does not apply under certain deployment scenarios, such as:

• New connections.
• Customer-initiated deployments.
• Deployments resulting from the customer installing new equipment (such as solar PV or a battery).

The AEMC’s smart meter reforms began rolling out in December last year and will be progressively implemented out to July 2026. The new consumer protections kick in on November 1 2025, and accelerated rollout commences in December. There’s some devil in the detail of the final rule in relation to customer protection that I’m not fully across – but more information can be found here, starting on page 25.