Ausgrid has announced that new technology and pricing trials will be offered to at least 30,000 households in Sydney and the Hunter next year to test whether they make the grid more efficient and reduce household power bills. 


As part of the Australian Government’s Smart Grid, Smart City trial, advanced smart meters will also be installed at up to 15,000 homes from next month to allow households to take part in the technology trials. 


Ausgrid Managing Director George Maltabarow said technology including websites and in-home displays would be offered to homes in the Ku-ring-gai, the Sydney CBD, Newington, Newcastle and Scone areas from March next year to test their benefits. 


“New smart grid technology will give homes instant information about their energy use,” he said. 


“Advanced meters can communicate with technology in the home like websites, so households can see how much energy they’re using, when they’re using it, and which appliances use the most. 


“Households in the trial will be able to see how much each appliance is costing them, where they can save energy and in some cases turn their appliances off from anywhere with an internet connection. 


“There will be no change to the price people pay for their electricity as a result of the trial unless they volunteer to be part of a pricing trial. 


“We want to see whether this technology can help reduce electricity demand during peak times and which technology has the most benefits for households.” 


These voluntary trials include offering residents:

  • websites which help households turn appliances on and off remotely;
  • smart phone apps to monitor household energy use, costs and greenhouse gas emissions;
  • in-home displays to help track energy use and identify energy guzzling appliances; and
  • pricing trials which allow customers to choose different tariffs, including rebates for using less electricity during peak demand times. 


Selected households in the five trial areas will receive a letter notifying them of the technology trial and meter change from October this year. This meter swap will not change the price households pay for electricity. 


Advanced smart meters will also be installed at homes that volunteer to participate in pricing trials or any additional technology trials that take place as part of the Smart Grid, Smart City program. 


The trials are voluntary and designed to test which technologies give customers more information and control over their energy use and bills. For information on the Smart Grid, Smart City project, go to www.smartgridsmartcity.com.au