1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,320 Speaker 1: As we know, Power and Water have been rolling out 2 00:00:02,360 --> 00:00:06,120 Speaker 1: new electronic power meters across the territory, replacing the old 3 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:09,560 Speaker 1: mechanical ones, and they'd explained to us last week. I 4 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:12,479 Speaker 1: believe it was that over time the device do start 5 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:15,360 Speaker 1: to become less accurate, meaning that a lot of people 6 00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:18,200 Speaker 1: have noticed an increase in their bills after having the 7 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:21,400 Speaker 1: new meter are installed. Now, when number of seniors have 8 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:25,239 Speaker 1: contacted the show with concerns about the situation and joining 9 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 1: us on the line in the studio, I should say, 10 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:29,200 Speaker 1: just to explain a little bit more about the billing 11 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 1: side of things from Jacana Energy, the CEO, Louisa Kenna, 12 00:00:34,120 --> 00:00:35,559 Speaker 1: good morning to you, Louisa. 13 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 2: Morning Katie. How are you? 14 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:38,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, really good, Thank you so much for your time 15 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:42,239 Speaker 1: this morning. Now, Louisa, what impact do you expect the 16 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:44,200 Speaker 1: new meters are going. 17 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:45,320 Speaker 2: To have on people's bills? 18 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:49,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, so it is actually difficult to tell exactly what 19 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:52,280 Speaker 3: the impact will be because every customer is different and 20 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:58,240 Speaker 3: every customer uses electricity in a different way. These replacements 21 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 3: aren't new, have actually been an ongoing replacement program in 22 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:05,759 Speaker 3: place by Power and Water Corporation now for a number 23 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:08,479 Speaker 3: of years. The difference that we're saying now is that 24 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:10,959 Speaker 3: they're rolling out a larger number of them over a 25 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 3: shorter period of time. So it's expected that some people, 26 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 3: through either changes in their billing cycle or if they've 27 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:20,399 Speaker 3: got a very old meter that may not have been 28 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:25,759 Speaker 3: accurately reading their electricity consumption, that they may notice some 29 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:30,959 Speaker 3: changes in the THED bill going forward. We wouldn't anticipate 30 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 3: that a really large number of customers will be significantly 31 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:37,800 Speaker 3: impacted or notice a difference in their bill, but we 32 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:40,920 Speaker 3: accept that there'll certainly be some customers, particularly those with 33 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:44,840 Speaker 3: quite old meters, that might notice an initial difference in 34 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:46,080 Speaker 3: terms of that bill. 35 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 1: And I'm assuming that some of those suburbs may be 36 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 1: sort of more established suburbs that have that have got 37 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:55,640 Speaker 1: the older meters, and potentially they're the ones that we're 38 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:57,120 Speaker 1: hearing from at this point. 39 00:01:57,040 --> 00:01:59,080 Speaker 2: That that's correct. Yeah, absolutely so. 40 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:02,560 Speaker 3: Obviously, if you're in an older house, you'll generally have 41 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:05,480 Speaker 3: an older meter if it hasn't already been replaced, and 42 00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:08,120 Speaker 3: so they are the ones that are more likely to 43 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 3: be less accurate. But that's not always the case, and 44 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:14,760 Speaker 3: generally there are only a very few number that actually 45 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:16,560 Speaker 3: result in very inaccurate readings. 46 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:19,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, right, So we have had concerns from people saying 47 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:20,680 Speaker 1: that their bills have tripled. 48 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 2: Is that to be expected? 49 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 3: That wouldn't be a standard situation as a result of 50 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:31,360 Speaker 3: a meter replacement. So generally, if a customer feels that 51 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 3: they've had an increase of that magnitude, we tend to 52 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:38,520 Speaker 3: look at a number of different aspects. So it's not 53 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 3: to say that that meta accuracy wasn't an issue, but 54 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:45,320 Speaker 3: certainly at this time of year, this is obviously wet season, 55 00:02:45,919 --> 00:02:48,720 Speaker 3: people are using their air conditioners more, and so what 56 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 3: we generally find is that bills are a lot higher 57 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:53,560 Speaker 3: this time of year than you might have received towards 58 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 3: the end of last year. So if your meet is 59 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:57,760 Speaker 3: getting changed out at the moment, it may well be 60 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 3: a combination of the fact that you're consuming more electricity 61 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:03,840 Speaker 3: and you're thinking about the bill that you paid towards 62 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:06,000 Speaker 3: the end of last year, which would have been slightly less, 63 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:09,440 Speaker 3: and so it can seem very high. In those situations, 64 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:12,000 Speaker 3: we do encourage customers to go back to what their 65 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:14,600 Speaker 3: bill might have been a year prior, because that's when 66 00:03:14,639 --> 00:03:16,120 Speaker 3: you're going to get the best comparison. 67 00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:19,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, right. If people are really concerned and they feel 68 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:22,160 Speaker 1: as though it just doesn't seem right. Can they dispute 69 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 1: it or can they contact you guys? What are their options? 70 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:28,440 Speaker 3: Yeah? Look, absolutely, if people have concerns with the bill 71 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:30,840 Speaker 3: that they're receiving, there's a number of different ways they 72 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:36,160 Speaker 3: can contact us. So we offer both email service, inquiry service. 73 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 3: We've got a Facebook messenger people can contact us on, 74 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:41,760 Speaker 3: and obviously we have our contact center our call center 75 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:43,680 Speaker 3: as well, so people can call us directly. 76 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 1: Is there a fee if they do want somebody to 77 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:48,680 Speaker 1: come out and check that meter and see whether it 78 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 1: is faulty or whether something's just not quite right. 79 00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, if they've got concerns with the meter that we 80 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 3: can't address through talking them through their current situation, it's 81 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:00,800 Speaker 3: normally very few customers get. 82 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:01,160 Speaker 2: To that point. 83 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 3: But if they absolutely want their meta check because they've 84 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 3: got concerns with that, they can request a special test 85 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 3: and that does require someone to come out and sort 86 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 3: of probe the meter in more detail. Then that cost 87 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 3: is around three hundred, three hundred and seventy dollars. 88 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:19,000 Speaker 2: I mean that is expensive. 89 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 1: If it's a pensioner, let's say, who is keen to 90 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:24,719 Speaker 1: have that test done. Are there any special sort of 91 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 1: concessions that are made for some of our seniors or 92 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:32,800 Speaker 1: those that maybe yeah, are in a situation where they 93 00:04:32,839 --> 00:04:33,719 Speaker 1: simply can't pay. 94 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:37,039 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, absolutely, So I think in relation to both, 95 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:41,240 Speaker 3: if a customer is experiencing a high bill that they 96 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:44,040 Speaker 3: can't pay, for example, there are a number. 97 00:04:43,760 --> 00:04:46,520 Speaker 2: Of different ways that we can assist them through that process. 98 00:04:46,839 --> 00:04:50,919 Speaker 3: So we do offer things like payment plans which people 99 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:53,360 Speaker 3: can just request and you can pay off your bill 100 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:55,840 Speaker 3: over a longer period of time. You may just need 101 00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:58,960 Speaker 3: an extension and we're absolutely happy to give those in 102 00:04:59,000 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 3: most circumstances. 103 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:01,400 Speaker 2: So if you're just like a little bit more time 104 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:02,160 Speaker 2: to pay the bill. 105 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:05,200 Speaker 3: I think it's really important to mention as well that, 106 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:09,920 Speaker 3: particularly for pensioners and also people who are on either 107 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:13,599 Speaker 3: centrally in called veterans affairs benefits, that they may well 108 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 3: be eligible for an anti government concession payment that totals 109 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:22,320 Speaker 3: up to about twelve hundred dollars a year. That people 110 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:25,960 Speaker 3: can receive a subsidy four that actually goes talk directly 111 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 3: towards their electricity bill. 112 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:30,520 Speaker 2: So we do encourage people if they. 113 00:05:30,400 --> 00:05:32,440 Speaker 3: Are not aware of that or they haven't checked with 114 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:37,000 Speaker 3: their eligible to actually talk to the anti government about 115 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 3: whether they're eligible, and once they're on that scheme, we 116 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:43,360 Speaker 3: automatically apply those credits and it does have a significant 117 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:44,719 Speaker 3: reduction to customers bills. 118 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:48,000 Speaker 1: Always it can people opt to not have their power 119 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 1: meter replaced. 120 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:53,640 Speaker 3: I would encourage people who've got real concerns with that 121 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:57,440 Speaker 3: to obviously talk to Power and Water Corporation and they 122 00:05:57,440 --> 00:06:00,120 Speaker 3: can address some of those concerns. Look, it can go 123 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:04,080 Speaker 3: either way, right, So it's not to say that the meter, 124 00:06:04,520 --> 00:06:09,160 Speaker 3: once it's replaced, will always then record additional consumption. Sometimes, 125 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:11,679 Speaker 3: you know, you may actually find that your bill comes 126 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:14,200 Speaker 3: down as a result of the more accurate meta reading. 127 00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:16,760 Speaker 3: I think the other thing just to remind people is 128 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:21,160 Speaker 3: smart meters do you have benefits for some types of customers. 129 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:23,840 Speaker 2: So if you've got a solar system on your roof. 130 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:25,640 Speaker 3: You will need a smart meter because of the way 131 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:27,919 Speaker 3: that it needs to record electricity and to receive the 132 00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:32,920 Speaker 3: feed in tariff. For example, smart meter does allow customers 133 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:36,000 Speaker 3: to move to monthly bills. Most customers at the moment 134 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:38,560 Speaker 3: are on a quarterly bill ciphle, which means that the 135 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:41,680 Speaker 3: total your total bill amount can be really large. So 136 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:44,680 Speaker 3: not everyone likes this, but for those that do want 137 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:47,880 Speaker 3: small and more manageable bill payments, we can actually give 138 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 3: them the option of billing them monthly, which for a 139 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:52,360 Speaker 3: lot of customers, particularly those in hardship. 140 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 2: It does help. And I think the. 141 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:56,960 Speaker 3: Third benefit is that if you've got a meter that's 142 00:06:56,960 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 3: stuck behind a gate, or you've got a dog on 143 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:02,279 Speaker 3: your property and a meta reader can't access the meta, 144 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:05,719 Speaker 3: then a smart meter can get read remotely, which means 145 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:08,560 Speaker 3: that you no longer have the hassle of an estimated 146 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:10,440 Speaker 3: bill if the meta reader can't get In. 147 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:13,640 Speaker 1: Louisa, a couple of people have been in contact and asked, 148 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:17,120 Speaker 1: how are the bills calculated? Right? 149 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:21,000 Speaker 2: Yes, that something that's easy to explain. Yeah, I will 150 00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:22,000 Speaker 2: definitely give it a go. 151 00:07:22,640 --> 00:07:27,040 Speaker 3: So basically what happens is a standard meta read will 152 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:30,520 Speaker 3: be taken at either monthly or quarterly, depending on what 153 00:07:30,560 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 3: type of meta you have YEP, and it reads your 154 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:38,280 Speaker 3: consumption from date A to date B, and then those 155 00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:41,400 Speaker 3: consumption records are provided to us by a power and 156 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 3: water corporation directly from your meter, and then we then 157 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 3: apply basically the government's regulated electricity pricing tariff to that consumption. 158 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:53,960 Speaker 3: So on your bill you'll see what we call a 159 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:55,480 Speaker 3: variable charge, which. 160 00:07:55,280 --> 00:07:58,960 Speaker 2: Is around the twenty sixth cents or so per unit. 161 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:03,520 Speaker 3: So for every kind of unit of electricity that you consume, 162 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:07,640 Speaker 3: you'll be charged twenty six cents. And then what you'll 163 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:10,280 Speaker 3: also see is there's a fixed daily charge that comes 164 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:13,800 Speaker 3: in down the bottom, and that's actually quite low, and 165 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:17,760 Speaker 3: that just is basically what you're paying for. There is 166 00:08:18,120 --> 00:08:20,840 Speaker 3: things like services like your meter, your meter reads and 167 00:08:20,880 --> 00:08:23,480 Speaker 3: things like that, but the majority of your bill is 168 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 3: based on how much you're consuming. 169 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:28,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, Now just a quick question, Hi, kdie are the 170 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:31,240 Speaker 1: call out fee? Is it waived if the electricity meter 171 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 1: is found faulty? 172 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:35,000 Speaker 2: Yeah? Absolutely, that is my understanding. 173 00:08:35,160 --> 00:08:37,880 Speaker 3: So if for whatever reason the meter is found faulty, 174 00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:41,640 Speaker 3: then we do you work with power and Water corporation 175 00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:43,679 Speaker 3: on a case by case basis because it's not very 176 00:08:43,679 --> 00:08:46,040 Speaker 3: common for them to be found faulty, but absolutely if 177 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:48,720 Speaker 3: it is, we then work together with the customer to 178 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 3: identify what we need to do to address it. 179 00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:53,400 Speaker 1: So, Luisa, by the sounds of things, if people are 180 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:55,840 Speaker 1: concerned and if they are in a situation where they're 181 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:59,240 Speaker 1: unable to pay that bill, there are certainly different options 182 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 1: for all those customers and the best thing that they 183 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:04,640 Speaker 1: can really do is get in contact with Jacana and 184 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 1: sort of have a look at the different options that 185 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:08,559 Speaker 1: are available to them. 186 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:11,280 Speaker 3: Yes, absolutely, I definitely encourage people to go on to 187 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:15,080 Speaker 3: our website. You can actually even request things like payment 188 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:18,959 Speaker 3: plans and payment extensions via my account or via our website, 189 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:21,640 Speaker 3: which is a much more straightforward way to do. Obviously, 190 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:23,800 Speaker 3: for those of our customers that don't like to use 191 00:09:23,840 --> 00:09:26,880 Speaker 3: online or digital channels, they can also give us a 192 00:09:26,880 --> 00:09:27,840 Speaker 3: call too well. 193 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:32,120 Speaker 1: Jacana Energy CEO Louisa can here. We really appreciate your 194 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:33,760 Speaker 1: time this morning. Thanks so much for coming 195 00:09:33,800 --> 00:09:35,600 Speaker 2: In, no problems, Thanks Katie, Thank you.