Consumer rights and smart meters

Why smart meters?

The National Electricity Rules were changed to support an accelerated rollout of smart meters to homes and businesses by 2030.

The rollout aims to move customers away from outdated manual metering technology to a more accurate and efficient digitised system using smart meters.

A key part of these rules changes by the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) was to remove the option to ‘opt-out’ of a smart meter. This means that if your electricity retailer contacts you about installing a smart meter, you won't be able to refuse. However, additional consumer protections around the cost, installation, and changes to the way you are charged for your electricity have been added to support the rollout.

This information is for consumers in Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory. Consumers in Victoria should visit the Essential Services Commission of Victoria’s website.

A person with a headset on in front of a laptop with a speech bubble that represents them talking to customers

The role of your electricity retailer

Your electricity retailer is the company that sends you your electricity bills.

They will be the ones to contact you about the installation of a smart meter on your property and will be your first point of contact for any queries you may have about the installation or any resulting changes to your electricity bill.

The role of the AER

We are here to support the rollout by providing guidance to electricity retailers on the rules they need to follow when rolling out smart meters to their customers, and to monitor if they are following the rules.

We are not a complaints body for the smart meter rollout and cannot assist in dispute resolution between individuals and retailers.

Your rights regarding smart meter installation

Smart meters are compulsory under the new rules. If your electricity retailer contacts you to arrange installation of a smart meter, you will not be able to refuse this installation.

When will I get a smart meter

The smart meter rollout aims to deliver smart meters to all National Electricity Market customers by 30 November 2030. Contact your retailer for more information about when your smart meter installation is scheduled as part of the rollout.

If you would like to request the installation of a smart meter at your property ahead of schedule, contact your retailer. Your retailer will have 15 business days to arrange installation. From 1 December 2025 retailers have 20 business days to arrange installation. Please note that you may be charged if you request the smart meter installation yourself, including through installing solar or a battery.

Notification of installation

Electricity retailers must notify you before installing a smart meter.

Your retailer must provide you with a 5-day date range for when the installation will occur.

Cost of installation

You will not be charged any fees to have a smart meter installed where your retailer contacts you first.

However, you may be charged if you request the smart meter installation yourself, including through installing solar or a battery.

Installing the new meter

You do not need to be home for the smart meter to be installed, but you will need to provide safe and unhindered access to your current meter (for example, ensuring any pets are secured away from the meter).

The smart meter installer will not ask you for any personal information or request payment. You can ask to see the installer’s ID and should contact your electricity retailer if you have concerns.

Your electricity will be temporarily turned off while the smart meter is installed.

Keeping your smart meter data safe

Smart meters have a range of security features to prevent unauthorised access and ensure all metering data is protected.

Data from your smart meter is encrypted and securely transmitted, typically via a mobile phone network, to a secure metering data management system. This information is then sent directly to your electricity retailer for billing.

You can ask your retailer for more information about how your smart meter data is handled, stored and protected.

You have the right to request your retailer disable the remote access capabilities on your smart meter at any time. However, you may be charged ongoing meter read fees by your retailer and some of your smart meter’s services and capabilities may also no longer be available.

What do smart meters mean for my electricity bill?

Your electricity retailer must provide you with a notification if your electricity plan is changing following installation of a smart meter.

Further protections apply after 1 December 2025, where your consent must be sought for any changes to your tariff structure for a period of 2 years.

Will my electricity bill increase?

You may notice some changes to your electricity costs after you have a smart meter installed. Whether your bill goes up, down or stays the same may be due to the more precise measurement of your usage, changes to your tariff structure, when you use electricity, and the type of plan you are on.

You can contact your electricity retailer who will help you understand the likely impacts of changing to a smart meter.

If you want to compare other electricity plans, use our free and independent comparison website, Energy Made Easy, to find the energy deal that is right for you.

Will my retailer change my tariff structure?

Before 1 December 2025

If you have a smart meter installed prior to 1 December 2025, your electricity retailer may automatically move you to an electricity plan that has a time of use tariff structure or demand charge following the installation. If this happens, your retailer will provide you with a notice that your electricity plan is changing.

If you are in Queensland, your retailer must have a flat rate tariff plan available to smart meter customers, so if your retailer has moved you to a time of use tariff structure or demand charge after you get your smart meter, you can contact them to ask to change to a flat rate tariff. Other states and territories may introduce similar requirements later in 2025.

After 1 December 2025

If you have a smart meter installed after 1 December 2025, your retailer must not change your tariff structure for 2 years unless you provide your retailer with consent to do so. This means if you had a flat rate tariff structure before your smart meter was installed, your retailer cannot change this without your consent. Your retailer may contact you to seek your consent and provide you with detailed information about what changing tariff structures means for you so that you can make an informed choice.

What are the different tariff structures?

Tariffs are the way you get charged for your electricity. Common tariff structures include flat rate, time of use and demand charges.

Your tariff structure determines which electricity plans are available to you and choosing the right one for your circumstances can help reduce what you pay for electricity.

Your usage charges are calculated by your retailer based on how much electricity you use and the tariff structure that applies to you under your electricity plan.

You also pay a daily supply charge, which is a fixed amount no matter how much electricity you consume.

Access our fact sheet with more information on different tariff structures and what they may mean for your electricity bill, or visit Energy Made Easy for more information about tariffs.

Fact sheet: About energy bills

Compare your energy plan

Use our free and independent comparison website, Energy Made Easy, to find the energy deal that is right for you.

Energy Made Easy can show you whether a plan is eligible for smart meters under the ‘more info’ tab on the plan. You can also choose whether to view single rate plans, time of use plans or all plans by selecting between these options at the top of the search results page.

Visit the Energy Made Easy website