Meter Reading
Find out all about meters.
Meter reading FAQs
Read all about meters
We need to capture how much energy you’ve used. This will ensure the amount your retailer charges you accurately reflects your consumption.
We like to get a meter reading from you when your reading is due, so we know exactly what you’ve used. If you do not submit your reading within the required time frame, we will provide your retailer with an substituted consumption value, which we will do by estimating the amount of energy you’ve used since the last meter read.
If we are continually substituting your meter readings, without being supplied actual meter readings, these substitutes will inevitably drift out of line with your actual energy use. Ongoing substitutions may eventuate in a large catch up bill when we next obtain an actual reading. The best thing is to give us regular meter readings when you can so we can capture in our database the energy you’ve used. You will end up paying your retailer for exactly the energy you’ve used, no more, no less.
Western Power’s meter reading processes vary slightly depending on the customer and the type of meter.
Manual read carried out by Western Power
We will read your meter either monthly or bimonthly depending on your tariff.
- A meter reader will visit your premises and take the read. If it is not possible for to take a read they will leave a skipped read card explaining why and the read may be estimated.
- Once the read is taken, the meter reader will upload the reading to our system, which validates your read against the site's previous history of consumption. If the reading doesn’t validate, we do a re-read or substitute a reading based on estimation rules outlined in Section 12 of the Metrology Procedure for Metering Installations on the Western Power Network.
- We then send the validated data to your retailer overnight and your retailer bills you accordingly.
Self-readers
Mandatory self-readers
If you live in an area where it is not economically feasible for Western Power to send a meter reader out regularly, you'll be asked to read your own meter.
Non-mandatory self-readers
You can request to read your own meter via arrangement with Synergy.
Self-read process
- All self-readers will be notified via mail email or SMS that it is time to provide a reading.
- Readings can be provided online via the self-reading portal or by phone via 1300 662 708.
- Once we receive the reading it is validated and the process continues in the same way as manual reads.
Remote meter read data collection
These meters are used by customers who need to comply with the West Australian Electrical Regulations 2008 or for commercial and industrial customers who require large scale consumption of energy for their operation. The commercial and industrial customers are classed as contestable, meaning they can choose their retailer.
These meters collect data remotely at either 15 or 30 intervals minutes and transmit the data to Western Power's metering database via a mobile phone sim card in the meter.
Once the data is collected it is validated per sections 10 and 11 of the Metrology Procedure for Metering Installations on the Western Power Network and published to the customer's retailer.
You should contact your retailer who will be able to discuss the situation with you.
The meter box is the customer’s responsibility and you should contact an electrical contractor who will be able to repair or replace it.
A smart meter is a sophisticated meter that records the electricity usage in half hour intervals as well as total consumption and is capable of sending this information daily to Western Power. This advanced meter provides improved accuracy of meter readings, early detection of power quality issues, remote disconnection of power and improved monitoring of power outages to assist maintenance crews in reducing restoration times.
Smart meters are part of a wider Western Power initiative called Smart Grid, which seeks to take a traditional “poles and wires” electricity grid into the future by adding digital and communication technology.
You can find everything you need to know about reading your smart meter here:
Electronic meters have a digital six-digit display register. The register can be static or can automatically step through a sequence of displays depending on your meter or tariff. A number that appears at the right-hand end of the register identifies each display or channel. For those digital meters on a standard residential or commercial tariff (A1, L1, K1 or M1), where the registers stay static, you simply write down the numbers that are displayed. For those meters on time of use tariffs, the meter register channels are specific to you.
For those meters on time of use tariffs, the meter register displays/channels are:
|
Channel |
Name / Description |
|---|---|
|
01 |
Meter Code |
|
02 |
Meter Serial Number |
|
03 |
Programme ID Number |
|
04 |
Time |
|
05 |
Date |
|
06 |
Kilowatt hours/Pulse |
|
07 |
Total Kilowatt hours |
|
08 |
Present Demand |
|
09 |
Reset Number |
|
10 |
On Peak Kilowatt Hours |
|
11 |
On Peak Indicative Demand |
|
12 |
On Peak Cumulative Demand |
|
20 |
Off Peak Kilowatt Hours |
|
21 |
Off Peak Indicative Demand |
|
22 |
Off Peak Cumulative Demand |
|
30 |
Weekdays High Shoulder Kilowatt Hours |
|
40 |
Weekends Low Shoulder Kilowatt Hours |
Not all channels are displayed on all meters. This depends on your tariff.
- Customers on R1 tariff should record the figures from channels 10 and 20
- Customers on SM1 (Smart Power) tariff should record the figures from channels 10, 20, 30 and 40
- Customers on time-based demand tariffs S1 and T1 should record channels 10, 12, 20 and 22
You can find everything you need to know about how to read your digital meter here:
The electro-mechanical digital display meters have a six-digit display similar to the odometer of your car. To read these meters you simply write down the figures that are displayed.
If you are required to provide Western Power a meter reading, it is important that you understand how to correctly read your power meter. Submitting the correct information, when providing Western Power with your meter reading, will ensure that you are billed accurately.
A clock-face dial meter has four, five or six dials, which alternate in direction. To read your power meter:
- stand directly in front of the meter
- starting from the right, read each dial and write down the figures
- when a dial hand points between two numbers, write down the lower of the two
- if the hand points between 0 and 1 write down 0, but if the hand points between 0 and 9, write down 9
| Diagram 1 | Diagram 2 |
|---|---|
| For example, the reading in diagram 1 is 2-70-3-8, that is, 27,038 kilowatt hours (units). |
|
A bi-directional meter is a type of advanced meter with smart technology that measures your energy consumption and net energy generation. If you have installed a solar power system which generates energy into Western Power’s grid then you should have a bi-directional meter. It is normally fitted as part of the process for successful applicants to Synergy’s Reverse Energy Buyback Scheme (REBS), but also applies to customers with generation systems who are not part of the scheme.
If you read your own meter on arrangement with Synergy, you are required to assist us by submitting a photograph of the meter/s at your property once per year.
Our metering team will contact you requesting an electronically submitted photograph of the meter via:
- Email annual.read@westernpower.com.au
or - SMS 0427 229 265