Smart Meters

Role of Government

The roll-out of our new advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) is a collaborative project involving governments, electricity businesses, and consumer groups.

Smart meter installations started in September 2009, with the rollout scheduled for completion by the end of 2013.

The rollout is now progressing well and is designed to enable a range of consumer benefits and help the energy industry deliver power to consumers more efficiently. It’s a unique project, in that it mandates changes to services provided by regulated private companies. It’s also the largest energy infrastructure upgrade in Victoria’s history.

While initiated by government, smart meters will be delivered and managed by electricity distribution businesses – the companies that own and manage the ‘poles and wires’ assets, including our electricity meters.

The Victorian Government formally endorsed the introduction of new smart meters in 2006. These meters will replace the existing electro-mechanical accumulation meters currently used by the Victorian electricity customers taking supply of less than 160 MWh per annum (which includes most residential and small/medium business customers).

The Victorian Government’s decision to introduce smart meters followed an extensive cost-benefit study (PDF 493KB) co-funded by government and Victoria’s electricity distribution and retail businesses. This study was followed by a National Cost Benefit Analysis (external link), funded by the Ministerial Council for Energy, as a precursor to a national roll-out of smart meters. This national analysis found that the smart meters project will deliver net benefits to Victoria of up to $700 million over the next 20 years.

The Victorian Government has established a range of requirements for smart meters, including technology functionalities, performance and service levels, as well as a framework for the regulated recovery of costs associated with the project. This includes prescribing technical capabilities for these new meters, as well as service obligations around how electricity distribution and retail companies can use the meters. This was done in close consultation with the energy industry a range of consumer groups.

Minimum AMI Service Levels Specification Victoria. September 2008 (PDF 312KB)
Minimum AMI Functionality Specification Victoria. September 2008. (PDF 1.3MB)

Industry and Consumer Consultation

The Smart Meters project is delivered by a collaborative cross-sector project team, involving government, industry and consumer groups. In addition, the Department of Primary Industries has held a successful series of six stakeholder forums, and distributed various discussion papers and working documents to engage a wide variety of views on specific issues in relation to the roll-out of smart meters – or advanced metering infrastructure (AMI).

Stakeholder Forum 1: May 2006
Outlined the Victorian Government's decision to commence the AMI project and approach
Stakeholder Forum 2: August 2006
Updated stakeholders on progress, and initial broad-based consultation on draft of AMI functionality
Stakeholder Forum 3: April 2007
Provided a progress update and overview of proposed legislative and regulatory framework DPI-AMI Stakeholder Presentation (PDF 903KB)
Stakeholder Forum 4: December 2007
Marked the end of the establishment phase and hand-over to industry for the implementation phase

• AMI - Presentation 1 - 071207(PDF 1.9MB)
• AMI - Presentation 2 - 071207(PDF 1.7MB)
• AMI - Presentation 3 - 071207(PDF 147KB)
• AMI - Presentation 4 - 071207 (PDF 867KB)

• Jemena (PDF 85KB)
• Melbourne Metropolitan Water (PDF 161KB)
• Mr Rod Jones (Word 21KB)
• PRI Ltd (Word 39KB)
• SP AusNet (Word 192KB)