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Cost Reflective Tariffs encourage people to move their electricity consumption from peak times to off-peak periods by adjusting the price charged at certain times each day.
This helps reduce the overall peak load and is referred to as load shifting, a common practice in many other places in Australia. Cost reflective tariffs better represent the cost to generate and provide power to customers during peak and off-peak periods.
Alice Solar City now has 370 residents who have signed up to be part of the trial. This has exceeded our target for the trial which has now been closed to new participants. Alice Solar City will now concentrate on monitoring the consumption patterns of the participants producing results that will inform future energy policy.
As part of the package, those residents taking part in the trial have had their power meter replaced with a Smart Meter.
As soon as the Smart Meter is installed, the residents move from the flat rate electricity tariff (currently 19.77 cents/kWh all day everyday) to the split tariffs (see rates below).
If you have a smart meter and want to know more about how to read the display, take a look at this easy to use guide.
As part of the trial, householders can also opt to receive an interactive in-home display. This small, portable LCD display communicates with the Smart Meter and using the touch-screen householders will be able to see a graph of current energy consumption, CO2 emissions and historical consumption data.
You can download a copy of the In-House display manual here.
There was no upfront charge for the in-house display, however it remains the property of the Power and Water Corporation and must be returned at the conclusion of the householders involvement with the cost reflective tariff trial.
The residential Cost Reflective Tariffs in Alice Springs for July 2011 to June 2012 are:
Peak: 9am – 6pm Monday to Friday, including public holidays 29.43 cents / kWh
Off-peak: All other times, including weekends 16.57 cents / kWh
Daily fixed charges Standard charges as per a normal account
Note: Each year there will be a CPI increase to the tariffs; this will usually take place on 1 July.
Those residents participating in this trial will gain a better understanding of the electricity use at home and the opportunities to be more energy efficient (thanks to information provided in the in-house display). And if they are able to move a portion of your electricity consumption (like running the pool pump, washing, ironing etc) from peak times to off-peak times they could lower your electricity bill.
No. A "no worse off safety net" is in place to ensure that households participating under the trial are not disadvantaged. Their power bills will show what they have been charged under the new tariffs, so they will be able to easily assess if you are worse off. If they find that their energy bills are higher under the cost-reflective tariff than they would have been under the standard domestic tariff, they can bring or send their bills into the Smart Living Centre to be credited the difference on a subsequent bill. Residents may opt to move back to the standard tariff after 12 months. Alice Solar City has developed an on-line calculator to help residents assess if they are worse off - Click here for assistance in calculating your "No Worse off Safety Net" or here to go directly to the calculator.
Note: There will be a CPI increase each year to the tariffs, usually on 1 July.
If you have a smart meter and want to know more about how to read the display, take a look at this easy to use guide.
