Review of the advanced metering infrastructure program
Government decision
The Government recently announced its decision to continue rolling out smart meters across Victoria.
More information about issues about the installation of smart meters, safety, flexible pricing and privacy can be found on the Department of Primary Industries website 
The cost-benefit analysis 
can also be found on the Department's website.
Independent review
The Minister for Energy and Resources and the Treasurer asked the Department of Treasury and Finance (DTF) to undertake an independent review of the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Program, to address issues raised in the 2009 Victorian Auditor-General’s Office Report on the AMI program.
To help inform the review, DTF invited public submissions on issues associated with the AMI program and released an issues paper. Public submissions closed on 21 June.
Review of the advanced metering infrastructure program issues paper (702 KB PDF) | 
(594 KB DOC)
Submissions
DTF thanks all those that made submissions to the review.
Around 400 submissions were received from members of the public.
Many of these submissions contained information of a private and personal nature. Furthermore, in the process of reviewing these submissions it became apparent to DTF that many individuals were unaware that their submission was intended to be made public. As a result DTF will not be publishing any submissions from the public at this stage.
These submissions will still be considered as part of the review process and will inform our recommendations to the government about the future of the AMI program.
Some clear themes emerged from the submissions that were received from members of the public. They included:
- concerns that smart meters were imposing an additional cost on households without any apparent benefit;
- concerns that time of use tariffs would impose additional costs on households;
- that some individuals, including the elderly, the disabled and other disadvantaged groups, would be unable to change their energy consumption if time of use tariffs were implemented;
- concerns about health issues associated with smart meters, including radiation;
- concerns about the accuracy of smart meters and the inability of households to check energy consumption levels;
- concerns that installers of smart meters were not appropriately qualified;
- individuals making it known that they did not want a smart meter installed at their property, or wanted their meter removed; and
- where people had heard about potential benefits, they had insufficient information about when those benefits could be realised and how they could use their Smart Meter to access those benefits.
DTF received the following
submissions from organisations, and those that were not requested to remain confidential are attached below.
These submissions will also be taken into account in our recommendations to the government about the future of the AMI program.
Advanced Metering Infrastructure Policy Committee (287 KB PDF) | 
(243 KB DOC)
Advenio Group submission cover letter (284 KB PDF) | 
(89 KB DOC)
Advenio Group (532 KB PDF) | 
(225 KB DOC)
AEMO (186 KB PDF)
AEMO submission attachment 1 (382 KB PDF)
AEMO submission attachment 2 (539 KB PDF)
AER (1 MB PDF)
AGL (821 KB PDF)
Alan Pears (78 KB PDF) | 
(30 KB DOC)
Association of Independent Retirees (87 KB PDF) | 
(2 MB DOC)
Ausgrid (391 KB PDF)
Brotherhood of St Laurence (111 KB PDF)
Better Place (954 KB PDF)
Billcap (168 KB PDF)
Cisco (138 KB PDF) | 
(42 KB DOC)
CitiPower and Powercor submission (105 KB PDF)
CitiPower and Powercor attachment 1 (646 KB PDF)
CitiPower and Powercor attachment 2 (502 KB PDF)
Connection Research (126 KB PDF)
Consumer Action Law Centre (204 KB PDF)
COTA submission (175 KB PDF)
COTA cover letter (378 KB PDF)
CUAC submission (482 KB PDF)
CUAC attachment (919 KB PDF)
Current (154 KB PDF)
DiUS submission cover letter (160 KB PDF)
DiUS submission (118 KB PDF)
Echelon Corporation (90 KB PDF)
ENA (54 KB PDF)
ESAA (56 KB PDF)
Essential Services Commission (144 KB PDF)
EWOV submission (463 KB PDF)
Exigency (1 MB PDF)
Futura (22 KB PDF)
GE submission (87 KB PDF)
Greg Barber (126 KB PDF) | 
(122 KB DOC)
Impaq consulting (95 KB PDF)
Jemena submission (487 KB PDF)
Jemena attachment 1 (164 KB PDF)
Jemena attachment 2 (646 KB PDF)
Landis + Gyr (355 KB PDF)
Metropolis Metering Assets (189 KB PDF)
Moreland Energy Foundation (513 KB PDF)
National Seniors Australia (Melbourne City Branch) (80 KB PDF)
OPOWER (226 KB PDF) | 
(982 KB DOC)
Origin (326 KB PDF)
SilverSpring Networks (307 KB PDF)
Simply Energy (122 KB PDF)
Smart Grid Australia (354 KB PDF)
Smart Grid Australia submission attachment (3 MB PDF)
SP AusNet (243 KB PDF)
United Energy (1 MB PDF)
VCOSS (525 KB PDF) | 
(7 MB DOC)
Victorian Spatial Council (138 KB PDF)
