Reporting from the (Free CitiPower Information Session)
held 6pm Monday 30/Aug/2010 Harmsworth Hall Collingwood.

30-40 residents attended with 3 questions on their minds.

1) Who will pay for the new meters (Landlord or tenant) ?
2) How much will the new meters cost ?
3) How will the new meters help them save money ?

When CitiPower was questioned to who should pay for the new meters (Landlord or tenant) we where advised this is an issue you should discuss with the Office Of Housing and at this stage they understand the user will pay.

Citi Power where also unable to confirm on running cost's as there are several different company's billing us so we would have to contact them directly to follow up on the costs involved.

The New Meters are suppose to assist us manage our power consumption by advising us the cost at the time and how much power we are consuming at that time.

This means you will have the choice to use power when it's cheapest or pay the highest price when it needed.

The new Meter does not read or monitor gas and will not for some years, so not so Smart meter for those that have both electricity and gas.

Most residents do not have access to there meter boxes across the estate so you wouldn't be able to manage your power consumption without having to purchase at an extra cost an in-home reader or you could log onto a wed site for those that have computers and internet access.

Most residents understood the importance of managing their power consumption but considering we are all tenants and do not have access to our power box's or gas meters the new Smarte Meter cannot deliver what it promises.

This issue will be disused further at the Next Community Safety Working Group meeting held 10am Friday 3 September 2010 Harmsworth Hall 31 Harmsworth street Collingwood

I encourage all residents and tenants who would like answers to attend.

Alby Clark