Our meter readers access residential properties once every three months and commercial properties, monthly to read the meters.

It’s your responsibility to make sure we can safely access the meter. If we can’t access the meter when we need to, we may ask you to read and submit a meter read on our behalf. Or, the consumption may be estimated. Learn more about estimated reads.

Types of power meters and how to read them

Electronic interval meters

Electronic meters are used in both residential and large commercial premises. Depending on the electrical requirements at your home or business, you will have either a single phase or a three phase meter installed.

How to read the electronic interval meters

Standard mechanical meter

These meters have been used for many years and perform extremely well under adverse environmental conditions.

How to read the standard mechanical meter

Prepayment meter

With a prepayment meter, you pay for power as you use it. There are no connection fees, no bill surprises and you use as much or as little power as you need.

How to read the prepayment meter

Locating the power meter

The power meter is usually located in a metal box on the front or side of your house. If you live in a unit, you may have to ask your body corporate where to find the meter. Rural consumers will usually find the power meter in a metal box on a pole at the front of their property.

You can arrange installation of meters to suit your tariff requirements through your power retailer.

The power meter is usually located in a common area or near the entrance. Some neighbouring commercial customers cluster the meters together in an easily accessible common area.

You can arrange installation of meters to suit your tariff requirements through your power retailer.

The power meter is in a metal box on the front or side of your house or a pole at the front of your property.

If you have queries about the meter, contact us as we are your power retailer as well as the network provider.

Frequently asked questions about meters

If you have a solar PV system, the power you generate feeds into the local network via the power meter. The meter records how much power your solar PV system produces. We download this information and provide it to your power retailer to offset your bill. Learn more about solar power systems.

If you like to keep your gates locked, we encourage you to purchase a Power and Water padlock (with a fully-refundable deposit) so we can access your property to read the meter. To purchase a Power and Water padlock contact us.

If it's not safe to enter the property, for example an unrestrained dog, or we can't gain access, the meter reading may be estimated. Learn more about estimated meter readings.

Power meters are precision instruments, subject to rigorous inspection and testing before installation. However, sometimes customers with high power bills believe the meter may be faulty and request a meter check.

Although meters are rarely the cause of increased accounts, you can contact your retailer to request a meter check. There is a charge for this service which is refundable if the meter is found to be faulty.

Registered electricity retailers in the Northern Territory

We have an ongoing program to test power meters to ensure they continue to operate correctly and measure your electricity use accurately. The older mechanical meters may slow as they age and as the internal parts wear may not record your usage accurately. We test meters in accordance with the National Electricity Rules (Northern Territory).

We aim to replace power meters when they are almost at the end of their operational life expectancy, before they fail and while they are still measuring your electricity use accurately. We replace meters in accordance with the National Electricity Rules (Northern Territory).