Ergon Energy Retail executive general manager Ayesha Razzaq said the new digital metres would give customers with more reliable options to manage their electricity account.

“This will be the first community anywhere in Queensland where 100% of customers are supported by digital metre technology,” Razzaq claimed.

“Woorabinda Aboriginal Shire Council came to us with a request for digital metres and after working through the details, we have now deployed them to every customer in that community.”

“The digital metres will give customers greater visibility of their energy use through Ergon Retail’s My Account self-service portal and they’ll also receive their bills monthly rather than quarterly,” Razzaq added.

Woorabinda Aboriginal Shire Council Mayor Josh Weazel said the installation of digital metres would improve the quality of service to each household in Woorabinda.

“Historically our meter readings have often resulted in estimates due to lack of access to property,” noted Weazel. “Ergon’s safety policy on entry to residences to undertake readings with consideration to dogs.”

“The remote access will allow for our community to better manage their household budgets in real-time and become savvier with their use of electricity and its associated cost.”

Razzaq said Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council was also in line for digital metres after approaching Ergon Energy Retail, noting that the company has a program to transition 60% of regional Queensland customers to digital metres by 2025.

This first appeared in the subscription newsletter CommsWire on 28 July 2022.