One point of supply. Individual metering. Automated household billing.
Coatesville Landing is a new residential development in rural Auckland comprising 19 homes and one common electricity supply. The development receives electricity through a single 300kVA high voltage point of supply from Vector, with a privately owned embedded network distributing power to the individual properties.
Smart Metering provides the certified household power metering, automated data collection and individual customer billing that allow this private electricity network to operate day to day.
The first completed homes are now connected, transmitting meter data and receiving their monthly electricity invoices.
Project at a Glance
- Development: 19 residential connections plus one common supply
- Location: Coatesville, rural Auckland
- Network structure: One 300kVA high voltage point of supply
- Network ownership: Privately owned beyond Vector’s point of supply
- Smart Metering’s role: Certified residential electricity metering, automated data collection, upstream invoice management and customer billing
- Delivery model: Connections activated progressively as each home is completed
The Challenge
A single point of supply gave the developer a practical way to distribute electricity across the development. However, establishing a private electricity network created a new set of ongoing responsibilities.
Each household still needed to be accurately metered. The metering equipment and processes needed to meet New Zealand electricity industry requirements. The upstream electricity invoice needed to be paid and fairly allocated between connected properties. Residents also needed clear monthly invoices, account support and access to their consumption information.
Without a specialist power sub-metering provider, the developer would effectively need to create its own metering, billing and customer administration operation.
The challenge became even more complex because the homes were being completed and occupied in stages. The system needed to support progressive activation, allowing each property to begin receiving electricity and monthly invoices as soon as it was ready.
The Solution
Smart Metering was engaged to provide the operational layer between the private electricity network and each household.
Clear division of responsibility
Vector extended its 11kV network to the site and completed the development’s high voltage point of supply. The privately owned electricity network begins beyond Vector’s point of supply and distributes electricity throughout the development.
Coatesville Landing retains ownership of the private network. Smart Metering provides the residential metering, invoicing and associated customer services required to operate the customer side of the network.
Certified smart electricity metering for each home
Each residential connection is fitted with a revenue grade smart electricity meter that records and transmits consumption data automatically.
Smart Metering acts as the metering equipment provider for the low voltage customer network. The residential metering equipment is installed, commissioned and certified in accordance with the relevant requirements of Part 10 of the Electricity Industry Participation Code. The high voltage gateway metering was separately installed, commissioned and certified by the relevant specialist provider.
The meters communicate through the cellular network, removing the need for separate communications equipment throughout the development. The technology can also support future requirements such as electric vehicle charging, solar generation, battery storage and time of use tariffs.
Automated meter reading, billing and account management
Smart Metering manages the process from meter data through to the final customer invoice.
This includes:
- Collecting electricity consumption data automatically
- Managing and paying the upstream electricity supplier invoice
- Allocating electricity charges across connected households
- Issuing individual monthly invoices based on actual metered consumption
- Managing customer accounts, payments and billing enquiries
- Providing residents with online access to their usage and invoices
The agreement for the development confirms that Smart Metering manages metering, data collection, invoicing and on-charging, and pays the supplier invoice for electricity delivered to the gateway connection.
Planning a residential development with a private electricity network? Contact Smart Metering at info@smartmetering.co.nz.