Occasionally, we may need to estimate your bill instead of billing you based on your actual energy usage. You can check if your bill is based on an estimation or an actual read by referring to Page 2 of your Pacific Blue bill, and looking under the 'Current Usage' section. The letter "A" will indicate that the bill is based on actual usage, while the letter "E" will indicate an estimated bill.
Why Your Bill May Have Been Estimated
If you do not have a smart meter for electricity and/or gas, you energy supplier will not receive automatic readings from your meter. In this case, the supplier relies on your distributor to provide a meter reading every two months for gas and every three months for electricity, to determine how much to charge you.
Typically, a representative from your energy distributor visits your property to take an actual meter reading, which is used to bill you. However, if they are unable to access your meter, the distributor will provide an estimated read on your energy supplier, and you will be billed based on that.
If you have a basic meter and are on a monthly billing cycle, you will receive more frequent estimated bills because the distributor only physically visits your property every two or three months.
If your distributor is unable to obtain an actual reading from your meter, they use estimates to calculate your bill. A lack of access to your meter is usually the reason for this. For example, your meter may be located indoors, a pet may be near the meter, or there may be a locked/closed gate or overgrowth of plants or trees around the meter. If your distributor has safe and unhindered access to your meter, you will receive an actual reading.
If you believe your estimated bill is higher than your actual energy usage, you can take a meter reading yourself and send the information to support@pacificblue.com.au
I have a Smart Meter, so why have I received an estimated bill?
Understanding your energy can be confusing, especially if you have a smart meter but still receive estimated bills. If you see the letter 'E' on your bill, it may indicate that there have been communication issues with your meter, which can affect the transmission of interval data.
If you continue to experience issues with your smart meter, it's important to contact your energy provider for assistance, They can help diagnose the issues and work to resolve it, ensuring that you receive accurate and timely bills based on your actual energy usage.