Looking for a quick breakdown of your power usage? Easy! Just log into My Slingshot to see a handy graph that tracks how much power you are using on a daily basis.

The graph displays differently depending on whether you have a Legacy or Smart meter at your property because they operate and are billed for in distinct ways.

A Legacy meter requires someone to physically read your usage, whereas a Smart meter communicates this information remotely.

Legacy Meters

These older meters require a monthly visit from a meter reader to manually give us your usage.

Your power bill is estimated based on your previous usage; this is to make sure the bills you receive are consistent as we charge in advance. When the actual reading comes through, your next bill is credited or debited depending on whether we over or undercharged you.

The power graph is then updated so you can check your usage. The example graph below shows an actual read being done and that we had underestimated the usage by 98 kW/h for this customer.

^ If you can see 'Change Meter Access Information' within My Slingshot, it means you have a Legacy power meter.

Updating a legacy meter reading

Legacy meter power usage is estimated between readings (which happen every month or longer if a reading visit is not possible). You can submit a manual reading by selecting 'Update Meter Reading' and you will be taken to a page to confirm the meter number and enter in the current reading you see on the meter. This ensures you are being billed accurately.

Smart Meters

These are your typical meters that remotely send daily power readings - we can bill for your actual usage this way. With a 48-hour delay, the power graph accurately shows how much you’ve been using.

^ Blue usage bars are actual reads whereas orange are estimates. You'll see mostly blue for smart meters and mostly orange for legacy.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why do the readings on My Slingshot look wrong?
  You’ll want to double-check your internal wiring is not the source of the problem, including the hot-water cylinder. If everything seems right, the incorrect readings could be caused by a faulty meter. Give us a call on 0800 89 2000 and we can arrange for this to be investigated – please be aware that there could be a call-out fee if nothing is wrong.
• Can I choose when the meter reader visits?
  The meter reads are co-ordinated by the metering company and cannot be changed.
• My meter is past a locked gate/door, how is this accessed?
  The meter reader will knock on your door to see if someone can unlock this for them. If they can’t get in, they will leave a card with our 0800-number asking you to give us a call and organise a day for access.
• How do I request to move the location of my meter?
  All the details on how to organise a meter move are here.
• Can I get a smart meter installed?
  Yes, you can! get in touch and we can discuss the details with you.

There are two types of plan available to Kiwi households: Standard User or Low User.

Under either, you’ll be billed both a daily rate, and a usage rate per kWh (kilowatt-hour) unit of electricity consumed. It’s entirely up to you whether you sign onto a Standard or a Low User plan, but depending on your circumstances you may be much better off on one rather than the other.

Standard User

The Standard User plan has a higher daily charge, but a lower charge per kWh used so is ideal if your electricity usage is relatively high. Households north of Christchurch are better off on a Standard plan if using more than 8,000kWh each year, and for Christchurch and further south if using more than 9,000 kWh each year. Conversely, if your annual usage is lower than that number, a Low User plan is more advantageous. A Low User plan is generally suited to people using less electricity than average (hence the name!) It’s designed so that the fixed rate is no more than 30 cents a day* but the unit rate is higher, which means that if you don’t use much electricity you’ll pay less than you would on a Standard User plan.

Standard rate plans will generally suit larger households, where people are home a lot, and electricity is used for hot water and heating.

Low User

In general, you should pick a Low User plan if your household has one or two people living in a well-insulated, energy-efficient home, often with gas for heating or hot water. Very roughly, these households will spend much less than $200 monthly averaged across the year – although the exact level will vary in different parts of the country. Low User plans are only available for your primary residence (so not your bach, crib or holiday home).

Note that while for most of the country the tipping point between the two plans is 8,000kWh annually, the average household use is much lower than that. So, you may be a very standard household – but better off on a Low User plan.

You can switch between Low and Standard user plans once a year.

*not including GST and after any prompt payment discount