How to get your smart meter data
Check your retailer's app or website
Most show daily and half-hourly charts, and many let you download a file.
Ask for it
Your retailer must give you your usage data on request.
Use the Consumer Data Right
Energy retailers in the National Electricity Market take part in the Consumer Data Right, which lets you share your data with accredited services, such as comparison tools, with your consent.
Downloaded files are often in a format called NEM12, a standard layout of 30-minute readings. Comparison sites and some apps can read it directly.
What to look for
| Pattern | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| Overnight minimum, 1am to 4am | Your base load: fridges, freezers, routers, standby and anything left on. |
| Regular overnight block | Electric hot water or a pool pump on a timer or controlled load. |
| Evening spike | Cooking, heating or cooling, lights and TV, usually in the peak period. |
| Midday dip below zero or near zero | Solar covering your use, with exports to the grid. |
| Large, steady daytime use | Air conditioning, a pool pump or someone working from home. |
A base load of 300 W running all year uses about 2,600 kWh, roughly $871 on the Ausgrid reference rate. Finding and switching off even part of it is a real saving. See standby power.
Putting the data to work
- Choose a plan. Upload your data to Victorian Energy Compare, or use your yearly kWh on Energy Made Easy. See our comparison guide.
- Test time of use. Your peak share tells you whether a time-of-use plan would save.
- Find a fault. A base load that jumps suddenly can point to a faulty appliance.
- Plan solar or a battery. Your evening use shows how much a battery could cover.
Measure single appliances too
Smart meter data shows the whole home. To pin down one appliance, use a plug-in power meter. See measuring energy use.
Questions about smart meter data
Through your retailer's app or online account, by asking your retailer, or by sharing it with an accredited service under the Consumer Data Right.
A standard file format for interval meter data in Australia, with readings for each 30-minute period. Comparison sites and energy apps can read it.
The power your home uses all the time, seen in the overnight minimum. It includes fridges, routers, standby and anything left on.
Retailers in the National Energy Retail Rules states must provide your historical billing data, covering up to two years, free of charge on request.
Retailer data usually appears the next day. For live readings you need an in-home display or a home energy monitor installed by an electrician.
Sources
Every rate on this page comes from the regulator or the regulated retailer. Last checked October 2026. Prices include GST unless we say otherwise.