And what a rort your unit rates are.

Yep, and it used to be this up until solar was installed

It's daft - you'd think that by putting your hot water onto a controlled rate you're reducing load on the network which you should be rewarded for.  Nope. Oh you're getting solar.  Excellent, we'll charge you a higher rate for the privilege. 

I wonder how this works for those on EV rates with solar and batteries. If the EV charger is to be billed at a different rate via the meter, it'd mean you're being billed for that minus the export rate even if you're drawing from your  own batteries overnight.

I'm confused. Are you saying that even if you were exporting the equivalent amount that your hot water was drawing, you'd be getting a bill? 

That's how Meridian seems to work. Power consumed at the top of your bill, credits for export below. But I've found the posts today slightly confusing.

Ge0rge:

 

I'm confused. Are you saying that even if you were exporting the equivalent amount that your hot water was drawing, you'd be getting a bill? 

 

Yes because it appears to be on a different register on the meter, ie the controlled side vs the uncontrolled side for the solar and the rest of the loads.

timmmay:

 

That's how Meridian seems to work. Power consumed at the top of your bill, credits for export below. But I've found the posts today slightly confusing.

 

its not how the power company works, it how its connected to your meter, and the plan/s you are on.

It's all made as confusing as possible so that it's not easy to compare one supplier to another.

After all, the same electrons come out of the wall (and go back in, 50 times per second) no matter which supplier you use.

Jase2985:

 

timmmay:

 

That's how Meridian seems to work. Power consumed at the top of your bill, credits for export below. But I've found the posts today slightly confusing.

 

 

its not how the power company works, it how its connected to your meter, and the plan/s you are on.

 

To be fair, it is how the power companies work in respect to billing in NZ. Regardless of how your loads are connected to your meter, or how many phases you import or export on, your bill will always show units imported and units exported as two separate entities. 

However, in MadEngineer's case, what they have done is just downright cheeky - essentially setting the system up to bill them for consuming the solar that was produced and used on site.  I'd be getting a sparky in, just as Genisis have suggested - to move the hot water load on to the uncontrolled side of the meter. 

Looks like Shelly has joined the works with home assistant programme 

https://www.home-assistant.io/blog/2025/07/29/shelly-joins-works-with-home-assistant/ 

I’m hearing more n more of complaints around the HWC ticking over the meter for those with solar.  Be interesting to see how my complaint goes.  

Ge0rge:

 

Jase2985:

 

timmmay:

 

That's how Meridian seems to work. Power consumed at the top of your bill, credits for export below. But I've found the posts today slightly confusing.

 

 

its not how the power company works, it how its connected to your meter, and the plan/s you are on.

 

 

To be fair, it is how the power companies work in respect to billing in NZ. Regardless of how your loads are connected to your meter, or how many phases you import or export on, your bill will always show units imported and units exported as two separate entities. 

 

However, in MadEngineer's case, what they have done is just downright cheeky - essentially setting the system up to bill them for consuming the solar that was produced and used on site.  I'd be getting a sparky in, just as Genisis have suggested - to move the hot water load on to the uncontrolled side of the meter. 

 

Also, that's only going to solve it for myself.  This is outright stupid, there are others in the same boat as me and I feel this needs to not be fixed for only myself.  I'm not sure if it's possible for example if the meter could be programmed to not measure the hot water separately and instead measure only on what's used from the street.  

MadEngineer:

 

I'm of the mind that it should be Genesis Energy that puts this right.  If it's a lines company restriction then Genesis is still my contact for that AFAIK and they need to be advocating for myself as their customer.  Initially I was thinking a sparky can't do this as they shouldn't touch the meter connections but realised it can be changed over at my switchboard.

 

Also, that's only going to solve it for myself.  This is outright stupid, there are others in the same boat as me and I feel this needs to not be fixed for only myself.  I'm not sure if it's possible for example if the meter could be programmed to not measure the hot water separately and instead measure only on what's used from the street.  

 

This sounds unnecessarily complicated and was basically the opposite of our experience.

Our solar was installed in May and meter upgraded in June. Single phase, also with Genesis and in a Powerco area (Palmy). We were on a Uncontrolled/Controlled plan with Genesis prior to solar, now we are on an Anytime plan.

Two things stand out:

1) We had a solar diverter installed, so the HWC was moved to the same metered circuit as the rest of the house as part of the solar installation.

2) When the installer submitted the homegen application with Genesis for the meter upgrade, the form has a section for Configuration/tarrif, which they selected "Anytime". Genesis wrote back to confirm the change: "** Please note, we have advised in the service request to remove the controlled register. If this is to remain please contact us ASAP. **"

I'd be interested to know what was on your homegen application form.

MadEngineer:

 

Anyone know if Genesis Energy has a minimum hourly charge?

 

 

Do you need to get the meter first to export solar or do you need to get solar installed first?

jjones:

 

MadEngineer:

 

Anyone know if Genesis Energy has a minimum hourly charge?

 

 

 

 

 

Do you need to get the meter first to export solar or do you need to get solar installed first?

 

Solar first , won’t install meter unless Solar install is quality checked . Your installer can apply in parallel but won’t get meter until signed off