Interesting Item of the Day

Check this out - Google Spreadsheet

Currently you can only register for a sneak preview but what Google attempts to achieve with Google Spreadsheet is the ability to share spreadsheets online and accessing it everywhere you go.

Note: To increase the likelihood of being selected for sneak preview, you should register using Gmail e-mail address. I tried using my Hotmail and till now I have not received anything. Someone I know that signed up much later using Gmail has already been approved to use Google Spreadsheet.

Update: Just received a reply from Google in my Hotmail... had to create an account in Google. So users that did not register using Gmail should do so before registering otherwise you will waste all your time waiting... and my Gmail has already been activated to access Google Spreadsheet.

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Closed of Network Tariff - LVkWtou by United Energy (Alinta)

Recently, one of the distributors in Victoria, United Energy (Alinta) has just closed one of its newest network tariff (LVkWtou) to new customers (Click here if you are unsure if you are in United Energy area). When a distributor closed a network tariff, it means that only existing customers that are already on that network tariff can remain in that particular tariff and all new connections or customers cannot go on to the closed tariff. So how does the closure of the network tariff LVkWtou affects you?

Description - Low Voltage KiloWatt Time-of-Use (LVkWtou)
Peak period: From 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday
Off peak period: At all other periods
Summer Demand Charge: Charges based on the highest power delivered (maximum kW during the billing period) between 3pm and 6pm in Summer (November to March). The motivation behind this charge is to penalise customers so that they reduce their demand during peak system times in Summer.

Click here for definitions of peak and off-peak

New Connections
If you are a new customer (new or greenfield sites) then you will be automatically assigned to single-rate tariff - LVS1R for Residential and LVM1R for Commercial. With the closure of network tariff LVkWtou, there are no longer options for two-rate tariffs, that is peak and off peak. So if you are a large off peak user (consumes electricity on weekend or 24 hours for cooling or other purposes) then it will actually costs you more to be on single-rate tariff.

Existing Connections
For existing customers that are already in LVkWtou, they can still remain in that tariff. Any existing customers in other tariffs, for example single-rate tariff, LVM1R or the old two-rate tariff, LVM2R5D can no longer switch to LVkWtou tariff. So even if your existing meter is capable of measuring peak and off peak and you are on single-rate tariff, there is really no place for you to move until the distributor comes up with another new two-rate tariff.

Put it simply, if you are currently being charged an all peak rate, you cannot get peak/off peak rates even if your meter is compatible (unless your usage exceeds 400MWh per annum then you can consider moving to a larger tariff called LVkVAtou). And if you are a new customer with new connection, then you will automatically be charged on all peak rates.

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