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It was another Friday night. After reaching home a bit later than usual, I checked my emails and found my electricity bill on top of my inbox. I opened the bill and for a moment I was not sure if the effect of the beer I had few hours back was making me dizzy.
I always wanted to see if I could get a cheaper price but did not find time to go through the hassle of comparing. I tried to figure out the way they are charging me in the first place and that was not an easy task. I also wondered how they are generating those graphs which always showed I am saving energy!
One of my friends had suggested Victorian Government Electricity Comparison to find the cheapest provider. He had mentioned it is not easy as it sounds. I started typing on my keyboard. I counted 10 questions about my usage of electricity although I had already said I had a bill handy with my usage on it.
I was attracted to a web page named Energy Umpire. The service took account of where I live, my type of tariff, my usage pattern over the year and started working out the best plan for me. It was making sense. I hardly used any energy during the day time and perhaps there could be a better plan for me. Energy Umpire offered to manage my choice of plan and electricity and gas provider, ensuring I stay with the cheapest prices all the time, irrespective of price changes by providers. They compare every provider and every plan in my neighbourhood. How was this possible? Were they using artificial intelligence?
I woke up to the alarm and realised I had to go to uni in an hour. Hang on… was I dreaming about energy comparison?
I reached for my computer to check. It was reality! At last, I could sit back and relax while Energy Umpire managed my energy bills and got me the cheapest electricity for every bill.