WARNING SOLAR PANELS & some Siemens S2AS-100/ Siemens S1AS-100 Meters

John_Pierpoint

Are we sure that Scottish Power is the "real" supplier of the electricity and so owner of the meter?

My meter down here in the South East was supplied by EDF totally independently of my (then) supplier EON The fact that EDF's installer screwed up on the address of my property versus the identity of the old and new meter was not my problem. Especially as I was right in the middle of switching to Scottish Power at the time.

Cardew

PeterZ wrote: »

And anyway, it looks like ASG are doing everything they can to sort it out so why go making things worse?

Its absolutely correct that Scottish power will not negotiate with a third party. Data protection and other laws are there for a good reason to protect the consumer.

What are they doing to sort it out? This from an ASG customer:

I was really suprised that they;
1) Did not carry out any post-fitting test to ensure that the generation was being recorded correctly.
2) Did not and still have not alerted their customers to the possibility that this may occur. Especially as ASG have confirmed that they knew about the meter problems Aug/Sept 2010.
After all, what would have happened if I had not become suspicious? this could have continued for 5, 10, 25 years and cost me a fortune.

'Its absolutely correct that Scottish power will not negotiate with a third party.'

That is totally incorrect!

Of course Scottish power will deal with a third party as long as the customer informs them who they want to act on their behalf.

I dealt, using my name, with all my parents Utility accounts for years.

Scores of thousands of letting agents deal with utility accounts for rental properties.

I lived abroad for years and an agent handled my gas, electricty, water accounts etc.

As soon as ASG realised there was a problem they should have taken steps to find out which of their properties were affected and dealt with the relevant Utility company.

To pass the buck to the householder is an abdication of responsibility - even worse is that haven't taken any steps to quantify the extent of the problem or alert customers of a potential issue.

PeterZ_2

Cardew wrote: »

What are they doing to sort it out? This from an ASG customer:



'Its absolutely correct that Scottish power will not negotiate with a third party.'

That is totally incorrect!

Of course Scottish power will deal with a third party as long as the customer informs them who they want to act on their behalf.

I dealt, using my name, with all my parents Utility accounts for years.

Scores of thousands of letting agents deal with utility accounts for rental properties.

I lived abroad for years and an agent handled my gas, electricty, water accounts etc.

As soon as ASG realised there was a problem they should have taken steps to find out which of their properties were affected and dealt with the relevant Utility company.

To pass the buck to the householder is an abdication of responsibility - even worse is that haven't taken any steps to quantify the extent of the problem or alert customers of a potential issue.

Has anyone who has had solar panels installed had their installer contact them to check their meter? I'll bet not!

The responsibility for the meter and the correct billing of electricity useage is with Scottish Power.

This is Scottish Powers problem and they should be sorting it out.

How long have Scottish Power been aware of this problem with their meters? They know who has solar pv, why are they not contacting their customers? They know which meters they have installed so it should be easy for them.

This problem very clearly lies with Scottish Power to resolve and to refund/compensate any affected customers.

Cardew

It is not Pantomime season yet, so no point in getting into a 'Oh yes it is - Oh no it isn't' dialogue!;)

Have you reconsidered your position on a third party?

grahamc2003

PeterZ wrote: »

How long have Scottish Power been aware of this problem with their meters? They know who has solar pv, why are they not contacting their customers? They know which meters they have installed so it should be easy for them.

This problem very clearly lies with Scottish Power to resolve and to refund/compensate any affected customers.

I'm not sure I agree with that at all.

The solar companies must install a system which is 'fit for purpose'. I'd say, instaling a system where the meter clocks up usage when exporting power is definitely not fit for purpose.

As part of the pre-installation checks, the solar company sould ensure oneway or the other that the metering is compatible with what they are going to do - I'd say that is a fundamental requirement. If not, they should postpone installation until it is.

Post installation, there sould be further integration tests ensuring all metering works as required.

I don't really see what SP (or any other supplier) has done wrong in all this. The meters they install meet all the legal requirements at the time of installation, including safeguards against those who may want to fiddle their usage (by electronically winding them backwards) for the benefit of all. i'd say it's obviously too late ideally to notify the supplier after the system is live - but even so, there remains the question who pays for a new meter when the existing one is perfectly good metering as it is designed to do.

Again, things may have just moved too fast, with the entities involved not having time to foresee all the implications of the solar panel/fit system. For example, I bet there aren't meters around yet which both protect against fraudulent use and allow export solar generation to register correctly. (i.e. a solar compatible meter could, I expect, easily be electronically wound backwards by those wanting to fiddle their usage)

Cardew

PeterZ wrote: »

How long have Scottish Power been aware of this problem with their meters? .

They are not THEIR meters. Last month BG could have been supplying electricity to the house and before that, say, EON. Next month it could be EDF.

The customer(or ASG) don't even have to get the FIT from the Utility company supplying the house.

PeterZ_2

grahamc2003 wrote: »

I don't really see what SP (or any other supplier) has done wrong in all this. The meters they install meet all the legal requirements at the time of installation, including safeguards against those who may want to fiddle their usage (by electronically winding them backwards) for the benefit of all. i'd say it's obviously too late ideally to notify the supplier after the system is live - but even so, there remains the question who pays for a new meter when the existing one is perfectly good metering as it is designed to do.

)

Scottish powers meter is obviously not fit for purpose then is it? It may meet legal requirements, just as ASG solar panels meet the legal requirements. Scottish Power are responsible for the meter, its their problem - it doesn't matter if they are at fault or not.

ASG can do no more than the home owner - notify SP that thy need to come and change the meter.

PeterZ_2

Cardew wrote: »

They are not THEIR meters. Last month BG could have been supplying electricity to the house and before that, say, EON. Next month it could be EDF.

The customer(or ASG) don't even have to get the FIT from the Utility company supplying the house.

If not Scottish Power then whos meter is it?

PeterZ_2

PeterZ wrote: »

If not Scottish Power then whos meter is it?

Don't worry, I'll answer it for you with a quote from Ofgem:

"the meter installation is most likely to be the property and responsibility of the Meter Asset Manager (MAM) - in most cases this will be your energy supplier"

But of course you will now argue that you are right and Ofgem are wrong:rotfl:

Cardew, no need for any more pantomine responses, this one is settled, one last time, all together "Oh, yes it is!" - the meter is the responsibility of Scottish Power, and most certainly not ASG.

In fact I'm sure that if ASG were to attempt to fix/change the meter they would be breaking the law.

Cardew

PeterZ wrote: »

Scottish powers meter is obviously not fit for purpose then is it? It may meet legal requirements, just as ASG solar panels meet the legal requirements. Scottish Power are responsible for the meter, its their problem - it doesn't matter if they are at fault or not.

ASG can do no more than the home owner - notify SP that thy need to come and change the meter.

You seem to ignore the fact that the majority won't realise anything is wrong - and ASG are not letting them know.

What about negotiating how much the customer should be refunded? - the house owner has no idea how much the panels have generated or how much he has used in the house.

If not Scottish Power then whos meter is it?

The meter operator or the electricity distributor! e.g.

http://www.meteroperators.org.uk/members_details.php?id=12

OnStream

OnStream is a national metering company providing tailored gas and electricity metering and meter reading services to major energy suppliers within Great Britain. Our in-house meter workforce and network of service providers means suppliers have access to our services anywhere in the country in both domestic and industrial & commercial markets.

OnStream offers a range of services for gas and electricity meters in both credit and prepayment models:
- Meter Ownership and Management
- Meter Installation and Maintenance
- Meter Reading
- Smart Metering

Or do you feel that if you switch from, say, BG to Scottish Power the meter ownership goes from one company to the other?

Yet you consider that 'ASG are doing all they can'

P.S.
Have you reconsidered your position on Utility companies not negotiating with a third party?