Energy and competition

CLAPTON

Hoopie1 wrote: »

Two reasons:
1) The meter is a measuring device, nothing more.
2) More importantly, where demand doesn't meet supply then the grid calls more power stations on, it doesn't switch consumers off. The only time this would not happen is if there was no available supply of any kind.

Why do you think that people will get cut off?

smart meters offer the utilities the opportunity to change the price of the product on a minute by minute basis

by making the price of fuel very high (maybe unaffordably for poorer people) at very busy time those people will effectively be cut off: conveniently they will be doing it themselves so the utilities will have a clear (public) conscious.

a bit like prepayment meters, they are much loved by utilites as people 'cut ' themselves off by being too poor to buy topups

sheffield_lad

CLapton don't be so cup half empty, its designed to relieve pressure during high demand period like tea time but instead of the price going up the idea is to offer off peak before or after that time DOH!! Just like e7 offers now

Pre payment meters are loved by many, before utilities did cut people off now people have to manage their usage and many prefer it as they don't get into debt. I have never seen any evidence but I bet usage gets reduced drastically when users have a pre pay as they then realise the cost of fuel

It's always the big bad energy firm but take off their profit and your still left with a £1200 bill, instead of blaming them blame the world for a population of 7 billion alll wanting heat and power.

CLAPTON

howee wrote: »

CLapton don't be so cup half empty, its designed to relieve pressure during high demand period like tea time but instead of the price going up the idea is to offer off peak before or after that time DOH!! Just like e7 offers now

Pre payment meters are loved by many, before utilities did cut people off now people have to manage their usage and many prefer it as they don't get into debt. I have never seen any evidence but I bet usage gets reduced drastically when users have a pre pay as they then realise the cost of fuel

It's always the big bad energy firm but take off their profit and your still left with a £1200 bill, instead of blaming them blame the world for a population of 7 billion alll wanting heat and power.

I didn't realise it was going to reduce our bills

do your work in PR for a utility by any chance?

Hoopie1

CLAPTON wrote: »

smart meters offer the utilities the opportunity to change the price of the product on a minute by minute basis

by making the price of fuel very high (maybe unaffordably for poorer people) at very busy time those people will effectively be cut off: conveniently they will be doing it themselves so the utilities will have a clear (public) conscious.

a bit like prepayment meters, they are much loved by utilites as people 'cut ' themselves off by being too poor to buy topups

That is something different to someone being cut off by their utility/the utility's meter to regulate supply, which .

Also, there should be correspondingly cheaper energy in periods where demand is lower.

pqrdef

Massive savings on the cost of running your central heating full blast on those warm summer nights. That'll be an easy one to sell. If you normally sell fridges to Eskimos.

Hoopie1

pqrdef wrote: »

Massive savings on the cost of running your central heating full blast on those warm summer nights. That'll be an easy one to sell. If you normally sell fridges to Eskimos.

I thought you were in favour of limiting peak demand by price?

sheffield_lad

CLAPTON wrote: »

I didn't realise it was going to reduce our bills

do your work in PR for a utility by any chance?

err nope but I do know the right wing press are scaring folk into believing that smart meters are the devil.

How can knowing how much you spend each day on fuel be bad? What about no more estimated bills?

Don't be so lead by what the Mail tells you to think

pqrdef

Hoopie1 wrote: »

I thought you were in favour of limiting peak demand by price?

You're right of course. But cheap off-peak energy has to be sold by providing people with the means to exploit it. Otherwise it's a joke.

sheffield_lad

pqrdef wrote: »

You're right of course. But cheap off-peak energy has to be sold by providing people with the means to exploit it. Otherwise it's a joke.

Exactlly why smart meters are needed, the utility and the consumer can both see it.

Graham_Devon

I'd be all for reducing the amount of tarrifs.

For electricity only, on Uswitch I get 80 results. 80! 80 different tarrifs from about 8 providers.

Standing charge. Non standing charge. Standing charge fixed. Non standing charge fixed. Standing charge green. Non standing charge green.

Price promise none standing charge eco Version 12 fixed, £55 switching credit promotion, Online V2*

* Exit fee of £13,043, unless you pay direct debit**

** Only available to those aged 54 years 11 months***

*** Not available in NI. Or England, Wales, Scotland.

And it goes on.

And on.....