Solar PV - Electric company won't pay 'Export'

WoodyAllenJesus

Hi All,
We had solar PV panels installed in September 2011. After the huge initial outlay we are yet to receive ANY money for the electricity we have generated. I am not too concerned with this as I believe we take a reading on 31st March and they will pay us for everything generated so far so we will wait and see.

The problem really is that whilst they seem to be ok with paying us the FIT tariff (though we shall see!) they are telling us they can't pay us the Export money (3p per unit?). Apologies if I am using the wrong terminology by the way.

They tell us we are 'off the grid' and it seems to be too complicated to sort it all out. I can't understand this as surely we must be 'on the grid' to be providing electricity to the grid in the first place so I think they are just hoping we'll go away.

We are a private house on a military estate where our electric is provided by the electric company through the MOD so it does get a bit complicated as we never had an NMAP(?) number (there was just one number for the whole garrison). We do seem to have set a bit of a precedent.

I feel aggrieved that we are not getting everything back that we should be as was calculated before the install. I know it's small potatoes compared to the FIT but it's the principle of the thing!

We've badgered the electricity company but just hit a brick wall and we don't know where to go from here really. Any ideas?

Another problem is that our electricity meter (i.e. our original one which is the spinny disk type, not the PV meter) is running backwards - does anyone know what the consequences of this are?

Many thanks!

Cardew

I suggest you go to the 'Green and Ethical' section of MSE and you will get a better response - try this thread.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/52133529#Comment_52133529

WoodyAllenJesus

OK Sorry, I'm new here

Cardew

Not a problem, it is just that the 'PV experts'(and enthusiasts!) use that section as their forum.

macman

It would seem that with only one MPAN, they cannot allocate your export figures to a particular property.
In effect it's a private metering system?

WoodyAllenJesus

I guess so macman.

When we were sold the system we informed the company that there might be potential issues and their response was 'no problem, we'll sort all that out for you' but this seems to be beyond their remit and they're nowhere to be seen now.

When we initially spoke to the electric company they indicated that they would look into allocating MPAN numbers to all the private housing as "this might be something other people choose to do in the future so we ought to sort it out really" but then we've been unable to pursue it any further as we keep being told different stories by different people at the electric company.

utility_csa

Contact your local DNO.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MPAN

The will be best to advise you rather than a supplier.

You should also have an export mpan for any property exporting back to the grid.

Terrylw1

WoodyAllenJesus wrote: »

I guess so macman.

When we were sold the system we informed the company that there might be potential issues and their response was 'no problem, we'll sort all that out for you' but this seems to be beyond their remit and they're nowhere to be seen now.

When we initially spoke to the electric company they indicated that they would look into allocating MPAN numbers to all the private housing as "this might be something other people choose to do in the future so we ought to sort it out really" but then we've been unable to pursue it any further as we keep being told different stories by different people at the electric company.

I've dealt with some military bases before, some years back, and it might be something else that is the underlying issur here. Re all being told by the contact at the base that everything had to be done centrally through them for anything on the base, this one had multiple MPANs but all to be kept with a specific refernce and a bland address for security reasons.

I can't recall all of it, but I suggest you check the security policy on names and address data (remember if a MPAN was created, it would mean easy searching for address and name data) before asking the supplier since their call centre staff won't be ware of things like this.

Utility_CSA has given you the distributor side but suppliers request MPANs so the DNO will push you back to them, although they may help you understand things. At the supplier end, you need to get to someone who works in registration or new connections. Usually a new MPAN is created in the new connections process but its also created when fitting certain types of meter. Yours us a more unusual issue with the military bases.

If you get a new MPAN, they won't be reading the meter though on a base unless they follow the security process. I remember having to get the engineers names and advising the base who they were, when they were due and their purpose to get readings as they could never get in!

Just do all of us MSEers a favour and please build up a debt on your new MPAN, I can't wait to see a press article entitled "energy supplier attempts a warrant on a military base farce!"

utility_csa

thinking on it... you might be under a 'embedded network' if you want to you could pm me your meter serial number and ill have a look on the national database for you?