smart meter installs by postcode 30 September 2015 at 11:10AM edited 30 November -1 at 1:00AM in Energy 8 replies 4K views

Nobby2193

Hi
I'm looking at changing to an energy company who supply a smart meter(s) without charge, I may then switch companies
1 Does anyone know if there is a tie in period
2 Does anyone know of a site I can use to find energy suppliers installing smart meters now in my postcode

Thanks

System

Nobby2193 wrote: »

Hi
I'm looking at changing to an energy company who supply a smart meter(s) without charge, I may then switch companies
1 Does anyone know if there is a tie in period
2 Does anyone know of a site I can use to find energy suppliers installing smart meters now in my postcode

Thanks

Hi. What particular benefit are you looking for from a smart meter? Most of the energy companies are rolling out SMETS1 smart meters; however, at the moment, these go dumb when you switch suppliers. There is no tie in period.

Sterlingtimes

If a customer has a SMETS1 Smart Meter installed by Supplier A and moves to Supplier B, will Supplier B as part of its replacement programme offer to replace the Supplier A's now dumb Smart Meter by their own Smart Meter.

Is Supplier B able to apply a charge for the replacement of a dumb Smart Meter?

Since Ovo's ill functioning Smart Meter and non functioning Smart Gateway provide no benefit, my tie-in to Ovo is tentative. I wish that I had never agreed to take the Ovo Smart Meter.

System

Sterlingtimes wrote: »

If a customer has a SMETS1 Smart Meter installed by Supplier A and moves to Supplier B, will Supplier B as part of its replacement programme offer to replace the Supplier A's now dumb Smart Meter by their own Smart Meter.

Is Supplier B able to apply a charge for the replacement of a dumb Smart Meter?

Since Ovo's ill functioning Smart Meter and non functioning Smart Gateway provide no benefit, my tie-in to Ovo is tentative. I wish that I had never agreed to take the Ovo Smart Meter.

My understanding is that the communications infrastructure is being designed from the start to use SMETS2 - compliant smart meters. Early adopters with SMETS1-compliant meters may find that their supplier comes up with a technical fudge which allows the meter to become SMETS2-compliant. Alternatively, the meter will have to be replaced under the roll-out scheme. I do not believe that there is any intention to charge the end user.

Parliamentary ECCC Report 2015

INTEROPERABILITY

14. There are two types of interoperability issues. The first type occurs when customers switch suppliers but find that their new energy provider cannot take readings from the smart meter installed by the previous supplier. The second type of interoperability involves incompatibility between the foundation phase meters (SMETS 1) and the roll-out phase meters (SMETS 2). We identified interoperability as a challenge to smart meter roll-out in 2013. Energy suppliers are responsible for installing smart meters, so when customers switch suppliers, they may also have to switch smart meters. The lack of smart meter interoperability between suppliers and SMETS 1 and SMETS 2 models may act as a deterrent to consumer engagement with smart meters, and to switching. Skanska, a company which installs and maintains smart meters, told us:

The fact that there is no truly interoperable system or standard "churn" contracts make it very difficult to obtain long term finance. This could result in a newly installed SMETS 2 meter being removed and reinstalled when a customer chooses to move to a new supplier, because there is no mechanism for the rental agreement to be transferred between suppliers. This adds an additional layer of risk to the financial markets and meter asset providers, and the potential for significant extra cost to the overall programme which will be passed onto consumers [….] It is also hugely damaging to the customer experience if, within a five year roll out period, they are subjected to the inconvenience of multiple installation visits. This acts as a disincentive to the switching behaviour which supports and improves the competitive energy market…. We believe that further Government support, in the form of a regulatory requirement that encourages an installed SMETS 2 asset's continued use would go some way to reassure investors and consumers.[20]

15. British Gas told us that because they had been "early adopters" of smart meter technology before SMETS compliancy regulations were introduced, some of their 800,000 meters, which were almost, but not fully SMETS compliant, would have to be replaced by 2020. This is an estimated 10-15 years short of their natural life expectancy and would add costs and inconvenience to customers.[21] We also heard that the DCC had yet to integrate the SMETS 1 meters into their national communications network. Jonathan Simcock, Managing Director, DCC, explained that this work had not yet been done and that the DCC expected DECC to "fire the starting gun". SMETS 2 meters on the other hand have been "designed to work with the DCC infrastructure". [22] The Government said that "interoperability is at the heart of our framework", particularly on the ability to switch suppliers.[23]

Edit:

From the July 2015 SMARTDCC Report:


we are undertaking preparatory work on a portfolio of new programmes which will maximise the number of consumers who stand to benefit from smart meters and radically change the way consumers interact with their energy supplier.

These include:
§ delivery of a programme to enrol and adopt SMETS1 meters into the DCC service;

§ introduction of a dual band communications hub which will increase the range of the Home Area Network; and

§ implementation and operation of a Centralised Registration Service which will enable delivery of reliable next-day switching; in support of this, Ofgem has developed a five- stage plan to develop a next-day switching blueprint, designed through a process of extensive collaboration with stakeholders.

[Deleted User]

A reliable supplier is Sainsburys Energy or if you would like to pay 15% more with the same supplier go to British Gas. Excellent suppliers and excellent meters. Nice monitor and you can forget about readings or meter readers banging on the door every 3 months.Plenty of people on here to dissuade you though. I ve got BGs early mk 1 smarts in and they re fine.Latest ones are better and don`t use sim cards. Absolutely no problems at all.You can request one if you would like to speed up the process as the roll out is very slow .BG are the only ones in my area ( S. Yorks ) apart from First Utility and the Ovo and Utilita who use a different meter ( Secure Liberty ) which is nt supported by the others and may cost if you switch to other suppliers.The others are all supposed to be kicking off this year.

Nobby2193

Wow
Thanks so much for the replies, its a minefield out there isn't it.
I would like to change to a smart meter for the reasons indicated ( no meter readers), and also because of the real nuisance of having to move half the under stairs cupboard each time in order to take a reading.
I am an avid user of the energy club through moneysaving expert so am getting the best deal
I think I will look at my own meter monitoring device until later in 2016 when things settle ?

[Deleted User]

Nobby2193 wrote: »

Wow
Thanks so much for the replies, its a minefield out there isn't it.
I would like to change to a smart meter for the reasons indicated ( no meter readers), and also because of the real nuisance of having to move half the under stairs cupboard each time in order to take a reading.
I am an avid user of the energy club through moneysaving expert so am getting the best deal
I think I will look at my own meter monitoring device until later in 2016 when things settle ?

Its only a minefield if you listen to such rubbish websites as "stopsmartmeters " and other paranoids worried about non existent enemies such as wifi, hacking and spys. All rubbish. BG have been installing them for 8 years.Some of the early ones may need a 30 minute swap to a later model.Things have already settled down.

System

sacsquacco wrote: »

Its only a minefield if you listen to such rubbish websites as "stopsmartmeters " and other paranoids worried about non existent enemies such as wifi, hacking and spys. All rubbish. BG have been installing them for 8 years.Some of the early ones may need a 30 minute swap to a later model.Things have already settled down.

I read a lot and, apart from claims of supporters with a vested interest (e.g.; Govt, SmartMetersGB and some energy companies), I have yet to see a single independent report in support of the wide scale rollout of smart meters. The most damning report that I have seen was issued recently by the IoD. It's conclusions were:

The IoD report highlights a number of key concerns:

Despite the EU Directive, 11 nations have ruled out electricity smart meters and only 5 are pushing ahead with the 2020 target for gas meters. In contrast, as is so often is the case, the UK has gold-plated the Directive.

The government refuses to publish any of the reports on the programme by the Major Projects Authority.

The cost-benefit analysis conducted by the Department for Energy and Climate Change is so heavily redacted as to be almost unreadable.

The Smart Meter network would be vulnerable to cyber-attack and disruption.

Introducing time-of-day pricing to shift consumer demand will only work with price increases that are not politically realistic. Retail consumers really can't change their energy consumption that much.

The report places the rollout of Smart Meters within the context of previous large-scale IT fiascos, including the infamous NHS National Programme for IT, the eBorders Programme and the BBC’s disastrous Digital Media Initiative. Furthermore, a recent survey shows that 80 per cent of IoD members rate the ability of government to manage large IT projects as “poor or very poor”.

Find me an independent report that counters the above, and I will happily read it with interest.We shouldn't forget that this roll-out isn't free. It will cost us all in excess of £12Bn.

[Deleted User]

Hengus wrote: »

I read a lot and, apart from claims of supporters with a vested interest (e.g.; Govt, SmartMetersGB and some energy companies), I have yet to see a single independent report in support of the wide scale rollout of smart meters. The most damning report that I have seen was issued recently by the IoD. It's conclusions were:

The IoD report highlights a number of key concerns:

Despite the EU Directive, 11 nations have ruled out electricity smart meters and only 5 are pushing ahead with the 2020 target for gas meters. In contrast, as is so often is the case, the UK has gold-plated the Directive.

The government refuses to publish any of the reports on the programme by the Major Projects Authority.

The cost-benefit analysis conducted by the Department for Energy and Climate Change is so heavily redacted as to be almost unreadable.

The Smart Meter network would be vulnerable to cyber-attack and disruption.

Introducing time-of-day pricing to shift consumer demand will only work with price increases that are not politically realistic. Retail consumers really can't change their energy consumption that much.

The report places the rollout of Smart Meters within the context of previous large-scale IT fiascos, including the infamous NHS National Programme for IT, the eBorders Programme and the BBC’s disastrous Digital Media Initiative. Furthermore, a recent survey shows that 80 per cent of IoD members rate the ability of government to manage large IT projects as “poor or very poor”.

Find me an independent report that counters the above, and I will happily read it with interest.We shouldn't forget that this roll-out isn't free. It will cost us all in excess of £12Bn.

And whats wrong with the vested interests of governments ? .We voted them in to govern in our best interests, not run for cover with referendums and giving us the choice about smart meters.Now you have the situation which allow those with vested interests, who certainly don t want one,the excuse not to have one so they can carry on thieving. That will be the hundreds of thousands in the UK fiddling the meters all the time, with zero fear of prosecution, zero fear of even paying for what they steal even if they get caught. At the moment they are getting away with major theft with no consequences. The suppliers wont stop them and are nt even interested in stopping them when the rest of us pick up the tab. The Liberal idiot MPs ( who are now unemployed ) allowed the vote for compulsory smart meters to fail, as it has in other countries.Its going well in many countries though and is even a huge success over in Northern Ireland. I personally dont want an energy thief dictating to me if a meter can be installed which will really make life really difficult to carry on stealing.Likewise for the even larger number of debtors and pro renters flitting from property to property.We should nt have the choice, nor should the suppliers be installing them at a snails pace,its bizarre to leave the roll out to such a motley crew of badly run, in it for quick buck, suppliers when the DNO s could whip them all in in a trice. no wonder it will probably fail.