Meter not compatible for switch

Raxiel

David_RC wrote: »

I believe you can insist BG take the smart meter away and install a standard meter since to refuse blocks your access to some competitive offers from competing suppliers. I think there is a time limit on this reversal option so you may be out of time to try this.
I had npower visit today to convert my gas and electricity to smart meters. They went away having failed, since there's no mobile phone signal at my meter cupboard. If they had asked before visiting I could have saved them a trip.
The real reason the rush to smart meters is in full flood his not openly discussed much. When pricing can be adjusted on a minute-by-minute basis using smart meters then time-differential pricing will be introduced. This will allow massive savings by lowering the installed generation capacity needed to meet peak demand, since the hope is that people will avoid the 6-8pm usage peak by adjusting behaviour.
Incidentally the use of mobile phone signals is old technology. It is perfectly possible to use the existing mains supply cabling to send meter signals to the power supplier, but vested interests steered the decision away from the one that would have benefitted the consumer the most.

I'm not saying you're wrong about the time of use billing part, but it won't be to reduce generating capacity, it will be to make up for the inevitable shortfall resulting from years of underinvestment in generation, leaving us with ageing plants due to be shut down and no real plan to replace them.

No one wants to front the significant cost of new nuclear (Hinckley C an exception - though with a generous strike price), no one wants coal, and gas - the only real option for baseline load right now - is vulnerable to the whims of Tzar Putin. Renewables can fill some of the gap, but we need a coherent plan.