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Smart Meters mandatory on new fixed term deals
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I have a very logical reason for not having a smart meter, we don't have mains gas so they would only be 50% effective, and we only spend £25 a month on electricity and are well in credit with that, so I doubt we would be able to save anything.
Smart Meters are not about saving money, the idea is that they automatically report their usage to the electricy company so you don't have to take regular readings and submit them yourself. So if you have an electric smart meter you don't have to provide any meter readings again just like you don't have to with your gas.
They will also allow the national grid consumption to be monitored better and allow electricity to be generated more efficiently based on the current demand.0 -
Smart Meters are not about saving money, the idea is that they automatically report their usage to the electricy company so you don't have to take regular readings and submit them yourself. So if you have an electric smart meter you don't have to provide any meter readings again just like you don't have to with your gas.
They will also allow the national grid consumption to be monitored better and allow electricity to be generated more efficiently based on the current demand.
Not to mention to enable differential pricing and remote disconnection - both to accommodate the inability of 'Green' energy sources, which are inherently unreliable, to provide a reliable supply.0 -
They will also allow the national grid consumption to be monitored better and allow various nudge / enforcement action plans such as Time of Use tariffs, Load Limiting and Load Shedding to restrict the demand to the available generating capacity and / or the Climate Change CO2 emissions targets.They will also allow the national grid consumption to be monitored better and allow electricity to be generated more efficiently based on the current demand.
FTFY !
Update: Hadn't seen A Badger's post. Telepathy at work...0 -
Not to mention to enable differential pricing and remote disconnection - both to accommodate the inability of 'Green' energy sources, which are inherently unreliable, to provide a reliable supply.They will also allow the national grid consumption to be monitored better and allow various nudge / enforcement action plans such as Time of Use tariffs, Load Limiting and Load Shedding to restrict the demand to the available generating capacity and / or the Climate Change CO2 emissions targets.
FTFY !
Update: Hadn't seen A Badger's post. Telepathy at work...
Ok let's say they start to implement time of use tariffs and load limiting etc. Then people will be annoyed by this and all move to a smaller energy company that doesn't do this.
But let's say they all decide to do this. Well then people who refuse smart meters will be put on very expensive tariffs to take into account of the fact they can use electricy at will at the most expensive times for smart meter tariffs.
Personally I don't think load limiting will be implemented and time of use tariffs will be similar to economy 7 and can work out cheaper for people who think about their electricity usage and only penalise people who don't.
But if theh do want to enforce these strict unpopular tariffs your very naive if you think that by refusing a smart meter you will get a better deal.0 -
Well, as a refusenik at least my lights will stay on and the central heating will keep going! The naïve people are those that think that this shambolic project is really all about spending £475 per household to save perhaps just £11 per year that won't even be noticed.But if they do want to enforce these strict unpopular tariffs you're very naive if you think that by refusing a smart meter you will get a better deal.
Do you honestly believe that's the real reason and that it makes any sort of financial sense? :huh:0 -
E.ON were a joke with my mother's supply. They insisted on swapping an Economy 10 meter for a smart meter upon threat of a swinging increase via a standard tariff if the existing meter was not changed (something like +70% I recall), but then they left it until they came out for a pre-install survey to tell us there was no adequate mobile phone signal in the area and the new meter would not be a smart meter. I asked why change it then? We no longer support the tariff on that meter they said. But you will support Economy 7 or Economy 10 on a new meter which is not a smart meter? Yes. But the Economy 10 on the new meter will cost about 35% more, and the Economy 7 about 25% more than existing? Yes.But if theh do want to enforce these strict unpopular tariffs your very naive if you think that by refusing a smart meter you will get a better deal.0 -
Well, as a refusenik at least my lights will stay on and the central heating will keep going! The naïve people are those that think that this shambolic project is really all about spending £475 per household to save perhaps just £11 per year that won't even be noticed.
Do you honestly believe that's the real reason and that it makes any sort of financial sense? :huh:
No like i said above smart meters are not about saving money. There are two main reasons they want people to have one:
1) Having a smart meter in everyone's home will mean we have a smart electricity grid and will allow the supply and demand to be better regulated making it more efficient.
2) Energy suppliers will be not need to send meter readings or request readings from customers so this will save them a lot of hassle in disputed bills and miss payments when people build up large debts by underpaying and not realising.
Energy companies make money by selling electricity and gas and the more they sell the more money they make. So it's frankly ridiculous that people think they want to use smart meters to cut people off and limit the amount of load at certain times which will mean they sell less electricity.0 -
peterbaker wrote: »E.ON were a joke with my mother's supply. They insisted on swapping an Economy 10 meter for a smart meter upon threat of a swinging increase via a standard tariff if the existing meter was not changed (something like +70% I recall), but then they left it until they came out for a pre-install survey to tell us there was no adequate mobile phone signal in the area and the new meter would not be a smart meter. I asked why change it then? We no longer support the tariff on that meter they said. But you will support Economy 7 or Economy 10 on a new meter which is not a smart meter? Yes. But the Economy 10 on the new meter will cost about 35% more, and the Economy 7 about 25% more than existing? Yes.
Exactly the point i'm making; if one or all of the big 6 decide to increase their prices then people can move to a smaller and cheaper supplier which i'm sure that is what your mother did.0 -
Not yet, I am not sure the new (not smart) meter is in yet. E.ON Chief Executive Office complaints were insistent on a deadline and in fact I think have already increased the charges by around +70% whilst I have been complaining. THey would not budge an inch and I found them like robots with no guilt whatever for sticking it to a 90 year old who has been 100% loyal to the same company for over 60 years in the same house. So I said well obviously my only question to you now is what's my best move to be able to move to a competitor and get a much better deal. They told me that I'd need to change the meter in order to get the widest selection of alternative deals.Exactly the point i'm making; if one or all of the big 6 decide to increase their prices then people can move to a smaller and cheaper supplier which i'm sure that is what your mother did.
I can't use the words here that I reserve for that type of customer service.0 -
Energy companies make money by selling electricity and gas and the more they sell the more money they make. So it's frankly ridiculous that people think they want to use smart meters to cut people off and limit the amount of load at certain times which will mean they sell less electricity.
What is 'frankly ridiculous' is your refusal to admit what has been published time and time again as one of the industry's long term aims in getting the government to force these devices onto consumers.
Do you have shares in a 'smart meter' manufacturer?0
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