E.ON Smart Meter Query

Exiled_Tyke

So I've now got my battery (I'll write about my experiences sometime soon) and was looking for a new tariff for my new levels of expected Electricity useage. I've found the tariff of my dreams as it has a low daily charge but only after signing up have found that I have to agree to a Smart Meter if they can fit one.

Now this worries me. I see that the equipment used to monitor electricity use is wired into the current meter and it's doing an excellent job as the set up is very responsive. I've not imported a single unit since it was fitted nor does the battery appear to be exporting to the grid.

With my current set up - two sets of PV panels - one with FIT payments the other not and the battery, I'm concerned that they will attempt to fit a smart meter which then prevents everything working smoothly and it will cost me more to sort out than I'll save. I note the EDF has a tariff (not quite as good) where it says they will off you a smart meter but you can refuse. I'm wondering whether to cut my losses and go to this instead.

Does any one have any experiences, or advice to share?

Thanks

mmmmikey

No experience to share but I suspect you'll need a smart meter sooner or later to take advantage of the best tarriffs so if it was me I'd bite the bullet and get one now. I'm waiting for my EDF smart meter to be installed.

I did have much the same worries as you but after extensive questions and checking concluded that the early issues with smart meters have been ironed out with the SMETS2 meters and were quite possibily overstated. Having said that, no doubt there are lots of people with horror stories about what's gone wrong, but keep in mind there are also lots of people who think smoking is harmless because their grandad smoked every day and he lived until he was 103 (which, in their mind, proves it). If you're one of the thousands of people who had a problem with a smart meter then you've got something to say about it but if you're one of the millions of people who had one installed and it just worked then there's no story to tell.

As far as your setup is concerned, a smart meter is ultimately just a meter and will be a straight swap for your existing one so I can see no reason it will have any technical impact on your equipment. There may be contractual issues at some point around export payments, but that would be a discussion between you and your FIT provider.

I'm certainly not commenting on the politics of the smart meter roll out as emotions run high on that one!

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Exiled_Tyke wrote: »

So I've now got my battery (I'll write about my experiences sometime soon) and was looking for a new tariff for my new levels of expected Electricity useage. I've found the tariff of my dreams as it has a low daily charge but only after signing up have found that I have to agree to a Smart Meter if they can fit one.

Now this worries me. I see that the equipment used to monitor electricity use is wired into the current meter and it's doing an excellent job as the set up is very responsive. I've not imported a single unit since it was fitted nor does the battery appear to be exporting to the grid.

With my current set up - two sets of PV panels - one with FIT payments the other not and the battery, I'm concerned that they will attempt to fit a smart meter which then prevents everything working smoothly and it will cost me more to sort out than I'll save. I note the EDF has a tariff (not quite as good) where it says they will off you a smart meter but you can refuse. I'm wondering whether to cut my losses and go to this instead.

Does any one have any experiences, or advice to share?

Thanks

Hello Exiled Tyke and I'm glad you've found a tariff you like.

Is this one of our Fix Online tariffs? If it is, you've only agreed to be contacted about smart meters. These meters are optional and you're free to turn down our offers to fit them and stay on Fix Online. This is in our T&Cs ( section 11.1) which says as below.

With this tariff you agree to be contacted during the tariff term for the installation of a smart meter.

If we were to fit a smart meter, it would be a like for like replacement of the existing meter and set up as now.

Hope this explains Exiled Tyke.

Malc

Exiled_Tyke

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc wrote: »

Hello Exiled Tyke and I'm glad you've found a tariff you like.

Is this one of our Fix Online tariffs? If it is, you've only agreed to be contacted about smart meters. These meters are optional and you're free to turn down our offers to fit them and stay on Fix Online. This is in our T&Cs ( section 11.1) which says as below.

With this tariff you agree to be contacted during the tariff term for the installation of a smart meter.



If we were to fit a smart meter, it would be a like for like replacement of the existing meter and set up as now.

Hope this explains Exiled Tyke.

Malc

This is very helpful thanks. This is Fix Online Exclusive v7.

The email says this:

We'll be in touch to check your home is suitable to fit smart meters. If it is, we'll book you an appointment and once fitted, we'll leave you with an in-home display so you can take control of the energy you're using.

Which seems to imply that I don't have a choice. Anyway all should be good (I hope) and I'll let you know should I run into any issues.

Thanks again for your help

Reed_Richards

Without a Smart Meter you tell your tariff provider how much electricity you have generated and then they estimate how much you have exported (at 50% of generation). With a Smart Meter your tariff provider can tell how much energy you have actually exported so they might use that figure rather than 50% of generation. You might or might not benefit financially from that. But I think the "might not" possibility has been a concern for some.

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Exiled_Tyke wrote: »

This is very helpful thanks. This is Fix Online Exclusive v7.

The email says this:

We'll be in touch to check your home is suitable to fit smart meters. If it is, we'll book you an appointment and once fitted, we'll leave you with an in-home display so you can take control of the energy you're using.

Which seems to imply that I don't have a choice. Anyway all should be good (I hope) and I'll let you know should I run into any issues.

Thanks again for your help

Happy to help Exiled Tyke and, yes, Fix Online Exclusive v7 is part of what I was talking about earlier.

With this tariff you only agree to be contacted about smart meters and can turn these offers down if you wish. You definitely have a choice.

Let me know if you need any more details Exiled Tyke as happy to help.

Malc

1961Nick

Reed_Richards wrote: »

Without a Smart Meter you tell your tariff provider how much electricity you have generated and then they estimate how much you have exported (at 50% of generation). With a Smart Meter your tariff provider can tell how much energy you have actually exported so they might use that figure rather than 50% of generation. You might or might not benefit financially from that. But I think the "might not" possibility has been a concern for some.

If this is of concern, it may help to use a different company for your FIT. That way they wouldn't know that you've had a smart meter fitted & probably wouldn't have any interest in finding out anyway.

pinnks

Unless EOn has changed its policy it does not use smart meter data for FiT export purposes as the meters are not calibrated. So, as an EOn customer with or without a smart meter you get the deemed 50% export.

I have changed EOn tariffs a few times since they added those terms to their offerings and have not yet been contacted about a smart meter - long may that remain the case... While I accept that we may all get smart meters at some point, the longer one waits the more advanced the technology will be when that (evil) day comes.:beer:

Zarch

pinnks wrote: »

Unless EOn has changed its policy it does not use smart meter data for FiT export purposes as the meters are not calibrated. So, as an EOn customer with or without a smart meter you get the deemed 50% export.

I have changed EOn tariffs a few times since they added those terms to their offerings and have not yet been contacted about a smart meter - long may that remain the case... While I accept that we may all get smart meters at some point, the longer one waits the more advanced the technology will be when that (evil) day comes.:beer:

Just to chime in here. The newest SMETS2 meter i've now got from Octopus does register and totalise both import and export.

That's how they do their export tariffs..... as well as their 30 min dynamic pricing Agile tariffs for both import and export.

I also believe the version of SMETS1 they use also does import and export.

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

pinnks wrote: »

Unless EOn has changed its policy it does not use smart meter data for FiT export purposes as the meters are not calibrated. So, as an EOn customer with or without a smart meter you get the deemed 50% export.

I have changed EOn tariffs a few times since they added those terms to their offerings and have not yet been contacted about a smart meter - long may that remain the case... While I accept that we may all get smart meters at some point, the longer one waits the more advanced the technology will be when that (evil) day comes.:beer:

You're right pinnks. The policy hasn't changed. We're not using smart meter data for export purposes. Where our FIT customers don't have an export meter, we still deem the amount of electricity exported.

Malc