Can I be forced to have a smart meter?

Heedtheadvice

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81893079#Comment_81893079

...and your point is?

silverwhistle

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81895208#Comment_81895208

Yes, seems a very reassuring reply to me.

I know some people haven't had the best of experiences with smart meters, but when they work they do open up opportunities and I wouldn't be without mine. Today I've been doing lots of stuff at 4/5/6p a unit after a rather expensive average cost last bill of 18.86p per unit, but most of the year my average has been a lot less, down to 7p~ and often around 10-12p.

If that unit price doesn't mean much to some of you check your bill to see what you are paying.

Kinotine

With the recent story claiming heat pump use is set to be rationed at times of energy shortage can it be confirmed if electricity rationing can be applied by both SMETS1 and SMETS2 smart meters?

What control functions exist to apply power consumption limiting?

Are they applied invividually to households of over wider areas?

When will SMART meters have to be updated as all comms are migrated to the 4G network?

TroubledTarts

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82075893#Comment_82075893

Please quote your source.

QrizB

With the recent story claiming heat pump use is set to be rationed at times of energy shortage

What story, exactly?

I'll note that a heat pump draws less power than storage heaters or an electric cooker, and most heat pumps draw less power than an immersion heater. Some heat pumps can heat a home while drawung less power than a kettle or toaster.

debitcardmayhem

Forum not letting me quote @TroubledTarts but I would guess it's a story in yesterday's Torygraph (nor can i quote @QrizB )

Edit: behind paywall but https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/net-zero/heat-pumps-will-push-up-energy-bills-labour-report-finds/?recomm_id=32464399-116a-47c0-8272-f84ca128a38e

prowla

On this subject, I put off having a smart meter for a long time, simply because I didn't see the point and didn't want the disruption of installing one.

However, I had one installed a couple of years ago and now have a solar setup; I can see my usage and export on an hourly/daily/weekly/monthly basis and monitor my bills and monthly payment amount.

Overall, it's a positive experience for me.

Reed_Richards

What control functions exist to apply power consumption limiting?

I have lived through times of energy (electricity) shortage and rationing. The "solution" was to turn off the power to entire areas at a pre-announced time for a pre-announced period of time. I very much doubt that smart meters allow for any more sophisticated control.

It is certainly technically possible to use a high-power solid-state relay to limit power, although incorporating one into a smart meter would push-up the cost of the meter. I do not beleive such power control functions exist in smart meters; they are certainly not documented and it's difficult to see how they would be implemented. Even if such controls were there, I don't think that supply companies have the manpower to apply controls on an individual basis. And typically smart meters only communicate once a day. If power control was possible, and I don't think smart meters can do this, then the best you could hope to achieve would be to limit everyone to, say, 2.5 kW.

When will SMART meters have to be updated as all comms are migrated to the 4G network?

The deadline for finishing this is 2033. But in the north of England and Scotland, almost all smart meters use Long Range Radio, not 4G. If you already have a SMETS2 meter, it may be that only the comms hub, the top section of the smart meter, will be replaced.

QrizB

Thanks @debitcardmayhem !

Here's an archive of the Telegraph article:

https://archive.is/Ytwgp

There's nothing in that article about rationing if electricity, and the headline - that heat pumps will "push up energy bills" - is also not supported by the text of the article.

The "rationing" story probably came from this GBeebies article which includes contributions from all the usual rentaquote commenters:

https://www.gbnews.com/money/ed-miliband-heat-pump-plans-net-zero

The Smart Secure Electricity Systems scheme, which is currently under consultation, would allow licensed providers including Octopus Energy and British Gas to dial down heat pump systems via internet connections during periods of peak electricity demand.

That's nothing to do with smart meters, but seems to be aimed at extending opt-in deals like Octopus Saving Sessions to let you allow your energy supplier to control the power drawn by your heat pump or EV charge point and help balance the grid.

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consultation/smart-secure-electricity-systems-implementing-load-control-licensing-regime

Politics aside, I don't know why aconsultation from late 2025 is now considered newsworthy but it's a potential moneysaving opportunity for consumers that needs watching.

Kinotine

I think I found the answer using an AI query but the essential point is the consumer must agree first and I certainly will not be agreeing to any such arrangement.

• Load Control: Suppliers can manage demand via an Auxiliary Load Control Switch (ALCS) within the meter or through HAN-based commands to remote switches, provided the customer has agreed to the arrangement. 

The Auxiliary Load Control Switch (ALCS) is a relay integrated directly within SMETS2 electricity smart meters (specifically 5-terminal models) designed to independently control a secondary electrical circuit, such as storage heaters, heat pumps, or electric vehicle chargers.

Function and Operation

The ALCS acts as a physically separate switch inside the meter that can turn power to connected appliances on or off without affecting the main household supply. It operates based on two primary mechanisms:

• Scheduled Control: A calendar programmed into the meter dictates switching times, functioning similarly to traditional Economy 7 meters to provide off-peak power to specific loads.
• Ad Hoc Commands: Subject to consumer agreement, energy suppliers can send remote commands via the Data and Communications Company (DCC) network to switch the load dynamically. This allows the grid to respond to real-time conditions, such as excess renewable generation or system emergencies.

Technical Specifications

• Capacity: The internal relay is typically rated for 240V at 2A, sufficient to trigger external contactors for high-load devices.
• Synchronization: The ALCS operates in tandem with the meter's tariff registers but relies on a separate configuration table. If these tables become desynchronized, appliances may fail to activate during off-peak periods even if the tariff recording is correct.
• Randomized Offset: To prevent grid instability caused by simultaneous switching across millions of homes, the ALCS activation includes a randomized delay (usually under 10 minutes) relative to the scheduled start time.

ALCS vs. HCALCS

While the ALCS is hardwired inside the meter, the Home Area Network Connected Auxiliary Load Control Switch (HCALCS) is an external device that communicates wirelessly via the ZigBee Home Area Network. Both provide similar load control capabilities, but the HCALCS offers greater flexibility for retrofitting devices like EV chargers without requiring a specific 5-terminal meter.