MSE Poll: Energy smart meters – Great tech or a pain in the neck?

dude87

The purpose of Smart meters is to integrate with the 'smart grid', and together they have the purpose of smoothing demand for energy over a 24 hour period.  This is because UK energy production in winter is predicted to barely cover the demand in the medium term, and because 'renewable' energy sources are very spiky (the sun does not always shine, the wind does not always blow, especially in winter).  Demand would be smoothed by a pricing and even a with-holding strategy - i.e.  peak hours would be priced more to shift demand to off-peak (like the old 'Economy-7' system).  Smart meters would even with-hold supply altogether if supply cannot meet the demand temporarily, in order to ensure hospitals etc can function.

1961templar

Energy smart meters are nothing but trouble. I had smart meters installed by Bulb which never worked. Moved to eon and now find I am getting estimated bills based on readings from the old meters before the new smart meters were installed! This seems like a nightmare which will take a lot of time and effort to resolve. Anything involving the government and technology is cursed. Technological understanding within government is woeful. Anyone considering a smart meter do yourself a favour and forget it!

miller

EDF seem to have got wise to my strategy to avoid smart meter installation (firms I don't need to talk to get the number of a "burner" phone which sits in my drawer on silent - it's remarkable how many times they have tried calling). The T&Cs on their new contract states this must be done within 3 months otherwise you'll revert to a standard tariff. Main concern is they don't state whether its a SMETS1 or SMETS2 meter being offered (which seems justified given the comments on here already about switching).

chrismo206

In April 2019 I  was told by my supplier E.On that I needed an end of life replacement for my electric meter, so inevitably, despite my reluctance, that was going to mean a smart one, and it made sense to change the gas meter at the same time. When booking the visit, I was assured that as I am south of Manchester - just, I live in Sheffield - they would be installing meters to the newer standard, ones that still work after you change energy suppliers. Come the day, the engineer had got mark 1 not mark 2 units: even Chesterfield was classed as north. As for being end of life, my gas meter was older. What was I going to do, reject the new meters? So I have them, and the monitor unit lives in its unopened box on top of the bookcase. I have not tried changing supplier yet.

PeterM42

As an IT Consultant, it strikes me that this is a badly thought-through scheme (if, indeed, it was thought through!)

As we all know, no provision was made for switching suppliers.  Benefits to the consumer are marginal at best.

The cost are HORRENDOUS.  The savings MINIMAL (if any).  No indication has been given on proveable savings forecast.

The scheme smacks of someone making a lot of money at consumers' expense.

EMair

I've had enormous gas bills since moving to British Gas in November from having a smart meter from another company. My gas readings are already in KWh and they have been converting this using a calorific value to a massive number of KWh. I have been contacting them since the 1st April both by phone and contact forms and the issue still has not been fixed. They now owe me a lot of money.
By the way their online contact forms and their contact forms on their app do not get a response other than an acknowledgement that the message has been received with a ref number. 
I haven't changed to their smart meters because of Covid but instead I will be changing companies as soon as I am out of contract. Now having to take the matter to the ombudsman.

YorksLass

I don't have, nor do I want, Smart meters.  My current ones work just fine and I don't find it a hassle at all to take my own readings once a month and submit them online.  What I do find annoying is being contacted by my supplier at frequent intervals exhorting me to have them and me constantly having to point out that they are NOT compulsory (yet).  However, it does seem energy companies are using a back-door approach as it seems, if you want to take advantage of a good deal, then you have to agree to have them installed within 3 months of beginning a new contract.  I know energy suppliers have been set targets by the Government, but surely this approach can't be right?

Insp55

Moved here a year ago and inherited Utility Warehouse smart meters. Changed supplier twice since then and they aren't smart. To read the gas meter you have to press 9 and then wait for the display to change twice... and you have to be alert (we are all lerts now) because it then changes again just when you get the camera in place! To read the electricity meter you have to press 6 three times and then wait for the display to change. What? Why? I have no idea what the other information displayed is, and I can't see why anyone would want to know.
I'd be happy to have smart meters if I could lock them away and forget about them.

The_Green_Hornet

I'm more than happy to have smart meters but only when my existing meters come to the end of their life as I see no point in wasting money replacing working meters.

Thisishopeless

I've had a smart meter several years now, with the older technology, and have had no issue when moving supplier. Goes 'dumb' for a week or so then works with new supplier. I probably have more use for it than others because I use PV (photo voltic) from the roof and my wife and I can easily see (it shows a negative value) when we're generating enough electricity to make it worthwhile using energy intensive appliances remembering that even on a cloudy day we can still produce a considerable amount of electricity. I'm certain it's saving on pollution because you don't need legions of meter readers running around in vehicles as we did in the past and if you assume they are on say £20000 a year plus other associated costs such as vehicle purchase, service, sick pay, supervision, electronic equipment to efficiently download meter readings and maintenance costs of said equipment, etc, etc, it perhaps costs between £35 to 40000 per meter reader! There is considerable savings to be had going foreword. I know that a large number of people can send in their own readings, but this does not apply to all. Also with the 'old' meters a periodic meter reading check is required to detect any abuse or mistakes when forwarding your own readings. Meters will still need to be checked, I think it's every two years at present, for safety, damage, tampering, wear and tear, etc. The initial financial savings to the company while perhaps not a lot when when you factor in cost of installation, over the longer term will provide financial savings by reducing workforce/outsourcing. I also think that anything that removes traffic from the road is also a good thing. I also appreciate that the initial savings, if any, for most households is negligible, although if it focuses the mind by showing when you waste most energy and apportioning blame to the household member involved, be it gas or electricity then this might be a good thing! This is more than any monetary saving for the individual, it's also about reducing indirectly our impact on the environment and removing a few vehicles from the road does just that.
Rich