Energy news in general

MattMattMattUK

The sooner that smart meters are made compulsory the better, combined with proper enforcement of paying of bills. It is not a sustainable position that people can refuse to pay bills for years, rack up thousands in debts and escape enforcement. 

Gerry1

The_Green_Hornet said:

Prepayment fears delaying smart meter roll-out, warn MPs

Customers' fears that they could be forcibly switched on to prepayment energy meters may be putting people off getting smart meters, MPs have warned.

Last winter smart meters were used to switch some households remotely on to prepayment meters, leaving them at risk of running out of power.

That is one reason smart meter roll-out remains "too slow", the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said.

Prepayment fears delaying smart meter roll-out, warn MPs - BBC News

https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cmselect/cmpubacc/1332/report.html

The_Green_Hornet

Gerry1 said:

The_Green_Hornet said:

Prepayment fears delaying smart meter roll-out, warn MPs

Customers' fears that they could be forcibly switched on to prepayment energy meters may be putting people off getting smart meters, MPs have warned.

Last winter smart meters were used to switch some households remotely on to prepayment meters, leaving them at risk of running out of power.

That is one reason smart meter roll-out remains "too slow", the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said.

Prepayment fears delaying smart meter roll-out, warn MPs - BBC News

https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cmselect/cmpubacc/1332/report.html

One thing you can say about the Public Accounts Committee, they never hold back in their criticism of the government.

From their report:

1. Progress rolling out smart meters is too slow and the Department has not done enough to ensure consumers are convinced of their benefits

2. We are concerned that smart meters are not achieving the consumer benefits they are supposed to and are benefitting certain, often wealthier, consumers more than others.

3. The Department has limited understanding of why smart meter coverage is lower in some areas—particularly London, rural and remote areas—compared to others.

4. Ofgem risks neglecting the importance of consumer engagement and behaviour change by focusing on penalising suppliers for missing targets

5. Too many smart meters are not fully functioning and millions more will be impacted when the 2G and 3G mobile communication networks close.

6. The smart meters programme has been going for more than a decade and it is not clear how the Department takes important decisions relating to its future, including how it will decide when to bring the Programme to a close.

Ouch!

MattMattMattUK

I suspect that after the next election there will be some serious changes. Mandatory smart meters, rollout by area and region and aiming to get it done within a few years. 

The_Green_Hornet said:

2. We are concerned that smart meters are not achieving the consumer benefits they are supposed to and are benefitting certain, often wealthier, consumers more than others.

Smart meters benefit anyone who uses them to minimise their energy consumption, or chooses to take advantage of ToU tariffs etc. I do not really see that as benefitting wealthier consumers, so much as benefitting those who choose to make the most of ToU tariffs. 

arnoldy

MattMattMattUK said:

The sooner that smart meters are made compulsory the better, combined with proper enforcement of paying of bills. It is not a sustainable position that people can refuse to pay bills for years, rack up thousands in debts and escape enforcement. 

I do think it is time to stop all the social experiments with energy. If you use it you pay for it no ifs and buts. The recent hand wringing about prepayment meters was a green light for many not to pay their bills. £3,000 million pounds worth of unpaid bills now in fact - so big that OFGEM is now expecting decent hardworking folk to pay for those who dont pay with extra ££s on their bills (oh and that's on top of all the money we have to pay for Warm Front, Social Tariffs and freebies, which most of us can't get). NOT on. Reward the ordinary grafter not make them pay for all the hangers on.

franksidebottom

arnoldy said:

MattMattMattUK said:

The sooner that smart meters are made compulsory the better, combined with proper enforcement of paying of bills. It is not a sustainable position that people can refuse to pay bills for years, rack up thousands in debts and escape enforcement. 

I do think it is time to stop all the social experiments with energy. If you use it you pay for it no ifs and buts. The recent hand wringing about prepayment meters was a green light for many not to pay their bills. £3,000 million pounds worth of unpaid bills now in fact - so big that OFGEM is now expecting decent hardworking folk to pay for those who dont pay with extra ££s on their bills (oh and that's on top of all the money we have to pay for Warm Front, Social Tariffs and freebies, which most of us can't get). NOT on. Reward the ordinary grafter not make them pay for all the hangers on.

Wow. Just wow.

QrizB

franksidebottom said:

arnoldy said:

MattMattMattUK said:

The sooner that smart meters are made compulsory the better, combined with proper enforcement of paying of bills. It is not a sustainable position that people can refuse to pay bills for years, rack up thousands in debts and escape enforcement. 

I do think it is time to stop all the social experiments with energy. If you use it you pay for it no ifs and buts. The recent hand wringing about prepayment meters was a green light for many not to pay their bills. £3,000 million pounds worth of unpaid bills now in fact - so big that OFGEM is now expecting decent hardworking folk to pay for those who dont pay with extra ££s on their bills (oh and that's on top of all the money we have to pay for Warm Front, Social Tariffs and freebies, which most of us can't get). NOT on. Reward the ordinary grafter not make them pay for all the hangers on.

Wow. Just wow.

Wow at the idea of paying for energy?

Or wow at the thought that some people don't?

dealyboy

QrizB said:

franksidebottom said:

arnoldy said:

MattMattMattUK said:

The sooner that smart meters are made compulsory the better, combined with proper enforcement of paying of bills. It is not a sustainable position that people can refuse to pay bills for years, rack up thousands in debts and escape enforcement. 

I do think it is time to stop all the social experiments with energy. If you use it you pay for it no ifs and buts. The recent hand wringing about prepayment meters was a green light for many not to pay their bills. £3,000 million pounds worth of unpaid bills now in fact - so big that OFGEM is now expecting decent hardworking folk to pay for those who dont pay with extra ££s on their bills (oh and that's on top of all the money we have to pay for Warm Front, Social Tariffs and freebies, which most of us can't get). NOT on. Reward the ordinary grafter not make them pay for all the hangers on.

Wow. Just wow.

Wow at the idea of paying for energy?

Or wow at the thought that some people don't?

... I think he was in the middle of playing a game ... 

Chris_b2z

arnoldy said:

Reward the ordinary grafter not make them pay for all the hangers on.

Perhaps OFGEM expects the ordinary grafter to invest in energy companies. Centrica alone made nearly £2bn profit just in the first 6 months of this year and handed out generous dividends to their shareholders. The value of Centrica shares have increased 133% over the past year.

michaels

Chris_b2z said:

arnoldy said:

Reward the ordinary grafter not make them pay for all the hangers on.

Perhaps OFGEM expects the ordinary grafter to invest in energy companies. Centrica alone made nearly £2bn profit just in the first 6 months of this year and handed out generous dividends to their shareholders. The value of Centrica shares have increased 133% over the past year.

Is that a lot for a business of that size in a cyclical market?  How many businesses (jobs and incomes) would we have in the UK if we banned profits?  And of course those 'shareholders' are yours and my compulsory pension funds (unless you get a gold plated govt pension), would you rather your pension investment lost money every year?