why are energy companies pushing smart meters? what's the catch??

YorksLass

savers_united said

I personally don't see any issue with them, and struggle to understand people's resistance to having one fitted. 

The only people I guess who would be resisting an install are those who are maybe wanting to hide something.

No, I'm not wanting to hide anything, I'm exercising my choice to not have one just as others actively choose to have one.

Smart meters could highlight to some people what their actual usage is compared with their perceived usage.  If "actual" is more than "perceived" then they need to take the appropriate action to rectify the problem - the smart meter won't do it for them!  We're well aware of how much gas/electricity we use (as little as possible ) and, like the OP, we're very much on top of our finances/budgets so don't believe they would benefit us.  And no, I don't mind sending my own readings.

savers_united

YorksLass said:

savers_united said

I personally don't see any issue with them, and struggle to understand people's resistance to having one fitted. 

The only people I guess who would be resisting an install are those who are maybe wanting to hide something.

No, I'm not wanting to hide anything, I'm exercising my choice to not have one just as others actively choose to have one.

Smart meters could highlight to some people what their actual usage is compared with their perceived usage.  If "actual" is more than "perceived" then they need to take the appropriate action to rectify the problem - the smart meter won't do it for them!  We're well aware of how much gas/electricity we use (as little as possible ) and, like the OP, we're very much on top of our finances/budgets so don't believe they would benefit us.  And no, I don't mind sending my own readings.

There some posts on here of individuals who have knowingly signed up to a tariff that as part of the terms are required to have a smart meter fitted and are going out of their way to avoid doing this. So it's not so much a choice they have opted for a tariff where they know the supplier is going to be wanting to Install a smart meter. 

In your case like me you do have a choice, I held off until 6 months ago to get one fitted now we have SMET 2 meters and most of the early problems have been addressed.

Getting an EV was my main driver, but have recently been told that once we come out of this crisis only those with smart meters will have access to decent priced tariffs, it will not be terms to have one fitted, it will be a case of having one fitted before you can sign up. 

With less suppliers in general and all trying to recoup their losses they will need to hit their smart meter install targets, so I did not want to be waiting months on a higher priced tariff for an install when the rush starts. 

Each to their own, I would always submit my readings each month and keep on top of my energy use, so a smart meter did not really offer me much, but I am now future proofed and able to get access to a wider range of time of use tariffs, including free hours of electric from time to time. 

Astria

One other big reason they might be pushing smart meters is power factor - traditional meters are measure in kWh, where as smart meters can also measure in kVAh, and I'd expect some newer tariffs to switch to this in the future, which might bring higher bills to some people even though they are still using the same amount of (apparent) power.

tghe-retford

Verdigris said:

I really don't see the issue with limiting the hours that a car charger can operate.

It is not necessarily national/regional demand that is the problem, it is the physical limits of local infrastructure.

Imagine a cul-de-sac with, say, 20 houses, that have been quite adequately served by their supply cable since they were built. Now imagine them, in a few years time, where they all have at least one car to charge overnight. If they all started to charge on the stroke of "Octopus Go" the supply cable would probably melt! (or more hopefully blow a fuse/trip somewhere) Smart meters in an area are all connected by a WAN, so will be capable of sharing out the charging by putting a limit on the number of cars connected at once, but sharing it about until all are charged.

Or we could dig up and replace huge amounts of cabling just to meet short periods of peak loading.

Which is the more rational approach?

What about a third option? The people in the cul-de-sac do not own an electric car but rent one on demand? The cars are available upon request and charge/maintained during downtime when demand is quiet in compounds with upgraded charging capability? Would solve the problems of limiting charging capability if everyone charges at once, melting cables and other issues, particularly with terraced and flat residents without off street parking. Because unless we have a maximum five minute charging network that can rival filling a car with fuel, it ain't practical for many people.

Though drivers will protest the idea of not owning their car.

YorksLass

savers_united said

Getting an EV was my main driver, but have recently been told that once we come out of this crisis only those with smart meters will have access to decent priced tariffs, it will not be terms to have one fitted, it will be a case of having one fitted before you can sign up. 

With less suppliers in general and all trying to recoup their losses they will need to hit their smart meter install targets, so I did not want to be waiting months on a higher priced tariff for an install when the rush starts. 

Each to their own, I would always submit my readings each month and keep on top of my energy use, so a smart meter did not really offer me much, but I am now future proofed and able to get access to a wider range of time of use tariffs, including free hours of electric from time to time. 

Point taken and fully understand your reasons for getting a smart meter.  We don't drive so we're only concentrating on what we use around the house, but you're right about energy suppliers (those that are left) - they will all be trying to recoup their losses as well as coping with increasing wholesale prices.  It is what it is, I guess.

wild666

Water meters are a similar thing.  We asked for one but again not possible due to type of build.  In this instance, we now have an assessed bill (i.e. we are billed as if we did have one and our water usage is assessed on what the water company thinks we likely use - two people in a flat).  Perhaps not as cheap as having a meter but still saves us around £20-£25 per month.

My water meter was installed near the stop tap in my flat, IMO this is where all water meters should be fitted. 

Verdigris

My water meter was installed near the stop tap in my flat, IMO this is where all water meters should be fitted.

The water companies don't like it. They are liable for all the pipework on the supply side, so prefer to have the meter as near the property boundary as possible.

wittynamegoeshere

There's already a 135-page "Smart Meters" thread here...

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5736826/smart-meters/p1

I'm pretty sure that every illogical uninformed boring conspiracy theory has already been covered on this thread.  Is there really a need for a repeat of all the same stuff?

wild666

About the only option they can do with a smart meter that they cannot do with the old analogue meters is restrict the supply to each property. 
Saving electric or gas is down to the person using the electric or gas, this can be done by turning everything off at the wall socket and lowering the temperature on the thermostat.
Every appliance put into standby would be using 100 Watts per day, some less, over a year it can be hundreds of kWh per year. As little as 50 years ago you had few appliances, if any, that went into standby if you pressed the off button. You had the TV, fridge, freezer, the later two were on 24/7, the TV off button actually cut the supply to the set. 
Nowadays everything goes to standby or the socket is left on 24/7 with an appliance plugged in, the only way to use less is turn the switch to the off position. 

westv

Not sure about anybody else but I've always switch the tv off at the socket when we're not using it.