Smart meters

pensioner2

Forty years ago I took part in the trial for genuinely smart meters C.A.L.M.U. [CREDIT AND LOAD MANAGEMENT] They did everything the present meters do plus they allowed users to pay different rates at several different times of the day [Reflecting the generating cost and demand] The trial was a success and we were told every house would have them by the end of the decade.  Pensioners who could choose to use electricity at low demand and cost periods would particularly benefit. We also had an extra cheap rate on equipment in our utility room which could be turned off by the supplier to reduce demand at peak times.   Everyone gains.  Why did nothing happen? Instead, consumers are having to pay for meters which many do not want.    Does anyone know why the C.A.L.M.U. was not developed and installed?

QrizB

A fascinating historical perspective but perhaps better suited to a blog post than a thread here?

Instead, consumers are having to pay for meters which many do not want.

This isn't an "instead". Consumers would be paying for CALMU meters if they'd been fitted, and some people wouldn't want them.

MattMattMattUK

pensioner2 said:

Forty years ago I took part in the trial for genuinely smart meters C.A.L.M.U. [CREDIT AND LOAD MANAGEMENT] They did everything the present meters do plus they allowed users to pay different rates at several different times of the day [Reflecting the generating cost and demand] The trial was a success and we were told every house would have them by the end of the decade.  Pensioners who could choose to use electricity at low demand and cost periods would particularly benefit. We also had an extra cheap rate on equipment in our utility room which could be turned off by the supplier to reduce demand at peak times.   Everyone gains.  Why did nothing happen? Instead, consumers are having to pay for meters which many do not want.    Does anyone know why the C.A.L.M.U. was not developed and installed?

Probably cost, the current smart meter rollout is expected to cost around £30 billion and the technology will be a lot cheaper now. Modern smart meters are also able to offer time of use tariffs, down to 30 minute windows (in theory the technology could report in near real time, but it would generate huge amounts of data and there is no need), these are offered by some energy providers.

QrizB

I see from https://www.umsmeters.co.uk/old-pri-meters-easeii-amr/ that CALMU made it into service after all:

CALMU (Credit and Load Management Unit) was created in the 1980's and was the original Smart Meter. With internal storage of load survey and remote reading capability, CALMU made possible the opening up of the Electricity Supply Industry to competition.
Although out of manufacture for over 10 years there are still many CALMUs on supplies to commercial tenants

So CALMU was (and still is) implemented for commercial supplies, but doesn't seem to have made it to residential ones.