SMETS 2 upgrade?

Rettu

Bulb won’t upgrade my SMETS 1 meter to SMETS 2. They say OFGEM will levy a fine.

This means I can’t access a cheaper off-peak tariff and I’m stuck on Bulb’s expensive standard tariff.

Octopus has stated that they would in principle change the meter.

It doesn’t seem right that I have to pay extra for energy because Bulb won’t change a smart meter - claiming OFGEM fines - when other companies will change the meter.

Bulb has provided awful service from day one. I can’t find any mention on the OFGEM website about fines for replacing a SMETS1 meter with SMETS2.

Is Bulb being inflexible and unhelpful or is it the case that there is such a thing as an OFGEM fine for meeting customer needs?

QrizB

Rettu said:

Bulb won’t upgrade my SMETS 1 meter to SMETS 2. They say OFGEM will levy a fine.
This means I can’t access a cheaper off-peak tariff and I’m stuck on Bulb’s expensive standard tariff.

Having a SMETS1 meter shouldn't, in itself, prevent you choosing a ToU tariff.

Can Bulb read your current meter, or has it gone dumb? What model is it?

Rettu

The meter is a Landis Gyr E470 initially installed by British Gas. It's been a dumb meter since transfer to Bulb in 2018 and it's showing no sign of being upgraded.

Bulb can't move me to an off-peak tariff without a working smart meter and they won't upgrade the current meter.

It's very annoying because I only moved to Bulb because of their promise to upgrade meters - a promise withdrawn when the upgrade programme was announced. Four years later I still have a non working smart meter that is costing unnecessary money.

[Deleted User]

Rettu said:

The meter is a Landis Gyr E470 initially installed by British Gas. It's been a dumb meter since transfer to Bulb in 2018 and it's showing no sign of being upgraded.

Bulb can't move me to an off-peak tariff without a working smart meter and they won't upgrade the current meter.

It's very annoying because I only moved to Bulb because of their promise to upgrade meters - a promise withdrawn when the upgrade programme was announced. Four years later I still have a non working smart meter that is costing unnecessary money.

The DCC has an ongoing programme to ‘adopt and enrol’ SMETS1 meters onto the DCC run smart meter network. This information was posted on the Ovo website:

Quote: All Landis+Gyr meters are due to be upgraded by September 2022, read more about this process here. Unquote

SMETS1 meters are not being upgraded to SMETS2. My understanding is that this isn’t technically possible.

Inigo_Montoya

Dolor said:

Rettu said:

The meter is a Landis Gyr E470 initially installed by British Gas. It's been a dumb meter since transfer to Bulb in 2018 and it's showing no sign of being upgraded.

Bulb can't move me to an off-peak tariff without a working smart meter and they won't upgrade the current meter.

It's very annoying because I only moved to Bulb because of their promise to upgrade meters - a promise withdrawn when the upgrade programme was announced. Four years later I still have a non working smart meter that is costing unnecessary money.

The DCC has an ongoing programme to ‘adopt and enrol’ SMETS1 meters onto the DCC run smart meter network. This information was posted on the Ovo website:

Quote: All Landis+Gyr meters are due to be upgraded by September 2022, read more about this process here. Unquote

SMETS1 meters are not being upgraded to SMETS2. My understanding is that this isn’t technically possible.

I would not rely on the currently published enrollment schedules - my "Secure" SMETS1 meter is supposed to be enrolled by the end of this month at the very latest according to the schedule I looked at so they have 5 days left

As far as whether SMETS1 are being "upgraded" to SMETS2 that sounds like more of a semantic argument 
- the firmware is changed via a remote update but the physical hardware obviously stays the same - my understanding is that after the firmware update the SMETS1 meter will then function like a SMETS2 meter

[Deleted User]

Inigo_Montoya said:

Dolor said:

Rettu said:

The meter is a Landis Gyr E470 initially installed by British Gas. It's been a dumb meter since transfer to Bulb in 2018 and it's showing no sign of being upgraded.

Bulb can't move me to an off-peak tariff without a working smart meter and they won't upgrade the current meter.

It's very annoying because I only moved to Bulb because of their promise to upgrade meters - a promise withdrawn when the upgrade programme was announced. Four years later I still have a non working smart meter that is costing unnecessary money.

The DCC has an ongoing programme to ‘adopt and enrol’ SMETS1 meters onto the DCC run smart meter network. This information was posted on the Ovo website:

Quote: All Landis+Gyr meters are due to be upgraded by September 2022, read more about this process here. Unquote

SMETS1 meters are not being upgraded to SMETS2. My understanding is that this isn’t technically possible.

As far as whether SMETS1 are being "upgraded" to SMETS2 that sounds like more of a semantic argument 
- the firmware is changed via a remote update but the physical hardware obviously stays the same - my understanding is that after the firmware update the SMETS1 meter will then function like a SMETS2 meter

Function like a SMETS2 meter in terms of a network connection; however, for security reasons, upgraded SMETS1 meters connect to the network via a bespoke/dedicated portal. The meter firmware is not upgraded to the SMETS2 standard which I agree is probably irrelevant to most consumers.

RadioValve

Rettu said:

I can’t find any mention on the OFGEM website about fines for replacing a SMETS1 meter with SMETS2.

Indeed. In fact, rather than levying fines, in March 2022 Ofgem published on their website an open letter to energy suppliers where they clearly state an obligation for the replacement of "unenrolled" SMETS1 meters with SMETS2 meters.

An "unenrolled" SMETS1 meter is one that fails the remote upgrade process for any reason, being unable to operate in "smart mode" (i.e. operates in "dumb mode"). This can be because the software upgrade failed or for any other reason such as the built-in "communications hub" having insufficient radio power or inferior tech (e.g. 2G GPRS) that cannot sustain the required two-way communication. SMETS2 meters have a different communications hub, including 3G mobile capabilities.

Pages 6 and 7 of Ofgem's March 2022 open letter to energy suppliers includes the following key paragraphs:

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/smart-meter-rollout-energy-suppliers-rollout-delivery-open-letter-march-2022

Enrolment & Adoption

“The Enrolment and Adoption obligation requires suppliers to take all reasonable steps to ensure that their SMETS1 meters become eligible for enrolment [Electricity Supply Licence SLC 54 and Gas Supply Licence SLC 48]. Once eligible, suppliers must take all reasonable steps to enrol their SMETS1 meters into the Data Communication Company (DCC) within 12 months of the meter becoming eligible. Suppliers are also required by their licence to take all reasonable steps to ensure all unenrolled SMETS1 meters are replaced with a SMETS2 meter by the end of the year, 31 December 2022. […]”

Operational Licence Condition

“The Operational Licence Condition (OLC) obligation requires suppliers to take all reasonable steps to operate smart meters in smart mode [Electricity Supply Licence SLC 49 and Gas Supply Licence SLC 43]. With the continued roll out of SMETS2 meters and with the SMETS1 enrolment and adoption programme nearing its conclusion, it is critical that suppliers ensure customers have a smart meter that operates in smart mode. […]”

Two relevant obligations there: 1. The supplier must ensure SMETS1 meters are enrolled within 12 months of the meter model becoming eligible, and 2. In any event, any unenrolled SMETS1 meter must be replaced with a SMETS2 meter by 31 Dec 2022.

Regarding the enrolment eligibility date, I think we could do worse than assume the date when Bulb sent us the automated email of subject “Good news about your smart meter” that reads “We’ll be able to read your meter soon” – in my case, email dated 11 August 2021 for the SMETS1 meter model EDMI Atlas Mk7B. So, at least for this meter model, more than 12 months have passed since the enrolment eligibility date.

As for the "backstop" enrolment deadline of 31 Dec 2022, besides Ofgem's open letter, we can also refer directly to the Electricity Act 1989 - Standard Conditions of Electricity Supply Licence, the consolidated version made available online in Ofgem's website:

https://epr.ofgem.gov.uk//Content/Documents/Electricity%20Supply%20Standard%20Licence%20Conditions%20Consolidated%20-%20Current%20Version.pdf

In the present version, paragraphs 54.6 and 54.7 on page 532 state that the deadline is "31 December 2021 (or such later date as the Secretary of State may specify in a direction issued to the licensee under this paragraph)."

In June 2021, the Secretary of State decided to postpone the 31 Dec 2021 deadline to 31 Dec 2022 as published in the Smart Energy Code (SEC) Company's website at:

https://smartenergycodecompany.co.uk/latest-news/for-information-smart-metering-implementation-programme-direction-to-extend-the-smets1-replacement-obligations-to-31-december-2022/

I understand that a pertinent BEIS (Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) consultation closed just last week: “Consultation on amending the replacement obligation for SMETS1 Devices not enrolled with DCC”:

https://smartenergycodecompany.co.uk/latest-news/beis-consultation-on-amending-the-replacement-obligation-for-smets1-devices-not-enrolled-with-dcc/

Presumably this consultation could end up amending the backstop enrolment deadline again, but at the time of this writing, the regulatory deadline is 31 Dec 2022 - and that's just 4 months away.

In summary, the message coming publicly from Ofgem is that an obligation exists for suppliers to ensure that SMETS1 meters operate in smart mode, not dumb mode, within 12 months of this becoming technologically possible, and in any event that any unenrolled SMETS1 meter must be replaced with a SMETS2 meter by a deadline set in regulations, currently 31 Dec 2022. This sounds very much like the opposite spirit to Bulb's uncorroborated stance that the government will fine them for replacing a SMETS1 meter with a SMETS2 meter.

brewerdave

RadioValve said:

Rettu said:

I can’t find any mention on the OFGEM website about fines for replacing a SMETS1 meter with SMETS2.

In summary, the message coming publicly from Ofgem is that an obligation exists for suppliers to ensure that SMETS1 meters operate in smart mode, not dumb mode, within 12 months of this becoming technologically possible, and in any event that any unenrolled SMETS1 meter must be replaced with a SMETS2 meter by a deadline set in regulations, currently 31 Dec 2022. This sounds very much like the opposite spirit to Bulb's uncorroborated stance that the government will fine them for replacing a SMETS1 meter with a SMETS2 meter.

I believe that the issue is actually that OFGEM will not allow replacement of meters to count against the targets the suppliers have been set ,which are based on virgin SMART installs.

C225

I currently have a SMETS1 meter with E.on Next and was on their EV tariff until it ended a couple of weeks ago and have just renewed onto the v18 tariff as they have suspended the EV tariff for now.

I contacted octopus to see if they would upgrade my SMETS 1 to the SMETs 2 that would work with them so i could switch to them to get on their EV tariff but they quite bluntly just said no they would not upgrade they would only install one if it was a 'dumb' meter, and the only way to see if my current non secure brand SMETS 1 meter would work would be to move to them and wait but decided the v18 tariif was worth fixing on.

So i'm with e.on until they start their EV tariff up again it seems

gajh66

I switched to octopus being told my dumb smets1 would be upgraded in a month, well 4 months and still waiting and they refuse to replace it even if i have offered to pay for it.  So my EV charging is costing a lot more than what it should cost and cant even sign up for all the incentives to reduce electricity during peak hours.  I think these energy companies should boast about these incentives when there are millions of customers that cant take advantage as they don't have a working smart meter.  They are also not the speediest at replying to emails and trying to get to talk to someone in a higher position is impossible.

MattMattMattUK

gajh66 said:

I switched to octopus being told my dumb smets1 would be upgraded in a month, well 4 months and still waiting and they refuse to replace it even if i have offered to pay for it.  So my EV charging is costing a lot more than what it should cost and cant even sign up for all the incentives to reduce electricity during peak hours.  I think these energy companies should boast about these incentives when there are millions of customers that cant take advantage as they don't have a working smart meter.  They are also not the speediest at replying to emails and trying to get to talk to someone in a higher position is impossible.

There is currently a lack of smart meters available to install due to the semiconductor shortage so the problem is that they do not have any meters in your region available for install.