THTC and Utilita | RTS meters becoming obsolete?

ColdinIV25

I’m looking for the latest updates on THTC tariffs, and the restricted meter Radio Tele-switch (RTS) system.  Reading other forum posts, there’s talk of OVO/SSE ending the THTC legacy tariff 'now' (March 2023), and the RTS radio signal being switched off in 2023.  But most of these posts are over a year old – what’s the latest situation?

I help my mother-in-law with her energy bills.  She lives on her own in the Highlands.  Many years ago we were with Scottish Hydro / SSE, moved to OurPower (short lived!), and then was transferred to Utilita as supplier of last resort, when OurPower ceased trading.  We’ve been with Utilita since 2019. 

It’s not been straightforward with Utilita, as being a legacy tariff they have struggled to bill correctly; either to bill in a timely way, despite being notified of meter readings, or bill at the ‘correct’ tariff, notified by any price change letter.  I suspect much of it was down to ‘computer says no’ syndrome.  But once it’s been sorted out (which has involved two Ombudsman cases), the rates, standard and off-peak, have been as competitive as can be expected in these turbulent times.

Current energy consumption per year is circa 24,000 kWh, 80% of which is for the heating (via night storage heaters), on the restricted THTC meter.  Thus I pay close attention to the off-peak rate.  Pricing on notification letters is inconsistent; sometimes it’s zero (!), and in past quarters it has been reducing significantly.  Yet, ending this quarter, the night-rate is rising x 3.5.

I see lots of posts and research papers mostly dating from 2019 to 2021, but nothing much current, this year.  I’m worried that the metering will bill at 100% standard tariff, or will switch off altogether.  I think Economy 10, or Economy 7 could be the solution; being in the far north of Scotland, the three extra hours boost in the afternoon would be welcome. 

Questions for the forum:

- What the latest timeline on the RTS meter shutdown? Will it end in 2023?

- If so, what are energy suppliers offering as an alternative to people on THTC meters?  And who pays for any meter change-out?

- Has anybody who is with Utilita (ex OurPower) heard anything from them?  Do Utilita think that the RTS meter system is coming to an end?  How are they setting off-peak pricing?

[Deleted User]

From the Ofgem Letter to Suppliers dated March 2022

Like most things that Ofgem deals with, the date tends to move to the right. It is now, I believe, delayed to 2025 because of smart meter rollout delays.