SSE tariffs for storage heaters

Grandad_Bod

I’d love to take advantage of the new electricity rates. However, because I have storage heaters and our house has no gas, my current tariff (with SSE) is based on 3 rates. SSE tell me that they cannot (read choose not to) supply a 3-rate smart meter but most of the new tariffs require one. I'm happy with the 3 rate tariff (not the price) but would like to assess options from a range of suppliers.

Any ideas or am I stuck with what I’ve got?

QrizB

It sounds as though you are on a legacy tariff, possibly with two different physical meters.

Most people want to get off these tariffs as they aren't competitive.

SSE should be able to fit a new two-rate meter and supply you on an Economy 7 tariff. E7 has been the conventional tariff for storage heaters for the past 40 years or so.

Depending on exactly how your current meter(s) are set up, and how obliging the meter fitters are, you might also need an electrician to reconfigure your consumer units.

Scot_39

SSE apparently have 2 three rate tariffs - FlexiHeat and Superdeal -from a quick google

https://sse.co.uk/help/electric-heating/three-rate-tariffs

Do you know which one of the two - or are there others ?

These are actually one meter solutions - and although it doesn't explicitly state - it sounds like these have what in E7 smart metering terms - would be called ALCS - i.e. they provide a second output which is only live for the 7 hour off peak period to drive NSH and HW immersion.

But also implies timing variable - "day to day" on flexiheat description - so it too may even be single meter radiotelemetry controlled ?

An E7 meter could do NSH/HW switching - as long as you get a 5-port with on board ALCS (or a 4 port with external contactor switched by meter as a less elegent solution) and it is correctly wired by fitter to suit.

But would only have 2 rates - the E7 off peak - at a lower rate - and the E7 peak - for the rest of the time.

And the off-peak rate would be charged for the whole house at night - not just the NSH and HW.

So E7 is probably closer to the Superdeal than the FlexiHeat (which gives off-peak 12 hrs a night and all weekend ?) - but the timings would be fixed - and lower off peak rate periods.

But I would have to reread that description when less tired.

EDF do a legacy Eco20:20 which is more akin to Flexiheat - in terms off off-peak period for 10 hrs a night and all weekend - but not sure it has any inherent ALCS capability to switch NSH and HW - well not from the tariff T&Cs anyway - and they would be charged at the same rate -  not the SSE third NSH rate.  

But the only recent post I remember was someone leaving that as well.  To go Solar / Smart with export rates etc iirc And the peak / off-peak rates - iirc a lot flatter than say EDF's E7 rates - but then apply for much longer periods etc.

All those differences would make it very difficult to do an exact price comparison calculation too.

A photo of the existing meter and the tails / wiring of the meter cabinet - might help confirm your current meter has 2 live (24/7 and night switched) outputs (redacting any meter serial numbers - but not model numbers etc )

Did SEE tell you what they would fit - when it comes to upgrading your meters at end of life ?

And if are truly remotely configurable - will that stop with the radiotelemetry switch off next year - or has it been delayed again ?

(My E10 is currently a smets1 smart meter - but others with E10 have had new meters fitted by suppliers and reported losing E10 configuration.)

The whole complex metering / legacy tariff area is a mess - in part because Ofgem doesn't fully understand the need for it and fully support it.  People with NSH are I am afraid the forgottten minority - and are treated like so.

And if had Smart E7 - there are some other kinks - like Octopus support those meters on their Agile tariff - leaving the fixed time switching on meter ALCS if you have it - but charging the wholesale linked 1/2 hr rates.

And the other thing is obviously heating plans for future - are you going to keep NSH / immersion - or would you be looking to move to say ASHP in near future - that might change the decisions. Or buying an EV and fitting a home charger.