Electricity night time rate has almost doubled....but not the day rate?

North12345

Hi,

I'm with EDF and I've got a query regarding my electricity tariff (I'm on prepayment). Basically, from the 1st January, my night time rate per KWh has increased from 9.63p to 16.25p (whilst my day time rate has decreased from 38.54 to 36.10). Standing charge has only increased by a penny. However, on the same tariff document, it says that I am estimated to save £15.31 on my electricity costs? This to me doesn't make any sense since surely a net increase in costs would mean that my expenditure would increase? Bear in mind that on the whole, my behaviour and usage habits are pretty much consistent month in, month out.

Now, I've come to suspect that their systems have made an error somewhere and now, I am being charged double for my electricity usage. I've had no success contacting them directly and I'm curious about what your opinions would be.

1) Firstly, would night time rate almost double like that without cause (especially when day time rates have decreased)? Is this a common occurrence? Has it happened to anyone else?
2) Is there a way to reconcile a large increase in KWh charges with an estimated overall decrease in costs?
3) Does this sound like their systems have made an error somewhere? If yes, what are the odds of them being able to sort this out?

Needless to say, I am not happy about this. If it's just them, then I'm thinking about changing suppliers. Hopefully that would solve my problems.

Thanks.

QrizB

Welcome to the forum. You're in the east of England, I take it?

There's been some discussion of this before. In summary, EDF's E7 tariffs in the east have been unusually low for the past year-ish, and are now reverting to be more like the rest of the UK.

Krakkkers

And yet they tell OP they will save £15.31?

North12345

South East yes.

So, if this isn't a glitch, then how would an increase in cost reconcile with an estimated decrease in total spend? Unless they expect me to give up using electricity altogether?

QrizB

Here's a thread from a year ago, when the difference was noticed:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6435333/edf-eastern-e7

And a recent one discussing the change:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6493314/economy-7-doubling-in-cost

QrizB

Krakkkers said:

And yet they tell OP they will save £15.31?

And

North12345 said:

South East yes.

So, if this isn't a glitch, then how would an increase in cost reconcile with an estimated decrease in total spend? Unless they expect me to give up using electricity altogether?

Have they used your actual historic energy use to calculate the "saving", or have they used a generic set of average user data?

What's your actual energy use per year, on each f the two rates?

dunstonh

Bear in mind that on the whole, my behaviour and usage habits are pretty much consistent month in, month out.

That would be highly unusual for someone on economy 7.  Typically, winter use is heavier off peak than warmer months.

1) Firstly, would night time rate almost double like that without cause (especially when day time rates have decreased)? Is this a common occurrence? Has it happened to anyone else?

Its happened to everyone in Eastern.  The 12-16 months of spectacularly good off peak rates has come to an end and reverted to the norm.
Those that didn't fix  at 8p got just over a year of very good off peak rates and should be happy about that.   Those that fixed as it was too good to last will be happy for 6-30 months longer.

2) Is there a way to reconcile a large increase in KWh charges with an estimated overall decrease in costs?

Yes.  You compare your off peak and peak use using the two rates.
Those with heavier off peak use would be worse off.  Those with heavier peak use will be better off.

You can be better off if your ratio of off peak to peak is not that high.    For example our annual use is around 69% offpeak to 31% peak.   So, the lower the off peak rate the better.      Whereas someone with the use the other way around (i.e. 31% off peak to 69% peak) will be better with the higher off peak rate.

3) Does this sound like their systems have made an error somewhere? If yes, what are the odds of them being able to sort this out?

No error.

molerat

North12345 said:

South East yes.

So, if this isn't a glitch, then how would an increase in cost reconcile with an estimated decrease in total spend? Unless they expect me to give up using electricity altogether?

The daytime rate has gone down so if you are a high daytime user and low night your actual cost could fall.

MeteredOut

Krakkkers said:

And yet they tell OP they will save £15.31?

If the OP is a low overnight user, but a high daytime user, then its possible their overall cost could go down.

OP, what are your kWh usages for the past year in both periods?

MultiFuelBurner

North12345 said:

South East yes.

So, if this isn't a glitch, then how would an increase in cost reconcile with an estimated decrease in total spend? Unless they expect me to give up using electricity altogether?

It's not a glitch just EDF aligning themselves with other suppliers.

It was an amazing deal for for those that could load shift their use to the night time rate.

EDF will have offered you the opportunity to fix at those very low rates when with them and many here did recognising it was a good deal.