New Smart Meter to replace RTS meter.

nikal

I'm with Scottish Power on an E10 tariff. Called them to book an install but there is no information on which tariff I can go on to? Likewise on the website very little detail that I can find evidently I can choose any tariff once I have a new meter?
Does anyone have experience of what is available E10 for example? I'm told tariffs "should" be available and additional  are available on a smart meter that aren't available elsewhere. The issue is I do not have Economy 10 heating anymore but our lifestyle allows us to use over half our electrical supply on the low tariff so I would take some convincing to change.
 I have looked at the Forum and clearly there are issues!

QrizB

Economy 10 is unlikely to be offered on a smart meter, althought there's no harm in asking.

You'll definitely have the option of Economy 7 (which I think is more like "Economy 8" in Scotland) from Scottish Power, and there are various other smart time-of-use tariffs eavailable from specific suppliers.

Ildhund

OVO have already installed thousands of smart meters to replace RTS systems in Northern Scotland (region 17, _P), with Economy 10 a popular choice. Are you sure that SP can't do the same?

I found this on OVO's plans and prices page, after pretending to be in Dumfries (rates ex VAT):
  


 

QrizB

Ildhund said:

OVO have already installed thousands of smart meters to replace RTS systems in Northern Scotland (region 17, _P), with Economy 10 a popular choice. Are you sure that SP can't do the same?

I'm not sure, no, but it's a relatively common complaint on this forum that folk have had their legacy E10 meters replaced and have been forced onto E7 as their suppliers don't support smart E10.

Hence the need to check and get confirmation beforehand if E10 is essential. Or plan to switch to a different tariff.

I'll also comment that OVO's E10 tariff has a narrow price spread between peak and off-peak.

Edit to add:

According to OVO's own E10 page, they can't supply E10 to a smart meter (I don't know why they can't). Also under "Does OVO offer an E10 tariff?" the answer is "no".
https://www.ovoenergy.com/guides/energy-guides/economy-10

Ildhund

QrizB said:
According to OVO's own E10 page, they can't supply E10 to a smart meter ...

https://www.ovoenergy.com/guides/energy-guides/economy-10

From that page:

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The ultimate guide to Economy 10 tariffs and meters

13 December 2021 | Matt Mostyn

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A lot of electrons have flowed through meters since then. OVO has been installing and configuring smart meters for E10 for more than a year now.

Scot_39

Smart meters - unless the spec and data table space in smets2 has been heavily cut back recently - should be programmable for E10 - I run E10 now on a smart meter - just as I did on the original - old school digital - replacement for the twin RTS 2 rate 2 output digital meter / standard 24/7 analogue setup had as built. 

I also know 2 who were on when last checked on smets2 meters who had the 2+2+5 split - E10 where often 3 rather than 2 off peak times - just needs one more split time setting for off peak timing - and iirc - its perfectly doable - including the ALCS mode parameters - within the available meter table space.

IMO therefore it is suppliers that simply choose not to - because they are not forced to by Ofgem.

I was certainly told at EOn - it was only now being offered to legacy customers like me - in my case being forced off of RTS Heatwise (the old EMEB Heatwise)  - that was over 5 years ago (I'd need to check bills - but it was in EOn era - before EOn Next - and that transition started iirc c2020??)

And although a supported legacy tariff - no guarantee if can be carried forward to a new meter for a new or existing customer on simpler metering - flat or economy 7 currently may never have e10 as an option.

So for instance I just tried an online quote from Ovo - the only variable tariff was economy 7 - the only standard fix - economy 7 -  despite me having an E10 meter. 

They are both Profile class 2 of course - which I guess is all they check - now maybe if phoned I'd get a different answer.

And I am regularly offered new fixes or tariffs by EOn - none are E10 - some are E7 - but in summer when my use doesn't always justify E10s higher average day rate for a few weeks / months - often just single rate.

If I were to lose E10 for E7 on next meter upgrade - as another EOn (almost definitely I guess now ex EOn customer) poster here did (despite iirc Ombudsman backing - it was never reinstated as E10 - I really wish I'd bookmarked that forumite's series of posts) I'd probably look to jump to something like the new Octupus Snug if still available - assuming still on my old manual NSH - and its far cheaper off peak rate - which would at least give a 1 hour afternoon boost in winter. 

I will be looking at my actual use and actual charge periods - within my 3 windows - once the weather gets consistently cold - these 3-4 day dips are just too noisy - given the temp build up vs loss balance on front and trailing edges.

(I know my heaters do often kick in at 1pm 8pm and midnight - i.e. at start of all 3 windows - so it's not a simple comparison - as some evening heat may actually need to shift to plug ins used at snugs peak rate to keep temp profiles as are).

I do know someone who was on THTC and Ovo werent being very helpful at time ("still working on an RTS replacement" iirc - no E9 or E10 offered - and nicely offering to charge him to remove the second meter to boot - if jumped to E7 etc before they offered their own solution). 

So really glad to hear Ovo offering - hopefully split E10 - for those on legacy THTC in N Scotland.   As that far north - with generally far colder average winter temps etc - many houses heating isn't going to cope with just a 7 hr once per day charge slot (THTC gave a weather dependent range from 5 to max of 12 hours iirc).

nikal

Many thanks for the replies meter install arranged for this Friday see how it goes? I thought it better to get in before the rush next year?

Ildhund

Scot_39 said:

So really glad to hear Ovo offering - hopefully split E10 - for those on legacy THTC in N Scotland.  
  

The offpeak E10 times up there are 04:30-07:30, 13:30-16:30 and 20:30-00:30. That gives plenty of scope for charging storage heaters and also using direct heating when necessary. People would be well advised to keep active before lunch and supper, or just go shopping or down the pub.