octopus energy 'representatives' houding me to get a smart meter

Gerry1

matt_drummer said:

Gerry1 said:

matt_drummer said:

Gerry1 said:

Nope, if the consumer has a non-smart meter and doesn't send frequent meter readings then the supplier can't work out to which time blocks the energy usage should be apportioned.

Then they'll charge non smart meters the highest rate all of the time? If not, why not?

When is all this starting Gerry?

It seems a shame to miss out on the financial benefits a smart meter offers if this is not starting for a while?

I still don't understand why companies that make money from selling us electricity will want to stop us using it.

Can you explain?

There will be a shortfall because we've not bothered to build sufficient new power stations for yonks, and many existing ones are life expired and will be switched off in the next few years.  It'll be exacerbated by the widespread rollout of heat pumps and EVs.

So instead of being able to use anything anytime, you'll be rationed when peak demand cannot be met.

Cook a meal in the electric oven, keep warm with the heatpump, pop the clothes into the tumble dryer and charge the EV before you go out?  Smart meter says NO !

Absolute rubbish!

And your evidence for your learned and thoughtful remark is...?

Peter999_2

Gerry1 said:

matt_drummer said:

Gerry1 said:

Nope, if the consumer has a non-smart meter and doesn't send frequent meter readings then the supplier can't work out to which time blocks the energy usage should be apportioned.

Then they'll charge non smart meters the highest rate all of the time? If not, why not?

When is all this starting Gerry?

It seems a shame to miss out on the financial benefits a smart meter offers if this is not starting for a while?

I still don't understand why companies that make money from selling us electricity will want to stop us using it.

Can you explain?

There will be a shortfall because we've not bothered to build sufficient new power stations for yonks, and many existing ones are life expired and will be switched off in the next few years.  It'll be exacerbated by the widespread rollout of heat pumps and EVs.

So instead of being able to use anything anytime, you'll be rationed when peak demand cannot be met.

Cook a meal in the electric oven, keep warm with the heatpump, pop the clothes into the tumble dryer and charge the EV before you go out?  Smart meter says NO !

If there is a shortfall of power, normal meters won't just keep working.   Where will the electric come from?    a magic tree?
The electric will be switched off further down the line and you will have no electric at all.

Dumb meter says .....   nothing as it's got no electric to power it.

Reed_Richards

Gerry1 said:

So instead of being able to use anything anytime, you'll be rationed when peak demand cannot be met.

Cook a meal in the electric oven, keep warm with the heatpump, pop the clothes into the tumble dryer and charge the EV before you go out?  Smart meter says NO !

But none of this has happened yet and if it ever does happen you will surely already have been forced to have a smart meter.  So not getting a smart meter now in the hope that you can somehow avoid ever getting one seems to me like a hope in vain.  Meanwhile people like me are saving a lot of money by taking advantage of Time of Use tariffs available if you have a smart meter.

matt_drummer

Gerry1 said:

matt_drummer said:

Gerry1 said:

matt_drummer said:

Gerry1 said:

Nope, if the consumer has a non-smart meter and doesn't send frequent meter readings then the supplier can't work out to which time blocks the energy usage should be apportioned.

Then they'll charge non smart meters the highest rate all of the time? If not, why not?

When is all this starting Gerry?

It seems a shame to miss out on the financial benefits a smart meter offers if this is not starting for a while?

I still don't understand why companies that make money from selling us electricity will want to stop us using it.

Can you explain?

There will be a shortfall because we've not bothered to build sufficient new power stations for yonks, and many existing ones are life expired and will be switched off in the next few years.  It'll be exacerbated by the widespread rollout of heat pumps and EVs.

So instead of being able to use anything anytime, you'll be rationed when peak demand cannot be met.

Cook a meal in the electric oven, keep warm with the heatpump, pop the clothes into the tumble dryer and charge the EV before you go out?  Smart meter says NO !

Absolute rubbish!

And your evidence for your learned and thoughtful remark is...?

National Grid have said this is not a problem, I would think they know better than you?

Where is your evidence?

If there was a problem I don't know why you think non smart meters would be exempt?

Power won't be turned off home by home.

Just because a piece of equipment has certain capabilities doesn't mean they have to be used. My car has active emergency braking, it's not compulsory that it is used!

Heat pumps don't use very much electricity, I know people who's televisions use more than my heat pump.

People don't charge ev's in an emergency just before they go out as they are cooking dinner, they use electricity at night when most people are asleep and there's loads of electricity available.

And if any of this did actually become a problem and smart meters were needed to control the situation how long do you think anybody could go on obstructing the fitting of one?

Smart meters would be compulsory and they would be fitted with no option to refuse.

That means that refusing one now gives no benefit whatsoever, you gain nothing, and, in fact, you prevent yourself from benefitting from cheaper electricity.

I understand the resistance but eventually everybody will have one and all those who resist will miss out on the good bits and suffer the bad stuff (if it ever happens) just like the rest of us.

There's nothing to gain by not having a smart meter.

Just to repeat, these meters belong to the energy companies, not the home owner. Ultimately the meters is not yours and you have no say in what is fitted if you want to continue to be supplied.

Resistance is futile!

born_again

Gerry1 said:

matt_drummer said:

Gerry1 said:

Nope, if the consumer has a non-smart meter and doesn't send frequent meter readings then the supplier can't work out to which time blocks the energy usage should be apportioned.

Then they'll charge non smart meters the highest rate all of the time? If not, why not?

When is all this starting Gerry?

It seems a shame to miss out on the financial benefits a smart meter offers if this is not starting for a while?

I still don't understand why companies that make money from selling us electricity will want to stop us using it.

Can you explain?

There will be a shortfall because we've not bothered to build sufficient new power stations for yonks, and many existing ones are life expired and will be switched off in the next few years.  It'll be exacerbated by the widespread rollout of heat pumps and EVs.

So instead of being able to use anything anytime, you'll be rationed when peak demand cannot be met.

Cook a meal in the electric oven, keep warm with the heatpump, pop the clothes into the tumble dryer and charge the EV before you go out?  Smart meter says NO !

So explain to me how when intelligent Octopus. That I get to charge my car during the day due to surplus supply all at a nice 7p (whole house) rather than the normal 26p.

Grid have already said many times what you think will happen will not.

prowla

I put off having a smart meter for ages, simply because I didn't see the point of it and I used to submit my readings monthly.

There were some issues with older generations ones failing and cutovers to different suppliers, so I held off.

Also I didn't want the disruption of someone turning off my power, as I WFH.

But I did eventually get them fitted when I switched to Octopus just over a year ago and they seem fine.

I can go online and see my usage and was able to easily switch to a better tariff when one became available.

So overall, no dramas.

The_Green_Hornet

fAcefuM7Pra55specrWE said:

Hello, can anyone advise on the following

I am a customer of octopus energy (moved over when my supplier ‘bulb’ went bust)

They have been contacting me to get a electric smart meter fitted as my current rts meter wont work properly after the rts signal is switched off.

I didn’t believe my meter was of the rts type and thus sent octopus energy a photo of my meter, at there request, they sent this to there metering department and after carry there ‘investigations’ confirmed my meter was NOT of the rts type and thus wouldnt be effected by the rts signal switch off.

Thus I told octopus energy that I don’t want a smart meter and to no longer contact me by email, text, phone or letter or any other means and they have agreed to this, they have also updated there records to show I don’t have a rts meter

However, I am still receiving phone calls from ‘representatives’ of octopus energy to request I book an appointment for a smart meter install on the basis I have a rts meter, I have told them I don’t have a rts meter and octopus energy are aware of this and have updated there records to reflect this, I have also told them I don’t want a smart meter, yet they still repeatedly contact me to book an appointment saying I have a rts meter installed, even though octopus energy KNOW I don’t have a rts meter

I haven’t given octopus energy my consent to pass on my details to any third party company and have considered contacting the information commisioners office (ico) to report octopus for passing on my details without my consent but it appears from the ico website there is only a option regarding nuisance calls for ‘sales’, non for smart meter fitting harassment so not sure if ico will be able to do anything

Is there anyone who can advise on how I can stop these nuisance calls.

Incidently the octopus energy electricians would find it hard to install a smart meter as they would need to remove the 80amp fuse to isolate the supply and this fuse has been ‘boxed in’ inside a firewall and ONLY the council electricians are allowed to open it.

Doesn’t seem like award winning customer service to me!!!!!

Unlike the other responses, I'm not going to tell you whether you should, or shouldn't, have a smart meter but you may find this guide by Which? of use.

Smart meters advice guides - Which?

mmmmikey

Hi @Gerry1 so let me make sure I'm understanding you. Your theory is that smart meters are really being installed as part of a conspiracy to ration supply?

Gerry1

Nuclear Power in 2022 was less than half its 1998 peak.

The NAO says that there are seven Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor (AGR) stations in the UK. 2028 is the closure date of the last AGR station when electricity generation ceases and decommissioning begins.

We nearly had blackouts last January.  It was the tightest day in the electricity market since 2011.

And you know what can happen if you rely too much on renewables...

Gerry1

mmmmikey said:

Hi @Gerry1 so let me make sure I'm understanding you. Your theory is that smart meters are really being installed as part of a conspiracy to ration supply?

You obviously don't understand the smart meter specification.  Try reading it instead of making silly accusations.