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

powerful_Rogue

Gerry1 said:

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...

And that's when electric companies offer incentives to avoid the peak periods and reward those discharging their batteries back into the grid. All possible because of smart meters.

QrizB

I'm touched by the concerns expressed here for the UK's nuclear generators, but that's a bit like claiming there will be food shortages because your favourite brand of breakfast cereal is out of stock.

And that watt-logic article was thoroughly debunked at the time.

Qyburn

Gerry1 said:

matt_drummer said:

Absolute rubbish!

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

Absolute classic FMOL/conspiracy theory/whacko script. (1) Trot out a pile of fantasy assertions without a shred of evidence in their support. (2) When challenged get all snotty demanding evidence that your (FMOL/conspiracy theory/whacko) assertions are wrong. Essentially "I've made the claim and it's up to you to jump through hoops to prove me wrong". 

Take a step back. Can you provide any evidence yourself?

matt_drummer

Gerry1 said:

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...

I still don't see what any of this has got to do with smart meters.

Please explain Gerry.

If there is a lack of electricity why will those with smart meters be affected and those without not?

Isn't that unfair?

If power needs to be cut then surely it will be cut to whole areas, not just selected homes?

Just restricting or turning off smart meters only is not an option, it won't work.

Not having a smart meter will not save you.

Marvel1

I have one, 2 hours max to install both - 2 months ago.

I will say, never been in touch with supplier - prepayment for about 3-4 years, never needed too.

Since smart meter, been in touch about 10 times - from losing prepayment credit, to commision the metres, IHD not reading (stil not reading), change from prepayment to credit (can't as need to wait 28 days), trying to sumit an open reading.

I'm now sending manual readings myself daily, as I'm not sure they are sending themselves.

Will see if I can have this Peak Save Sunday that BG offer.

The only benefit I did have is paying online to top up the meter.

I have now switched to credit mode, now thinking what has happened to the amount what was there  - as I with BG prepayment, moved to EDF on credit - 5 days after switch completed back to BG.

masonic

Marvel1 said:

I have now switched to credit mode, now thinking what has happened to the amount what was there  - as I with BG prepayment, moved to EDF on credit - 5 days after switch completed back to BG.

Even with prepayment, there is still an underlying energy account with the supplier that gets credited when you add credit and debited when you use energy. There is just the added layer of the meter cutting you off if you run out of credit according to what it knows about your account balance. When that mechanism is turned off, you still have the account with the credit. You may need to claim it back from one of the suppliers if it not there in your current energy account. Your final bill should reveal all.

Marvel1

timjim said:

Your IHD not working is not a big problem is it. You didn't even have one with your dumb meter. Did you read that every day?

No, but it would been nice at the start to "monitor it".   Not doing anything different as to what I was before.  

Only currently sending daily readings to get my DD about right, somehow BG suggesting £67.00 is a bit on the low side.

bristolleedsfan

Marvel1 said:

timjim said:

Your IHD not working is not a big problem is it. You didn't even have one with your dumb meter. Did you read that every day?

Only currently sending daily readings to get my DD about right, somehow BG suggesting £67.00 is a bit on the low side.

In common with other suppliers after I had been with B.G nearly two months they tried to increase my DD.

They gave full explanation showing estimated annual usage which they would have got from database. (Was easy for me to explain why usage was high previously asked then to either put me on VDD or put my DD back to what it was, BG chose latter)

What was unusual BG counted my ongoing monthly usage which had couple of days until bill/statement as debit/money owed and that was included within increased DD calculation despite fact credit I had was enough to pay forthcoming Bill leaving me with £23+ excess credit towards next monthly bill which will be around £33 with DD of £42 couple of weeks before Bill.

Qyburn

timjim said:

Your IHD not working is not a big problem is it. You didn't even have one with your dumb meter. Did you read that every day?

I'm a big fan of smart meters, when they're working.

But every time issues like the IHD not working, or data not being sent to the supplier, are down played as unimportant I feel this is weakening the whole case. Quite often there are defeatist comments along the lines of "it's still a meter and you can put in readings as before so you're no worse off".

We should be pushing for smart meters to work properly.

MikeyPGT

Qyburn said:

I'm a big fan of smart meters, when they're working.

But every time issues like the IHD not working, or data not being sent to the supplier, are down played as unimportant I feel this is weakening the whole case. Quite often there are defeatist comments along the lines of "it's still a meter and you can put in readings as before so you're no worse off".

We should be pushing for smart meters to work properly.

I agree - I love my Smart Electric meter and get a real kick out of seeing how much I can save in real time.  I loathe my Smart Gas meter which only communicates with Octopus when it feels like it (luckily I very rarely use any gas) and the data it sends to Loop is so wide of the mark it has me down as using 2823765 kWh on 26 April at a cost of £184,815.63!  According to Octopus the actual use was 0.71 kWh - for 4pence - luckily it's Octopus that bill me and not Loop!