Updated on 25/04/24 by Emmanuelle_OVO:
OVO Energy can now take on new connections. Some details of what to do is below:
In order to create a new electricity supply and install a new meter both the new electricity supplier and your Distribution Network Operator (DNO) would need arrange a visit on the same day. The DNO would install a new main fuse, and the supplier would fit the new electricity meter. The supplier would also do the administrational work required, such as creating and registering the meter point reference number (MPAN) on the database.
Is a new connection needed?
If you have a supply number already (MPAN for electricity, MPAN for gas) and a meter attached, you already have a new connection and you can switch via the normal way online (when available).
Are you a domestic customer?
- Are you a domestic customer who will be living at the property
- If no: we can only offer a new connection to domestic customers who'll be living at the property.
- If yes: continue to the next section below
Request a new connection
- We’ll need to have a check that you have the supporting infrastructure in place (as we'll only be joining the meter to the connections):
- Electricity: cabling from the mains should already be on site
- Gas: pipework from the gas main in the street should be on site
- If the main connections are available, our Support team can request a new connection from our operations team.
What you should know
- We'll complete a few checks and confirm the date for an engineer visit
- Please look out for this and contact us if the date isn't suitable
- If we arrive and can't complete the new connection, we'll let you know why and next steps needed to resolve the issue
- We'll install smart meters by default, and they'll be in pay monthly (credit/PAYM) setting
- If you want a prepayment (PAYG) meter, we'll:
- Install as pay monthly first
- Check the meters are working correctly (so we don't leave you without supply)
- Switch them to a PAYG tariff and account
- Add any debt accrued in the PAYM setting, set at a repayment rate aligned with our current processes
Just while I’m thinking about this one however… Just thought I’d stop by again and add some more info that you might find useful.
My personal thoughts are that the best option might be to basically split up absolutely everything into unique supplies. I’d say it’s probably fine to keep all the outside lighting on one supply like it is now - it’s not worth splitting that part up into 17 tiny supplies because the drawbacks outweigh the benefits. And besides, I can’t really see there being much need anyway. Unless WPD say otherwise, you might be able to keep those on the current supply as they are now which might save a bit of cash.
If possible, I’d definitely recommend taking ownership and control of that supply back from the management company and get that pulse meter removed.
However, I feel that splitting up each flat into its own unique supply is for the best, as each one can then have its own meter and supplier which gives each resident the freedom to choose any supplier of their liking and have full benefits of Smart Meters. This would also prevent the existing management company from interfering and I think provides legal protections that’d prevent them from billing you for anything that goes through suppliers like OVO. It also, for the most part, eliminates you from any liability if someone doesn’t pay their bill or tampers with their supply.
Depending on the way the infrastructure is currently set up, there’s a bazillion different ways that the supplies can be broken up and migrated over to individual connections. I don’t have the experience to say which one is best in this case (I could easily tell you how to break up the supply for two schools though!), but I talk to WPD quite a lot and I know from experience that they’re extremely good at puzzle solving this stuff.
These are of course, just my personal thoughts. No doubt WPD will be happy to provide advice on how to implement such a solution. You would need an energy supplier to be involved as well and I think OVO can help there, but you’d also be free to get any domestic supplier of your choice involved. I’d recommend having one supplier initialise all the supply accounts to begin with just to make life a bit easier, but after that you’d all be free to stick or switch individually.
It may be worth getting together and deciding on which supplier you’d all like to initialise the connections with. If you need a hand finding the contact info for your chosen supplier, I’m happy to help with that no matter who you go for. WPD can help with the infrastructure, but a supplier will need to fit the meters. You may also need help from a qualified electrician to rewire certain elements.
