Complex meter: Refused Economy 7?

Hi All

I am thinking that this RTS switch off is some sort of scam to enable energy companies to rub their hands and stop providing cheap electricity rates.

There are many thousands of complex meter customers who are stuck with their system through no fault of their own. The reason many of these systems were installed in my opinion was due to the excess power being produced during the age of coal fired power stations.

Now however they get paid for not producing electricity because the grid can’t handle it. Looks like they are on win win.

That's my little witter out of the way, now down to the real reason for posting.

I have just received a reply from EDF giving me 3 options of meter choice. I need to get my head around it all and work out how to proceed. I am posting the 3 options to see if any of the clever people out there can point me in the best direction.

“Good day! This is an update regarding your open complaint with EDF.

1. We install a 3 phase smart meter as single rate - This will give them the 24hrs they are looking for, but no offpeak prices so could be pricy.
2. 3 phase smart meter as E7, Heating and hot water will have a 7 hour offpeak, they will be able to access heating and hot water during the day if they have a boost facility
3. Twin element where they get the off-peak 00:00 to 02:00, 07:00 to 10:00, 16:00 to 17:00 and 21:00 to 23:00. If they have a boost they can also use outside of these hours”

My initial thoughts are to go for the second option and have a rewire carried out to get my 24hr feed for the heating control onto the standard feed. At least I get some off peak rate to the quantum storage heaters.

As I said above they have the electricity but want to squeeze us for as much as possible. My system is working perfectly at present but all they did was removed the MPAN heating tariff. I might be missing something here.

Don't go twin element!!!

Thank you Blastoise186.

I had ruled that one out as it is of no use to me whatsoever.

I'm wondering if I should try to find out what type of 3 phase meter they would install. Hopefully by getting a new meter installed then I might be able to try and switch to another supplier. The danger there being that whoever I approach it might still be single rate.

No worries. A key contact of mine at OVO once told me he doesn’t like the idea of Twin-Element Meters and his team refused to do any R&D into Twin-Element Smart Meters beyond basically throwing out the idea of using them at all. That is as much as I’m allowed to tell you I’m afraid.

The options presented are horrible, but based on the offers, E7 is the least evil one for your setup so I’d suggest going that way - it’d also make switching much easier later. I’ll ask ​@Firedog and ​@BPLightlog to swing by for a second opinion though.

As for switching? OVO has just launched self-service switches via the website for dual-rate tariffs in case that helps a bit.

Yes, I’d agree that an E7 setup would give a ‘white label’ system that might be more conducive to switching at some point.

If just looking for best options E9 or E10 might give more off peak hours if the hours on offer locally match the need.

Hey ​@Koolqat,

The Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) is being switched off because the underlying technology and infrastructure are reaching the end of their operational life. This means the equipment that sends the radio signal to switch between peak and off-peak electricity rates can no longer be adequately maintained.

https://www.energy-uk.org.uk/customers/the-radio-teleswitch-service-switch-off-what-you-need-to-know/
 

What is the Radio Teleswitch Service, and what is it used for?
 

The Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) uses a radio signal to tell some older electricity meters when to switch between peak and off-peak rates. RTS is used for some traditional multi-rate meters and was designed to support those who use electricity for their heating and hot water. This may include those who use electric storage systems, panel heaters or immersion heaters in water tanks – some of which typically charge up overnight.

RTS allows energy suppliers to offer different tariff rates; so consumers can make use of cheaper off-peak tariffs to charge their heating and/or hot water systems up overnight.

RTS was introduced in the 1980s, and is now reaching the end of its natural operational life. This means the equipment that produces the radio signal can’t be adequately maintained anymore.

There are plans where customers are charged cheaper rates for using energy during off peak times like economy 7 & economy 10. There are also grid balancing schemes like power move & power move flex. Find out more here:
 

Hi Emmaunuelle_OVO

Thank you for all the information.

I am well aware of the RTS switch off. I am really keen to get my system upgraded and according to all the guidelines I have read they say that my supplier “should offer a tariff that is suitable for the hot water and/or heating set-up in your home.”

Unfortunately I am not being offered a similar tariff to my existing tariff and what ever way I go is going to result in higher electricity bills and probably rewiring costs to keep my heating functioning.

This is in the main a modern all electric property and all I am asking for is power to be supplied as it has been for the past 25 years. I don’t understand why installing a smart metering system prevents power being provided as previously.

Note that the Ofgem statement is actually

move households with a Radio Teleswitch meter to a smart meter onto a suitable tariff that reflects their usage patterns or another smart tariff of their choice

 https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/energy-advice-households/replacing-your-radio-teleswitch-electricity-meter

it only says “suitable tariff”, it does not say “similar tariff”.

Yes the current tariffs will in a lot of cases result in higher running costs than your previous “special” tariff.

(Some of that higher cost can be mitigated, by changing heater types, or rewiring existing heater timers, or even just changing how you use your heaters).

What you are being offered are the common tariffs that have been being offered to most UK users for years. (E7, E9, and E10).

If you look at it that way then you have been enjoying a cheaper tariff rate than most consumers in the UK for a number of years now, unfotunately that bonus of a special cheaper rate that you have had the benefit of has now come to an end with the end of RTS.

I realise that's not what you want to hear.

However it is what it is and your tariff is being brought into line with the tariff rates that general consumers in the UK have had to pay for years now.