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THTC / Separate Radio Teleswitch and Meter- Can I get a smart meter?

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
February 27, 2023
291 replies
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Hoping someone here can help because this has been an on-going battle since before OVO took over SSE and it’s gotten progressively worse recently.

I live in a house that’s meters haven’t been checked, inspected, whatever since at least 1993. I have two meters - one for my storage heaters and water tank, and one for standard electricity. I’ve been trying to get this changed to either a smart meter if available OR just a standard single meter with a day or night rate.

I have email chain(s) going on with SSE/OVO (One email chain is using @sseenergyservices.com and the other is @ovo.com hence posting here) that I seem to just be going around in circles. I finally got through to the Electric Heating Team (EHT) about two weeks ago who changed me onto a single rate THTC tarrif, so both my standard and heating meters are at the same rate - but based on the readings that I’ve been providing, it’s still nearly 500 a month just for two storage heaters and a water tank.

Has anyone else had problems being switched to a single meter? It’s driving me insane and I can’t change providers even if I wanted to because I’m currently bent over a barrel with an old meter system that they won’t change that no one else supports.

Edit: Just to add, it’s Radio Teleswitch Total Heat Total Control (THTC) to be specific.

Best answer by Emmanuelle_OVO

Updated on 16/05/25 by Emmanuelle_OVO:

Update on RTS shutdown:

As part of the RTS Project development, we are really happy to share with you our progress:

As you may be aware, the RTS signal that instructs some of our meters when to move to the “Off Peak Period” will be closing down soon and we need to arrange for all of our RTS customers to have a meter exchange so they don’t lose any of their meter functionality.

The RTS signal will end for our customers on 30 June 2025. The period between 1 July - 30 September 2025 will then be used to close-down the RTS signal and allow us to manage any unexpected customers impacted.

After a very successful pilot, from the 17th June 2024 we will begin writing to our Economy 10 RTS customers to invite them to call us to arrange for their meter exchange.

We are continuing to work at pace to enable the same solution for the majority of our other RTS customers and our aim is to begin writing to these customers in Aug 2024.

We will continue to update you on our progress.

Hey @Noz1954,

I don’t know the exact figures, I’ll see if I can find out. I’d imagine a few thousand as Blastoise advised.

We’ve had a couple of customers on the Forum who’ve advised they have THTC set ups, would be interesting to get a conversation going.

We’ve got an FAQ on exotic types which might have some useful information:

Show previous replies

Blastoise186

Super User

AACCKK!!! That’s not meant to happen!!!

Ok, backup tool. Can’t promise it’ll work though. https://smartmetercheck.citizensadvice.org.uk/

Let’s see what that one says.

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amygw

Newcomer

@Blastoise186 It says “We can’t find your meter”. The engineer said that it was connected to the network but not commissioned, so that might be why.

Blastoise186

Super User

Thanks, that helps a ton.

I think the best thing to do in that case, is use this final tool (promise!) to get a case raised to OVO’s team. https://smart-meter-help.ovoenergy.com is designed to automatically detect whether a case is needed and raise one if appropriate. It’ll gather some info and then hopefully send it off.

Let me know if that fails.

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thelearner

Newcomer

Additionally, if you are in a Load Managed Area (ask your DNO to check!), you cannot leave THTC even with Smart Meters unless you do away with ALL Storage Heaters and Immersion Heaters. Even if you left OVO, if you’re in a LMA you’d have to stay on THTC.

My 88 year old father has THTC - meters still working, he has new replacement Dimplex Storage and Panel Heaters, and new consumer units for all connected to THTC, storage heaters, panel heaters, towel rail, shower and we replaced the big hot water tank with immersion with a small 15l water heater as there is no longer a bath in his flat.

I emailed the DNO on 6th Dec 23, to see if my dad’s flat is in a load managed area, this is the reply

“Thank you for contacting Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN).

Unfortunately responsibility for THTC metering and its maintenance lays with OVO Energy. At SSEN we only remain responsible for the mains cable and fuse delivering power to the property but following the business takeover of SSE Energy by OVO Energy, we no longer have involvement with managing the metering systems.

The national database shows that a third-party Callisto Data looks after the meters in the region on behalf of OVO Energy. This link takes you to their website Contact | Callisto and as the data collector/aggregator they may be in a better position to respond to your query. “

So we cannot find out if he is in a LMA, but I have been heartened to read that OVO are working on a solution for THTC, so people do not have to rip out expensive new storage heaters and replace them with something else - should they be in an LMA.

When I then read that he RTS signal is definitely being switched off on 31/03/25 (if it lasts that long), I emailed OVO energy 0n 02/03/24 for an update on plans for THTC meter replacement, only go an auto acknowledgement - no reply to the email. I would have expected a company like OVO to be communicating directly with their THTC customers about this issue.

Meanwhile - thanks for all the information posted in this forum - it has been very helpful to us.

Blastoise186

Super User

You’re welcome @thelearner , I’m glad we could help.

It appears SSEN has misunderstood/misinterpreted the question. THTC Metering is not exclusively the responsibility of OVO, because OVO is only responsible for THTC Meters that belong to its own customers. If you’re with another supplier, it’s not OVO’s problem because only the active supplier is responsible.

The fact that OVO took over SSE’s retail division does not mean SSEN can just wash its hands of the entire thing. Load Managed Area definitions are still DNO responsibility - but they never managed the metering systems per se anyway.

I’ll to-do this for this week to try and have a quiet word with SSEN about these things.

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Cassie511

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