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Rank 1
September 6, 2022
Solved

Switching to a Economy 7 (two rate) plan - how can I arrange this with OVO?

  • September 6, 2022
  • 82 replies
  • 3886 views

Hello,

 

Is it currently possible to switch to an economy 7 tariff with OVO? I’m struggling to find any recent information about this as it seems like everything has come to a standstill with the impending October energy price rise.

 

Thanks.

Best answer by Emmanuelle_OVO

Updated on 12/08/26 by Chris_OVO

Hey @Adamamin,

 

Welcome to the OVO Online Community!

 

We don't currently have the capability to change smart meters from Single Rate to Economy 7, or vice versa. If this capability ever becomes available we’ll update the Forum accordingly so that everyone’s aware.

 

If you have a single-rate meter, you probably won't benefit from an Economy 7 tariff. This tariff offers a cheaper rate for off-peak hours but has a higher rate during peak hours. It is meant for users who use a lot of energy at night, especially those with storage heaters or immersion heaters that run overnight. If you don’t have these types of heaters and mostly use energy during the day, Economy 7 is likely not a good option for you.

 

If a customer has an Economy 7 meter and is not using enough energy during off peak hours, we can switch them to a single rate plan. This is common when customers have removed their storage heaters.

 

You can find out more about Economy 7 here:

 

 

82 replies

Rank 5
September 2, 2023

So eyes propped up with matchsticks I checked the meter at 00.29 this morning (2nd Sept). Below is a composite of the 2 photos I took. It clearly shows that the active rate is still the standard one and that in both photos you can see the night rate relay is still open. I shall be passing this evidence onto my complaints handler asap. I will post what happens.

image from photos taken at 00.29

 

Firedog
Super User
Super User
September 2, 2023

… the active rate is still the standard one

 

That looks like a very low off-peak rate to me, so it depends what you mean by standard. I don’t know whether those rates are shown including or excluding VAT, but single-rates these days are around 29p. I’d expect the peak rate for a dual-rate tariff to be well over 30p. Who did you bribe to get prices like that?

 

… the night rate relay is still open. 

 

Do you know for sure when your peak and off-peak times are? They vary a lot around the country, 

The tariff is probably changing (or not, if you’re still not on an E7 plan) at the right time; it’s just the Load Control that’s not being switched. As Blastoise said, ask them (!) to resend the ALCS commands. 

 

[PS We’ve seen a couple of cases where the installing engineer did this and had confirmation that it was all OK (a green light on his dashboard), when it turned out not to be OK at all. Not only that, but the fix that the metering people then applied also had a (different) fault. This means that they should now know how to deal with this situation, although how far down the totem pole this knowledge trickles is anybody’s guess. My suggestion would be to write up your situation in detail in a text file, then contact a Support agent via webchat, paste the text into the chat and add your (timed) screenshots, with a request that the agent pass the whole lot on to the metering team. Be sure to include both the MPAN and the meter serial number (MSN) in the details. The MSN is visible on the meter itself, above the barcode above the window, starting with 21M.]

 

Noel | I have no official status; I'm just a volunteer who comes here to help other customers. My gear: Aclara SGM 1416-B Electricity-only E7 meter; Chameleon IHD3-PPMID-AAA | It may look as if I know what I’m talking about, but don’t let that fool you. |
Rank 5
September 3, 2023

Yes thanks i got a bit confused over which rate is which and it bears no relation to what was quoted to me, so that’s another thing to sort out. As regards this whole sorry mess I have a dedicated complaints handler as this matter of changing 2 meters for 1 has been going on since January of this year. So I have emailed her over the weekend with the latest screen shots and text.

Rank 2
September 5, 2023

Yes thanks i got a bit confused over which rate is which and it bears no relation to what was quoted to me, so that’s another thing to sort out. As regards this whole sorry mess I have a dedicated complaints handler as this matter of changing 2 meters for 1 has been going on since January of this year. So I have emailed her over the weekend with the latest screen shots and text.

You are filling me with dread, as I will need to combine my 2 meters into one dual rate at some time too.  Much prefer it separate so you can see at a glance what the THTC reading is and the day rate on the other.

Blastoise186
Super User
Super User
September 5, 2023

If you have THTC right now, you’ll stay on the exact same metering setup until Smart Meters are ready to support it. Once they’re ready, you’ll be migrated over to Smart - and only then will it be collapsed into a single meter.

OVO’s team already confirmed to me that keeping it on two separate meters and/or using Twin-Element meters will be asking for trouble. This was confirmed in-person by a senior manager when I was at OVO’s HQ last year and during a recent forum event.

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way! Remember, I'm just like you - AI Powered Evil Geniuses aren't Staff!
Rank 2
September 14, 2023

With solar and a small battery considering changing to a  smart meter, currently on standard tariff but considering changing to Economy 7. Does OVO provide this funcionality or do I have to change suppliers to get it?

Blastoise186
Super User
Super User
September 14, 2023

OVO isn’t quite ready to move folks to <> from E7 yet. However, I must advise that I don’t think Economy 7 is right for your setup - you need to shift an awful lot of usage to overnight to justify it.

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way! Remember, I'm just like you - AI Powered Evil Geniuses aren't Staff!
Rank 2
September 14, 2023

OVO isn’t quite ready to move folks to <> from E7 yet. However, I must advise that I don’t think Economy 7 is right for your setup - you need to shift an awful lot of usage to overnight to justify it.

I take your point. However, I am considering increasing the size of my battery and grid charging at night for use during the day in Winter, in Summer I generate enough to cover my night time usage and day time on an average sunny day.

Blastoise186
Super User
Super User
September 14, 2023

In that case, this may need some number crunching. @juliamc @BPLightlog and @Firedog are good at that. 

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way! Remember, I'm just like you - AI Powered Evil Geniuses aren't Staff!
BPLightlog
Super User
Super User
September 14, 2023

Hi @tiredteddy , I was in a similar situation with a single rate meter and had been looking to use lower cost electricity to power various systems, especially as you mention, during the winter months. OVO will get there but I’m not sure when so I’ve recently switched to a provider who offers time of use (ToU) tariffs. 
It is important that you look at what you use during peak, not only 4-7pm but also during the morning from around 6-9 as these times can be higher, the evening significantly so at times. 
I believe that calculations suggest that you need to ensure that less than 30% of your usage will be during peak times but that will depend on which tariff you choose. E7 can work but it’s a little more tricky as some find that they need a boost in storage just before evening peak to last through the night

Bring me Sunshine ~ E&E {Solar PV, Battery Storage, Hybrid EV, ASHP and Home Assistant automation}