THTC meter - Removal Request

I thought I’d pointed this out to you earlier: there is no replacement for the RTS signal.  

The RTS service makes it possible for your electricity distributor (I’m guessing SSEN) to send signals to a dedicated meter to control the times when power is delivered to your heating circuits. 

Smart meters don’t incorporate this capability. They can manage timings by means of internal switches if appropriate, but there is no remote control over the timings like RTS does.. 

If your neighbour has a working smart meter, it may be possible for you to join the smart network via his connection. 

As someone also on an RTS controlled THTC two meter set up, I’m starting to get worried that a working smart meter is actually going to be available before the RTS switch off.  😕

Hi @monster9,

I’m sorry to hear this. I’ll get our Forum_Support team to reach out again to look into this further for you.

Hi @Aberdeenshire_user,

I’m happy that the RTS guide has been useful to you. I completely understand your frustration here and I do agree. I will feed this back.

Hi @Mo59,

I’ll reach out to on our expert to see if there’s any further updates. The last update did say that we expected to begin writing to customers with RTS set ups in Aug 2024. I’ll be back once I get an answer for you. 

@Firedog My bad. Thanks for the poke.

I was wondering if you could answer this theoretical question…

IF a customer cannot receive the WAN signal by any means, I expect their meter will be set up with the appropriate tariff prior to installation in their home.
What would happen if that customer wanted to change their tariff some time after installation of the meter - one that would involve changes to the aforementioned internal switches?
I’m making a presumption here that the WAN signal is used to reprogram the meter? 

What would happen in that case?
 

“He [Squad70] tells me that right now (and for the foreseeable future) NO THTC meters are currently being replaced because of a technical issue that he could not describe to me.”

@Blastoise186 is this something you are able to confirm via your contacts?

I’m unsure whether I’m being given out-of-date or up-to-date info.

Many thanks in advance.

I’ve no idea, I’m afraid.

We’re talking about several different bits of the system here. Complex metering involves at least these elements:

1. The tariff. This is the basis of your contract with the supplier, who is obliged to supply electricity at the rates given at the times specified. 
2. The meter’s Time-of-Use (TOU) table, which should be set to switch between the different registers (e.g. peak and offpeak) at the times specified in the tariff.
3. If an Auxiliary Load Control Switch (ALCS) is installed, the ALCS calendar* dictates when power to heating circuits is turned on and off. This should of course also match the timings specified in the tariff.
4. The tariff rates. A smart meter will store the current unit rates and standing charge to enable it (and the associated IHD) to show usage in pounds and pence as well as in kWh.
   This is only for informational purposes - it has no effect on billing, which looks solely at usage in kWh and the rates given in the tariff.

(2) and (3) are (or should be) set at installation. Subsequent changes would normally be made Over-The-Air (OTA), i.e. remotely via the WAN. If there is no WAN connection, then I expect any such change would involve a site visit.

If there’s no need to differentiate between peak and offpeak usage - e.g. when usage during offpeak periods is below the level needed to make it worthwhile - then this is all academic. This depends, of course, on individual circumstances. If the only appliance that might be cheaper to run offpeak is a water heater, it’s quite likely that this wouldn’t justify the higher price paid for everything else, like heaters switched on on demand. 

You may find that the tariff you choose can’t be changed at all (e.g. E7 to E10 or vice versa), although it should be possible to change a TOU tariff to single-rate. If everything is charged at the same rate, then billing would take care of it regardless of any switching between registers. 
  

*   It’s only called a calendar and not a timetable because there are tariffs that allow for different timings at weekends and on bank holidays, for example. It would be unusual to find any domestic user with this sort of tariff, but plenty of business consumers have them.

Thanks @Firedog 
Very useful, once again!

“You may find that the tariff you choose can’t be changed at all (e.g. E7 to E10 or vice versa), although it should be possible to change a TOU tariff to single-rate. If everything is charged at the same rate, then billing would take care of it regardless of any switching between registers.”

I tend to change suppliers often, to get the best market rates. Some of the ToU tariffs on offer are very attractive.
Sounds like it may be awkward to modify ToU tariffs in the scenario I describe, unless a site visit can be arranged. Same with changing suppliers.

Yep. Many of the ToU tariffs on offer depend on a smart meter that is in contact with the supplier, so you wouldn’t be able to take advantage of them in any case if there’s no WAN. 

I think you should concentrate on getting WAN to reach your home. This would mean badgering the supplier and complaining regularly to bodies like Home Energy Scotland and anyone else (e.g. Citizens Advice) who may be able to bring pressure to bear on DCC to bring you into the fold. The solution is not necessarily Arqiva building a 50m mast in your back garden; it might just be a question of hooking your meter up to your neighbour’s.

Hi @Mo59,

I’ve had a response from our expert, they’ve advised me that the above update from 14/06/2024 is still valid. The aim is still to reach out to RTS customers still affected by this issue sometime this month.

This thread may also be helpful: 

As soon as we have any further updates, we will update all relevant topics.

Thanks @Firedog 

The situation above describes worst case - truth is, I may well be WAN-able.
It’d be helpful to know either way, but from reading previous posts, it seems difficult to get this info?
If anyone has any tips or tricks, I’d be grateful to hear them.