In response to OVO's 'encouragement', our 'smart' meter system (so far, marked only by its dumbness) was fitted on 18th December. The IHD (In Home Display) shows some (and inconsistent) info about electricity usage and none about gas - I note that other contributors have flagged this problem.
Compared with the known power rating of various appliances (I tend to use our microwave since it is programmable for a wide range of different power outputs), the IHD is showing much higher electricity usage that I would have expected.
So far, there is no info at all on the OVO website regarding our gas usage and, as elderly people, my wife and I struggle to press the buttons and read the figures on the new gas meter - that is equipped with an entirely blank display...
OVO customer support promised that someone would arrange to visit and check the system within five days of my notifying the problem. Nothing has happened - except for a further email politely telling me to shut up and wait. I can provide these emails if needed.
At the very least, I need to be able to compare power usage now with the historical readings I have supplied for several years in order to check the accuracy of the meters - but this information is no longer readily available when I log in.
As you can see, this is very frustrating and worrying - gas and electricity costs are major issues for pensioners. I would welcome some proper (and understandable) information and, of course, solutions to these problems.
Best answer by Transparent
Updated on 10/09/20: The info below outlines reasons why it takes up to 6 weeks post installation, to get your account up to date, which is needed before your online account will show your smart meter readings and usage.
If it’s been longer then 6 weeks, and your meter readings aren’t showing, see this topic for how to diagnose communication issues with your SMETS2 gas smart meter and your supplier.
Hi
It's only 1-month since your meters were exchanged for new SMETS2's.... and that period includes the Christmas break.
Before OVO can provide the correct data, there is a process which gets completed which is out of their hands. This includes:
a. Notification being sent by the Meter Installer to ECOES (the National Meter database) which identifies the Meter Reference numbers, the readings on the old meters and the readings on the new meters (which may not be zero!)
b. ECOES sends a Notification to DCC (Data Communications Company) to establish an encrypted link to your new Smart Meters and undertake tests.
c. ECOES sends Notification to your Energy Supplier (OVO) providing the readings. OVO must check these against your billing record and confirm to ECOES that the readings are valid... in that they are constent with what was expected for the exchange date.
d. ECOES Notifies DCC that OVO are the Supplier who is permitted to pass control data to your meters. DCC acknowledge and send a copy to OVO.
e. OVO send your tariff data to your Meters (which gets used by your IHD to inform you how much you're spending).
f. OVO check the usage-stats since your SMETS2's were installed and send a correction-factor to the meters to allow for inaccuracies.
etc...
So there's an awful lot of work going on in the background before OVO are in a position to give you proper statistics, let alone calculate a bill!
The system works - and is secure.