Can you supply a three phase smart meter?

OK. So we need @Tim_OVO to run this past a Meter Installs Manager tomorrow. The issue here is whether the DNO is prepared to install that new 3-phase cable and leave it terminated with their Service Fuse block.

If so, then there might not be a problem. Your site-meter effectively has an MPAN number because of the existing single-phase connection. So an OVO Engineer could “change” one meter for another, albeit they were physically connected to different cables. That shouldn’t be any difficulty for ECOES.

The remaining issue is to arrange for the OVO Engineer to arrive on site on the designated day for your switch from Octopus to OVO.

my understanding is that ssen would leave it terminated with their fuse block as they did for the temporary supply.

Some great info being shared here. Thanks for posting, @boulterc99 and for the export support @Transparent 

I’ve taken the info below from a guide I posted last week on 3 phase supplies, here.

The process for upgrading your supply to three phase

1. You will be identified as needing a 3-phase supply by an electrician, due to requiring a high capacity of electricity in your property. This is usually the result of an extension to the property with more lighting or other building work.
2. The DNO will need to attend to upgrade your main fuse to 3-phase.
3. We book a 3-phase meter exchange (we do not have 3-phase smart meters) for a 3-phase trained engineer to upgrade your meter at the cost of £325. More info on costs here.

The booking with us is a 20 working day appointment, and our engineer or engineer contractor SMS may contact you directly to change for another date once they receive the booking. An electrician may also be required to rewire your consumer unit once the new meter has been installed, as we won't do this.

Good morning @boulterc99 . You’ll notice that @Tim_OVO has moved our discussion into another Forum Topic where others are more likely to find it.

Having re-read what you posted yesterday, I note that you haven’t yet told us if you have aspirations to export energy back to the grid. This would be useful information for the OVO Meter Installs Team to know as they assess your request.

Hi @Transparent@Tim_OVO  i have no plans to export to the grid, I will be having 7KW of solar and a tesla battery but an all electric house with various load heavy devices `(eg Lift, GSHP)

I expect to consume all we generate and more.

@Tim_OVO  please can you confirm that you offer economy 7 on this 3 phase supply. Also can i get tariff details please.

Thanks
Chris

OK. Understood.

But the Tesla battery will still have a grid-connection and therefore a G98 export certificate.

As it is presumably going to be connected to only one of your 3-phases, this is relevant to the OVO specifier. The meter must have export registers, even if they only record zero!

As for your 7kW solar PV, is this feeding a separate off-grid battery (as I have), or is this also going to be grid-connected?

If the 7kW is grid-connected and spread across 2 phases (two inverters), then it too can be approved to G98, provided that those two phases are not the same as the Tesla Powerwall is already on.

However, the moment that there is the possibility of your grid-connected devices being able to export more than 3.68kW per phase (16A), then you need the higher-level G99 approval from SSEN. This applies even if you never actually export any power.

Please ask if you’d like further clarification of this.

@Transparent 

Spirit energy who are doing the PV and Battery config are applying for a G99 connection which SSEN have suggested

they have suggested “a SolarEdge 7k 3phase inverter that will balance the power generation out. We also have 1 no' Tesla PW2 battery storage unit to go in, this will be connected to L1 as 

the Tesla system only supports delivering power to 1 phase. A net/vector metering arrangement would effectively see the customer benefiting on all phases though.”

SSEN have suggested they are happy with this.

Thanks for that @boulterc99 - it sounds like you are in good hands.

I’m unsurprised that SSEN are happy with the proposals. Their main concern would be the possibility of substation losses due to phase-imbalance. Your SolarEdge inverter will avoid that likelihood due to being 3-phase.

The Distribution Network Operators are working under a revenue-constraint strategy called RIIO-ED1, imposed on them by Ofgem. Reducing system-losses is a key element of the programme, and any threat to the shareholders’ dividends is a sure way to encourage compliance!

@Transparent it is sure hard work to get this sorted though - doing 3 phase is like talking a foreign language to most energy providers - lets hope OVO can talk the language of 3 phase economy 7 and meter install - yet to get confirmation they can do the economy 7 part.