EDF smart meter

T'woman said 2020 - though I imagine that they'll simply roll in as part of the usual upgrade and replacement programme.

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Jeez, is it that difficult to read and reply to a post.

This is part of their replacement programme. The more they can do now before its compulsory the less they need to do in a rush later.

Harry won't want one as they can meter exported power on them.

I inherited a smart meter in one of my factory units, when the tenant moved out. The next occupant found that he couldn't change to the electricity supplier he wanted as thye used different protocols and couldn't read the data from the meter.

The green lobby pushed government to require the industry to roll out smart meters - with forecasts of great reductions in use once people saw how much things cost. Consumers are promised in-house displays, accurate bills, ability to let switching sites see data and recommend new suppliers, fast switching. The grid gets smart grids etc. Both get all the benefits which (allegedly) come when everything talks to everything else. Suppliers' main benefits are no need to manually read meters and repeal of the requirements to inspect meters every 2 years (though they still have a general H&S duty). But suppliers lose profits if switching becomes easier and more common so I very much doubt they sat around with cats on laps to devise this scheme.

Surely if you have a smart meter, all you have to do to fool the burglars who might read it while you are away is to leave on a fire or cooker on a time-switch, so that your consumption pattern makes it look as if your home is still occupied. That won't save much energy, indeed it might use rather more, but that's beside the point.

I don't believe that smart meters will much difference to consumption, but they surely save money on salaries of meter readers, and make it much easier for the energy companies to introduce variable pricing depending on demand. I will resiste having one as long as I can.

In my case, I could read the meter every month if needed. Couldn't be easier here.

But many like a uniform payment each month. Where you will be in credit for some of the year, and in debit for the rest. That should also suit the energy supplier, and should give a discount over any form of paying in arrears. Not to say it does, of course. ;-)

I am a customer of theirs, so not strictly speaking a cold call. Sorry.

Since when did the 'green lobby' have much in the way of influence? If a government decided to take up their idea, it was because they saw merit in it. No way were they forced.

Of course ad often happens, a business will change things in a way so that they are the beneficiaries, rather than the consumer. Like making it more difficult to change supplier, if this is the case.

Since there were perceived to be votes (or personal political gain) in it - which was quite early under Brown but had a steroid injection when Ed Miliband became Energy Secretary. Smart meters were already planned by then (in the Energy Act 2008) but he pushed them - around the same time he blocked Heathrow expansion and upped the 2050 target for the UK's decarbonisation. In short, Ed Miliband saw great merit in being seen as as something of a deity with environmental groups.

I find it hard to see how suppliers could do that when their regulator - Ofgem - oversees the switching process and is already working towards 24 hours switching.

You think it only greens who don't want Heathrow expansion? That makes Boris and Zak greens.

But it seems like you're rather typical of many here. Any idea or proposal from the left is bad, and any from the right good. The usual black and white rubbish.

As attempts to play the man rather than the ball go, I have to say you ain't no Norman Hunter.

According to EDF, they have a dedicated team fitting themfor free in various parts of the country. They are evolving all the time. I was told that at the moment the current device cannot speak or be used by the blind, but this they hope will change. Priority service users are thus not having them fitted at the moment unless they want one, but only in the areas they mentioned to me. No I did not recall the list, but parts of London are on the list.

I did say that the time these have been in gestation, I'd have expected them to not only speak but calculate the bill and allow you to i insert your card to pay as well by now... Brian

My neighbour is on a standard EDF rate, not prepaid, and pays his bill on time, but his new smart meter still has an icon on the lcd that says debt.

A neighbour's experience of BG fitting a smart meter....... Visual inspection of boiler flue suggested a leak. Gas turned off and consumer instructed to call BG to arrange engineer visit. Local Gas Safe guy tested boiler and predictably found nothing wrong, so smart meter has cost her £60 but fortunately BG didn't see any of it. My plumber reckons their practices are verging on the criminal, suggesting for example that widely available parts have been discontinued.

... but they don't do they? They can't "let you see what's using the electric[ity]", all they can do is show your total consumption.

Plowperson is fully committed to the Cause, with all the passion that a loser can summon.

Labour, is for losers. It's that simple.

So you rush back and forth looking at the meter reading while you turn things on and off? Isn't it easier simply to read the rating plate on whatever you're interested in? ... and anyway there will be things turning themselves on and off which will mask the changes you're trying to see won't there?

It would do, unless he doesn't use any power after the date to which his bill is made up.