Prepayment fears delaying smart meter roll-out, warn MPs

Comments

• RobotToaster@mander.xyz ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

  Man, just another reason not to get one.

  They’re also have terrible security rtl-sdr.com/flipper-zero-self-destructs-an-electr…

  These things have zero benefit to the consumer.

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  • HeartyBeast@kbin.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    I’ve got solar and batteries. Even with hardly any solar generation, I’m seeing a lot of benefit from the smart meter and Octopus’ half hourly ‘agile’ tariff.

    Last week there were several times when the price of power was negative due to excess production from windfarms. We had the batteries charging, the immersion heater going and the washing machine running.

    More usually, we make sure we are using most energy when the price is cheapest

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• Emperor@feddit.uk ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

  I didn’t realise they could do that. Bit cheeky that they’d pitch it as helping the customer rather than ensuring they keep getting their money.

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• athos77@kbin.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

  ffs, are we moving back to the "do you have a shilling for the meter" days?

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• Borkingheck@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

  When hourly price changes opportunity become the norm, people will want them. Part of managing the lecky grid will be nudges to change behaviour e.g EVs set to charge when demand is low.

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• autotldr@lemmings.world [bot] ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

  This is the best summary I could come up with:

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  Smart meters measure how much gas and electricity you use and can send those readings via a remote connection to your energy supplier.

  The committee said consumers with traditional meters were “less interested” in having a smart one installed, and reports of bad practice among suppliers had put people off.

  A spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said a recent public spending report by the National Audit Office had recognised the “progress made on the roll-out of smart meters, acknowledging savings would be worth around £50 a year off a typical dual fuel bill”.

  Suppliers can put customers on prepayment meters if they struggle to keep up with bills, arguing it helps them to manage their energy use.

  “Smart meters have serious reputational obstacles to overcome with the public,” PAC chair Dame Meg Hillier said.

  “In particular, our inquiry has found that consumers’ enthusiasm for adopting one has been understandably harmed by recent shocking reports of forced installations.”

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  The original article contains 533 words, the summary contains 162 words. Saved 70%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!

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