Warning meters in 300,000 homes could stop working

Its a bit deeper than just Economy 7.  There are a range of switching times on the Teleswitch system including dynamic switching for load control (esp in Scotland).  Some of these can be replicated by Smart Meters but not all.  Some switching arrangements will need updates to customer installations.  In addition IIRC many of these installations are in remote areas and may have signal difficulties with the smart meters so that adds an extra dimension to the problem.  All that said there is really  no excuse for leaving this to the last minute.  Suppliers must take responsibility for their supply arrangements and work with their customers to get decent outcomes.

I dont think that indefinite extension of the teleswitch scheme is possible as the equipment at the transmitter has been obsolete for years and I think is being wetnursed to keep it going.

Peter

Interesting read and one I have had to get involved with as my Mother in Law has a "RTS" Tele switch for what was called white meter heating. So signal each evening supplied electricity to small consumer unit supplying storage heaters thru her flat. The multi flat building she is in does not have and natural gas supply so gas central heating not an option.

Up until January this year "Scottish Power" as her energy provider had not sent any comms on this at all!! Only in January did flyers start arriving by post. I took up the mantle for her, so usual, you cant speak with somebody all online. So first issue was they said RTS didnt exist in her home as she already had smart meters!!

Wrong yes she had two smart meters but one of them controlled by the RTS switch. 23 emails and my photographs before Scottish Power accepted they need to replace RTS Unit and upgrade meters. Now I would like to think Im reasonably electrically competent, my Mother in Law is 82yrs old and majority of her neighbours are the same, so how would they have been able to communicate with Scottish Power and actually persuade them meters need changing??

So appointment booked, I was there waiting on engineer and you guessed it didnt show up, that happened on two occassions, so we are now at beginning of April. Third attempt at appointment of course meter change carried out by subcontractor to Scottish Power "Providor". Their operative calls me from outside the building and asked why on earth did we want smart meters as they are "Rubbish"..................... When I said its only because a RTS system installed he indicated oh aye they will need changed. Operative came in with an "Attitude" he was obviously over worked with bookings and trying to avoid many. He went off on a rant about what are all these *** cables for? where does this and that go? I pointed out what line and neutral supply and load and switching conductors were. Then he asked me what I did and he then replied this install is going to be like an audit for me? 

Too right it was and the Mother in Law now has the RTS unit removed nice new meter installed that has some kind of "Contactor" inside it that now switches on and off at the required times.

Perhaps the reason 300,000 RTS units still need swapping out is the very late notification by the energy companies, nearly impossible online only way of communicating with them and service contractors that fail to turn up and dont really want to do the work.

Sadly reflection on the industry service levels Im afraid.

Cheers GTB 

Interesting read and one I have had to get involved with as my Mother in Law has a "RTS" Tele switch for what was called white meter heating. So signal each evening supplied electricity to small consumer unit supplying storage heaters thru her flat. The multi flat building she is in does not have and natural gas supply so gas central heating not an option.

Up until January this year "Scottish Power" as her energy provider had not sent any comms on this at all!! Only in January did flyers start arriving by post. I took up the mantle for her, so usual, you cant speak with somebody all online. So first issue was they said RTS didnt exist in her home as she already had smart meters!!

Wrong yes she had two smart meters but one of them controlled by the RTS switch. 23 emails and my photographs before Scottish Power accepted they need to replace RTS Unit and upgrade meters. Now I would like to think Im reasonably electrically competent, my Mother in Law is 82yrs old and majority of her neighbours are the same, so how would they have been able to communicate with Scottish Power and actually persuade them meters need changing??

So appointment booked, I was there waiting on engineer and you guessed it didnt show up, that happened on two occassions, so we are now at beginning of April. Third attempt at appointment of course meter change carried out by subcontractor to Scottish Power "Providor". Their operative calls me from outside the building and asked why on earth did we want smart meters as they are "Rubbish"..................... When I said its only because a RTS system installed he indicated oh aye they will need changed. Operative came in with an "Attitude" he was obviously over worked with bookings and trying to avoid many. He went off on a rant about what are all these *** cables for? where does this and that go? I pointed out what line and neutral supply and load and switching conductors were. Then he asked me what I did and he then replied this install is going to be like an audit for me? 

Too right it was and the Mother in Law now has the RTS unit removed nice new meter installed that has some kind of "Contactor" inside it that now switches on and off at the required times.

Perhaps the reason 300,000 RTS units still need swapping out is the very late notification by the energy companies, nearly impossible online only way of communicating with them and service contractors that fail to turn up and dont really want to do the work.

Sadly reflection on the industry service levels Im afraid.

Cheers GTB