ESB Smart Metre Rollout Smart??

Parkstone Quay

The ESB Smart Meter roll out is starting in counties Cork, Kildare & Laois this autumn. I have mentioned this to people I know in the UK & had a look at articles on the web on this. It seems there has been a number of concerns regarding these meter, namely:
Inaccurate readings resulting in higher electricity bills
Not possible to switch suppliers
Smart metres not working correctly with LED bulbs, dimmer switches & solar panels - smart meter can't record when a different current is used apparently
Customers experiencing a loss of connection
Affected by weather
Faulty meters being installed
First generation meter still being installed

The upgrade was not compulsory in UK and I know someone who refused the smart meter
Just wondering if these smart meter are compulsory in Ireland and what are the implications to opt out? Letters from ESB don't give any indication if you can opt out of the upgrade.
I'm not able to post links / url's but if you google the following there is some info:
Not so smart the problems with smart meters
BBC News Why your smart meter may not be so smart after all
BBC News Smart meters why they are driving some people mad
Thanks in advance for your opinions and comments.

CoBo55

One word. Meter.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

My main issue would be that we are in an area with little or no mobile coverage, so readings will not be transmitted and we'd be basically still on a dumb meter but with no regular meter reader.

Cape Clear

CoBo55 wrote: »

One word. Meter.

Two words water charges

L1011

Parkstone Quay wrote: »

Smart metres not working correctly with LED bulbs, dimmer switches & solar panels - smart meter can't record when a different current is used apparently

If you mean power factor; the standard for smart meters is to charge for apparent rather than real power and if you have a particularly bad power factor you're going to pay more. Power factor correction is possible.

Parkstone Quay

Cape Clear wrote: »

Two words water charges

Two words: Not compulsory: So it turns out that these smart meters are not compulsory. You don't have to have one fitted. You can phone ESB Networks on 1850 372 757 (option zero). Give them your account details and ask to opt-out.
The letters that ESB and their contractors send out don't state that there is an option to decline, only that they will be in your area fitting smart meters including the one at your address. So, for anyone so inclined you can decline. You can also reverse your decision at any time in the future and have one fitted.
Plenty of info online that these meters were not a success in other parts of Europe. I'll be keeping my powder dry for now.

Credit Checker Moose

L1011 wrote: »

If you mean power factor; the standard for smart meters is to charge for apparent rather than real power and if you have a particularly bad power factor you're going to pay more. Power factor correction is possible.

It would be a very small number of people who would have an adverse power factor (<0.95) that it is ignored for domestic customers.

L1011

Credit Checker Moose wrote: »

It would be a very small number of people who would have an adverse power factor (<0.95) that it is ignored for domestic customers.

There are going to be some domestic customers with pretty poor power factors. Flourescent lights on ye olde magnetic ballasts (my grandmother had nearly her entire house done using T8 tubes and those old circular bulkhead lamps - Ericsson engineer uncle convinced her on cost reasons in the 80s! Felt like being in a hospital) and a lot of cheap switchmode power supplys will make an impact.

Unless it's made clear that it will be kept to real power for domestic customers there'll be concerns.

Weffer

Have had the smart metre about a year now and bills through the roof ... nearly €300 per 2 month bill for just the 2 of us

L1011

Weffer wrote: »

Have had the smart metre about a year now and bills through the roof ... nearly €300 per 2 month bill for just the 2 of us

That won't be down to the smart meter, unless your old meter was faulty and under-reading.

Are you, by any chance, at home significantly more than you were in, say, 2019?

Darc19

Weffer wrote: »

Have had the smart metre about a year now and bills through the roof ... nearly €300 per 2 month bill for just the 2 of us

I'll give the opposite. I've the smart meter in for about 15 months in main property and since December in a second property and bills are almost identical.

Advantage is we both have worked normally in our work premises due to the jobs we have, so more comparable to those who have worked from home a lot and may throw some electric heating on / boil kettles a few times a day / use extra lights / pc's etc.

And electricity prices have increased in the last 12 months and further increases have either been implemented or coming in August.
PSO levy also jumped by 3.68/month.

And on top of that, if you were on a discount rate and this has ended, you will see a big jump.

So check the bills, and think of additional usage, look at the number of units used over a period between actual meter readings (not estimates) and you will find the difference is explained and probably no where near what you are thinking.

But this believing sh1te from social media and stupid UK tabloids that some very accurate technology is causing a jump in usage is just ridiculous. Remember these are most likely the eejits who say 5g will give you cancer or covid was a government control thing - the gemma doherty / john waters types

BTW - ESB Networks only install 2nd Generation smart meters which are proven to be entirely accurate. Not even the 5G deniers have been able to show inaccuracy on the 2nd generation smart meters

Gooser14

Can users still check their consumption on smart meters?

L1011

Yes, easier than doing so on an old wheel meter really.