Opting out of Smart Meter Program

Zamboni · 28-09-2022 2:13pm #1

I have a small solar array and Zappi/Eddi for surplus and would not really economically benefit from FIT in comparions to maintaining my day/night meter.

Are there specific steps/notifications that I have to do to officially opt out of the smart meter program? Are there set templates with set scripts to display on the box to installers?

I get the impression that once the smart meter is in, you're snookered.

BagofWeed · 28-09-2022 2:20pm

smartmeter@tli.ie Email them with your name, address and just state that you do not wish for a smart meter to be installed and that TLI have no permission from you to access your property. I done it few years back and they emailed me back and left my property alone. One of me neighbours got one in and his bill has gotten far worse.

Alkers · 28-09-2022 4:05pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058265229/opting-out-of-smart-meter-program

Your specific issue currently is with the smart plans which are currently available. If you go to the lengths of ruling yourself out of the smart meter programme, you could be shooting yourself in the foot, for when eventually smart tarrif rates are favourable to day/night meters.

Smart meters are not evil, they offer increased functionality to the end user and more accurate billing. The issue of smart tarrifs not being competitive is a seperate issue

Gerry · 28-09-2022 6:16pm

yup people need to bear that in mind and separate the meter from the tariff. the tariffs can change easier than the meter.

28-09-2022 6:20pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058265229/opting-out-of-smart-meter-program

Why not get the smart meter in (when they're installing them in your area) and simply remain on your existing tariff? Having a smart meter doesn't compel you to switch to a smart tariff.

walterking · 28-09-2022 6:28pm

I don't get why people don't want smart meters - usually its the not so smart people that object to anything and everything because they have nothing else to do.

Same faces popped up against 5g masts (remember they caused XXXX (fill in whatever disease you want)), wind turbines (birds dying, flicker disease and they even said cancer) and anti covid vaccines

I've a smart meter for almost 2 years. I moved to a smart meter price plan earlier this year.

My bills are LOWER than last year when comparing identical months even though the daytime unit rate is over 40% higher.

It is SO SIMPLE - event the "not so smart anti everything shower of fools" could work them out and plan their usage and save money.

My bill for August was €86 - including standing charges and vat. Decent size rural house. Washing machine, dishwasher, immersion, Iron, cooking, fridges and even a bit of tumble drying. Almost 70% of use was 2am - 4am at 8.13c/unit. All it needs is just a little amount of smart matter between the ears.

slave1 · 28-09-2022 6:38pm

Good man Walter, 9.16c/unit ain't bad except if you were on a Day/Night rate with Energia you would have been paying 5.8c/unit and not for just 2am to 4am it's for 9 hours every night so your early morning kettle boil would be included at night rate.

But you can't avail of this because you have a (Not so) Smart Meter.

SMART meters include log calculations, "they" will know what devices are being used e.g. EVs and then there will basis for taxing home charging, also with SMART meters "they" can throttle usage or even cut you off.

No thanks

walterking · 28-09-2022 6:43pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119677472#Comment_119677472

can you please show me and everyone else where that 5.8c a unit rate is.

(and I made an error - it is 8.13c and I got €150 credit)

Please don't quote last year's rates - quote August 2022.

I have energia's best day/night rate in a holiday home I have (not a smart meter yet). It is NOT 5.8c a unit for night time

irishchris · 28-09-2022 6:45pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119677424#Comment_119677424

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119677472#Comment_119677472

Is it not 10.31c with energia EV plan?

slave1 · 28-09-2022 6:58pm

Sure, from my current fixed pricing plan with Eneriga that expires next month (so valid for August and September 2022)

and from October 1st the new fixed plan is still cheaper than 8.13c and no worries about price increases

@irishchris I signed up a few weeks back before the hikes and as I don't have a Smart Meter they can't change the rate until the current billing cycle completes

kabakuyu · 28-09-2022 7:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119677379#Comment_119677379

Day/night tariff(usually cheaper} cannot yet be replicated on the not so smart meter, it is advisable to refuse them if you are currently using D/N meter.

kabakuyu · 28-09-2022 7:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119677424#Comment_119677424

So, you load shifted the majority of your usage to the early hours, and that resulted in a lower bill(you could have done this on a D/N meter as well and you would have had a much longer window to load shift,) your lower bill had nothing to do with the smart meter.

My bill for august was 34e.

https://www.independent.ie/business/personal-finance/not-so-smart-meters-how-some-new-smart-plans-have-customers-paying-more-not-less-for-energy-bills-42013780.html

graememk · 28-09-2022 9:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119677424#Comment_119677424

Why I don't want a smart meter.

It's more expensive for me than a day night meter

Currently on

27.4 day, 7.9 night, renewed at the start of August. Also fixed for a year 😉

Energias current ev rate is now 35.78/10.31 (all prices are rising in oct)

Find me a smart plan cheaper than that now. That's all I ask

I know the standing charge is higher for a day/night meter.

I have had energy monitoring for years, even before I had solar. Once off cost, and far more responsive too

Gooser14 · 28-09-2022 9:25pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119677379#Comment_119677379

I currently have a digital day/night meter. If I get the smart meter can I remain on my current day/night tariffs. If affirmative can I retain theday/night tariff plan if I switch suppliers.

slave1 · 28-09-2022 9:33pm

If you get a Smart meter you cannot avail of your current day/night rates

28-09-2022 9:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119678009#Comment_119678009

Yes to Q1 and, unfortunately, I don't know to Q 2. Good question though. Can anyone advise?

graememk · 28-09-2022 9:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119678009#Comment_119678009

They are not switching people on day night to smart meters.

They can't just take you off your DN tariff and stick in a smart meter (by default a ,24 tariff)

You can switch to a smart meter if you pre-arrange a smart tariff or 24 hr tariff to move to. You can't stay on the day night.

Gooser14 · 28-09-2022 9:42pm

Thanks for the answers. I'm happy with the day/night tariff plans & will be keeping my digital day/night meter.

deirdremf · 28-09-2022 10:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119676834#Comment_119676834

Smart meters are not evil,

Too true, but the thinking behind them is. They tell you that you can use appliances at a cheaper rate in the middle of the night, for instance, but this is an anti-social time.

They will also put the price sky-high at peak hours; and if you have kids as so many of us do, they have to be fed, bathed etc at these peak times when you are paying top dollar for your electricity. You simply can't cook a child's dinner or turn on the immersion for their bath or run their shower at 2 am. And this is the real reason for introducing smart meters, it's not a green measure, although it's portrayed as such. It is an attempt at getting a captured audience to pay higher prices when people have no alternative.

SteelyDanJalapeno · 28-09-2022 11:39pm

Energia are not offering any smart logging, also if like us you buy house with a smart meter already installed or even move house renting, you have to then take a smart tariff.

Keep your old meters for as long as possible

slave1 · 29-09-2022 8:49am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119678483#Comment_119678483

You can move to a day/night tariff with Energia, they will take it from there and arrange for your Smart meter to be switched for a Day/Night meter with no cost to you apart from the phone call you make

SteelyDanJalapeno · 29-09-2022 8:56am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119678963#Comment_119678963

Can I ask a stupid question, why would they change the meter for this?

Is the smart meter not capable of logging the time?

slave1 · 29-09-2022 8:57am

The Smart Meter cannot handle Day/Night tariffs, beggars belief but true!

Mav11 · 29-09-2022 9:30am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119677424#Comment_119677424

I don't get why people don't want smart meters

Well one very good and non-emotive reason would be that smart meters use 2g connectivity which has very weak encryption and is easy to hack.

zg3409 · 29-09-2022 9:46am

OP. Have you received a letter saying you are getting a smart meter? There is typically a contact number on that letter.

I also put a paper sign in meter box and on the day they attempted to install one by going to "wrong" house as in they were doing every house except mine.

If you already have a night meter it's unlikely they will offer a smart meter, as no plans are the same on smart meter. That happened to me a few years ago at another address. They basically said they "could not" install a smart meter if I have a night meter. I assume they could but then I would no longer be able to get 9 hour night rate plans anymore.

If you refuse a smart meter (you may not need to see above) then you won't get paid any feed in tariff. If you get solar panels it's likely they will try upgrade very old meters that run backwards or run slower when exporting. They know they are losing money on anyone who has a mechanical meter and panels. Even if a mechanical meter cannot run backwards but run slower you are getting a 1:1 rate on exports as in if you pay 20c to buy you export and meter may slow by 20c a unit unless you are exporting more than importing.

Alkers · 29-09-2022 10:51am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119678963#Comment_119678963

If you move from smart meter to day/night you will not receive any deemed export FIT. If you are already on day /night you will, up until the smart meters are setup to work with day / night tarrifs.