Circet/ESB want to change electricity meter to smart meter.

You can keep your old tariff for the foreseeable. But you also have the option of additional tariffs, if you wish.

The difference is miniscule and it would need to be a very old analogue meter. ESB tended to update them on a rolling basis anyway.

As for smart meters and smart plans. Almost everyone would benefit from a smart plan. I'm with energia. 23c daytime, 24.7c peak (5-7pm) and 13c night (11pm to 11am)

The small premium on 5-7pm is more than paid for by having the dishwasher start at 7pm on the days we use it. Washing machine timed for 6am on a standard 45min wash, immersion for 6.30am and tumbler dryer when needed at 7am or thereabouts.

I've yet to have a bi-monthly bill exceed €200 as we have near 50% of units used charged at off peak and it took very little effort to make the small changes. Previously the bi-monthly bills were €250-€300 with units rates just a tad higher.

Think of your usage. Can you change much to an 11pm-8am time? - If you can, then its a no brainer. Most domestic machines have time delay of up to 8 hours, so loading can be done anytime - a press of a button at 10pm and it will commence its work at 6am. Only machine I like to be "in situ" for is the tumbler dryer.

I said "almost everyone".

The insights a smart meter can give you are available instantly and that alone can show you where savings can be made without needing a year of experimentation.

All I know is my bill has dropped substantially (I'm 10 months into my day/night plan) and I don't have a €70 additional annual fee that is charged for a day/night meter.

Fair, I do agree that the data from the ESB networks portal is extremely valuable, and I like that it's available without having to sign up for a smart plan

We still have the original meter from electrification in the 1960s

It even runs backwards

Currently, yes. They have no interest in arguing with people who don't want them, so you can just say no.

Eventually every old meter will be replaced due to age (or failure) and they won't have non smart meters left in stock; but we aren't at that point yet. Plenty of people have 50+ year old meters currently so its not like they fail easily.

Tis very simple, say no

They are not changing the meter for your benefit but their's

When someone (private / for profit) comes to you with a proposal it is always vastly in their benefit

finger slip on my post (and yours 😁) - 11pm until 8am is the night rate.

I'd totally disagree.

Think of changing from the old dialing bakelite phones to a smart phone.

ESB networks are doing this to upgrade your information ability to make informed choice. This will hopefully have more people move usage to off peak times and balance the power grid.

Electricity is not something that is stored in a warehouse and sent out as needed. It is generated 247 - if they gererate too much in the evening or overnight - its wasted. There's also massively under utilised generation plants which switch off about 7pm and don't come on til the next morning.

At some peak times all generation plants are going full throttle. These are costly. So a better spread of usage means less need for additional generation plants and getting more use from current plants and maximising wind power at night.

But like anything new, you quickly find conspiracy theorists come up with all sorts of nonsense and sadly a lot of people simply believe what they say as they don't bother to fact check the rubbish they spout.

ESB networks don't need everyone to take it. They really don't care if you refuse.

Bit of a funny aside, I was watching a YouTube channel taking apart a UK smart meter (Big Clive)

He made a pretty sarcastic comment about how he couldn't find any microphones or listening devices that the tinfoil hat crowd were saying the smart meters had

That's alot of explaining on a seperate point that also is directly related to manipulating your useage

Also, if the ESB don't care, why are they doing it ?

***You*** buy a smartphone

You failed on all the points and then grasped desperation on conspiracy theory, the core point is when someone proposes something it's because ***they*** want it. If you do not understand that concept you are in trouble

when someone offers you an upgrade and doesn't care whether you take it or not and don't even TRY to make to change your mind - maybe the upgrade is good.

People, like you will continue in blissful ignorance where people like me will save about €400 a year of virtually no effort.

People like me have meters that run backwards and save far more than €400 per year

The meter is for their benefit not yours, next time do your calculations first instead of trying to justify an incorrect decision. It is telling how you post no data to back up your ascertain, your amalgamated average unit rate is your cost ex infrastructure charge, start there

Go and read any solar pv diacussion about esb, filing your form the backlog and export 'effect' upon meter

Gambling companies offer free goes because it is in their interest, people offer free samples, free trials etc etc, it's not a comspiracy it's a calculation to maximise income for the other party

Also you've not saved €400 you're guessing and only have one month's data, 🤦🏼‍♂️it gets worse