New ESB Meters being installed by KN Group.

[Odea]

The ESB are upgrading their meters in my area. They are using a company called KN Group to install these new meters.

I received a couple of letters from them and then a phone call to say that they would like to call to my home and replace meter. They would need to turn off our electricity for about 45 minutes to do the work. I am not sure if they can disconnect our electricity from outside our house where the meter box is located or if they need to call in to our home and switch it off from our internal fuse box?

Anyhow they phoned me and I said that I was not ready to have this work done. Three days later I had another call asking me if I wanted the job done. I declined.

Now we have a pretty persistent person call to our door and ring and ring our bell from the KN Group.

I am happy with my existing meter. I read some articles last year where people who got these new meters found that their electricity bill increased after they were installed.

Have you had this job done and are you happy with the result?

 

[Leo]

I am happy with my existing meter. I read some articles last year where people who got these new meters found that their electricity bill increased after they were installed.

Anyone who feels their meter isn't accurate should contact the NSAI. The new smart meters are approved and have been tested and proven to be accurate.

These meters are being rolled out nationwide with KN contracted to carry out the works.

 

[mathepac]

This is the company contracted to do work for the telecomms companies. Because they do "line-work" for eircom, they are the goto installers for indoor work as well.

The existing analogue meters were also tested, approved and calibrated as accurate when they were installed. Has anyone ever heard of the existing meters being recalibrated? Presumably, like all mechanical, electro-mechanical devices there will be subject to wear over time.

 

[PaddyBloggit]

I had mine replaced by the KN group. They don't need to enter your home. They disconnect within the box.

The ESB are moving to smart meters so I don't think you'll have a choice about whether you want it or not.

 

[mathepac]

Some older meters are installed in the homes rather than in the plastic boxes outside.

 

[Itchy]

I am happy with my existing meter. I read some articles last year where people who got these new meters found that their electricity bill increased after they were installed.

Have you had this job done and are you happy with the result?

ESB have an FAQ on their website about the programme.

Have you a link to any of these articles?

 

[Protocol]

I am happy with my existing meter. I read some articles last year where people who got these new meters found that their electricity bill increased after they were installed.

Have you had this job done and are you happy with the result?

In contrast to you, I am looking forward to smart meters, which are being installed nationwide into every house.

They will allow more sophisticated pricing, e.g. cheaper off-peak rates.

 

[mathepac]

ESB have an FAQ on their website about the programme.

@protocal I'm surprised to see you buying into the unsubstantiated claims, aka propaganda, on that ESB site. There is not one single real-world example quantifying the claimed savings or supposed advantages. There is no FAQ, merely justification and defence of the technology used.

Has anyone costed the replacement programme? New meters purchased, new meters installed (transport costs including diesel and labour costs), disposal of old meters? Has anyone looked at alternative proposals? If I install one, will I save €50/€100/€200 per year or per bill?

The installation of "smart meters", who thinks up these names? in the UK has been an unmitigated disaster, with erroneous bills measured in the thousands of pounds for certain customers. And the programme cost a lot more than the original guesstimates

 

[Protocol]

I did not read the ESB material.

I presume that smart meters will allow differentiated pricing.

So we can better match demand and supply.

 

[Odea]

Not so smart: bad meter installations leave customers in debt and in the dark

Consumers are left footing the bill when a much-vaunted new technology goes wrong

www.theguardian.com

One in three homes suffering with smart meter problems as energy firms slammed for holding back cheapest tariffs

ONE in three households report problems with their smart meter but those who don’t want one are paying hundreds more every year for their energy bills. That’s according to new research …

www.thesun.co.uk

More than two million smart meters in the UK do not work, research suggests

More than two million smart meters in the UK are not working, new research suggests, as energy customers continue to feel pressured into having them installed.

www.telegraph.co.uk

These are just a few of the articles that I dug up on smart meters in the UK.

Have many been installed in Ireland yet and had there been any feedback from those who have had them installed?

I understand that it is not mandatory to have them installed?

 

[SoylentGreen]

Now we have a pretty persistent person call to our door and ring and ring our bell from the KN Group

It looks as if these guys are putting pressure on people to install immediately. My understanding is that they are not mandatory at the moment.
In view of the feedback from UK customers I would like to hear a bit more debate on them rather than accept them blindly.

 

[Zenith63]

Also looking forward to getting a smart meter in, to be able to see live usage, get away from the estimated bill nonsense, ability to access new tariffs, pushing people to use some of the wind energy the country wastes many nights etc.

Smart Energy GB’s Smart Energy Outlook research found that 84 percent of customers are pleased with the way the meters are operating, with energy efficiency being cited as one of the major themes of the report. The research also found that 79 percent of customers were encouraged to take steps towards reducing their energy use after having a smart meter fitted.

Frost & Sullivan research analyst Neha Vikash: “Smart meters are required for integration of renewable energy. Europe is focused on meeting the 20-20-20 targets, which is a necessary driver for the increase in renewable energy and the third energy directive targets 80 percent smart meter penetration in the residential sector by 2020.”

 

[mathepac]

Also looking forward to getting a smart meter in, to be able to see live usage, get away from the estimated bill nonsense, ability to access new tariffs pushing people to use some of the wind energy the country wastes many nights etc.

You don't need a smart meter to do any of this. 99% of the so-called benefits are achievable with the existing technology.

Who do you think will pay the installation costs for the new meters? The obvious answer, consumers.

How will the energy companies recoup those undeclared costs? The obvious answer, by raising energy prices.

Who makes money from this? The obvious answers, the installation companies, the meter producers and sellers, the waste disposal companies, the suppliers/maintainers of the 2G network required for so-called smart-metering.

 

[Zenith63]

99% of the so-called benefits are achievable with the existing technology.

Can you elaborate?

 

[Drakon]

I’ve know someone that knows someone and her second-cousin once removed washes dishes in the canteen of the company where the smart metres are made.
They (the dishwasher is a gENDer campaigner) said these meters cause the coronavirus.

 

[jpd]

No, everyone, and his dog, knows that coronavirus is caused by 5G

 

[fidelcastro]

No, everyone, and his dog, knows that coronavirus is caused by 5G

That's it solved so.!

 

[mathepac]

I did not read the ESB material.

I presume that smart meters will allow differentiated pricing.

So we can better match demand and supply.

Therefore you have no idea about the supposed benefits. We have demand-based differential pricing right now. ESB networks needs consumer "smart-meters" to measure demand across the network? If that makes the new meters smart, what does that make the current network-level measurements?

To avoid estimated bills, keep tour consumption readings up-to-date with your energy supplier. To use greener energy, choose a supplier who sells energy not derived from renewables. 99% of the supposed benefits right there.

 

[Protocol]

I pay the same unit rate, every hour of every day.

The only differential pricing AFAIK is installing a night meter to use with storage heaters in apartments.

So where is the differential pricing right now?

 

[Drakon]

It the suggestion that these meters will lead to an increase in prices?
What percentage of households in Ireland have their leccy supplied by ESB?
I assume that ESB Networks would not install these jimmied meters for the benefit of their sister company’s competitors?
Unless, of course, all the leccy providers have formed an illegal cartel to co-benefit from these overcharging meters?