To Activate Or Not Activate The Smart Meter ??

If a significant portion of electricity consumption could be shifted from peak to off-peak (through the use of night rates and smart tariffs) we would need fewer power stations - the older dirtiest power stations could be decommissioned first. Better use of nighttime wind would just be icing on the cake when it happens. The environmental benefits of proper smart tariffs are indisputable.

However I agree the current smart tariffs here are a disgrace to the energy companies and regulator, government should be coming down much harder on it.
 
Private enterprise has a direct conflict of interest with the consumer, when it comes to the price that we are charged for energy.

With the wind, and solar, hydro etc. , being natural resources, I think that we'd be in far better hands, if all power supply was provided, and controlled, by the State.

I'm hearing and seeing very little positive commentry from the general public about smart meters, for example. Would they be needed, if the State provided all power, and just charged two different rates - one for peak times, the second for off peak?
 
Early Riser said:
Or are you just saying, in a camoflaged way, that "environmental grounds" are not going to influence your decision?
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Yes "smart meters" are not a way of being "environmental" because last night the statistics would not be much different , most of our power (the same as the whole month of august) would be coming from thermal power stations.
It is a good thing though to use power at night but from a grid stability point of view because power stations need to be kept cycling during the night in order to be able to ramp up in the early morning when everyone is getting up for work, therefore it is better for Eirgrid to have more power used at night because they need to keep those power stations operating anyway
 
joe sod said:
Yes "smart meters" are not a way of being "environmental" because last night the statistics would not be much different , most of our power (the same as the whole month of august) would be coming from thermal power stations.
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Grouping all fossil fuel generation together in ‘thermal generation’ is a bit misleading. If smart meters could help reduce peak usage by 15% we would not need to use Moneypoint, our last coal plant. That would have a massive impact on the environment and the lives of people living near it.

Current smart tariffs have zero chance of achieving anything, let alone a 15% reduction however!
 
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Smart meters could easily help towards providing a 15% reduction in peak demand.
Electric networks Ireland are currently operating a scheme where customers who have agreed to participate are getting text messages asking them to reduce their demand at warning times of near maximum grid loading.
If financial rewards were given to these customers peak demand could be greatly reduced. This can easily be achieved using smart meters.
In Britain, National Grid have a scheme whereby customers who agree to reduce demand at critical times are given a payment for each kw reduction.
 
I'm not sure that we really want to be taking lessons from how the UK runs its electricity network given events there over the last few years...
 
But we are happy to rely on electricity and gas through the interconnectors with Britain.
Our electricity generation system is not a great example either. Reliant on natural gas and the only country in Europe with no strategic storage facility.
ClubMan said:
I'm not sure that we really want to be taking lessons from how the UK runs its electricity network given events there over the last few years...
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Can I ask if possible can we keep the thread somewhat on topic
Although interesting to read about how our electricity is generated, how it's over priced on smart plans and what other countries are doing
but it is not helping me with my quandary on do I make the changeover to smart meter pricing??
 
If I can ask a couple of questions from the people who have moved to the Smart meter billing

1. what level of usage detail do you now get from the meter portal?
When I was monitoring my usage in September the meter in the garage only reads in whole units so for the peak period some days I used one unit other days I used two but I don't know if on the single unit days was I using one unit, .75 of a unit or .5 of a unit and like wise on the two unit days was it actually closer to two units or one.
And when you get your bill is the actual units you've used in each of the 3 rates or is there rounding

2. Have you saved on your yearly bill/usage?
I don't think that we would be able to save on our bill by changing our usage habits, we don't have an electric car and most of our high usage habits like putting the washing machine and dishwasher on are done during the night time hours and I don't really see how we could save any usage between the peak hours of 5pm to 7pm unless we changed our eating habits to the later Mediterranean way of eating dinner
 
bstop said:
It is not possible to levy this extra charge on customers with ordinary meters.
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It is, you just increase the overall rate to the point where a smart meter and more judicious use of power becomes compelling. The problem at the moment is there is not great value for many on the current smart plans, that needs to change.
 
It is impossible to levy an extra charge on customers without smart meters at peak usage times. This is because there is no way of determining when these customers consumed their electricity. What you are saying is not relevant to the point I made.
 
bstop said:
It is impossible to levy an extra charge on customers without smart meters at peak usage times. This is because there is no way of determining when these customers consumed their electricity. What you are saying is not relevant to the point I made.
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It's not correct to suggest consumers can't be made pay extra for peak usage. They're already paying for this via forward hedged rates and if peak usage increases those rates will continue to rise. The increases aren't individualised of course, but that doesn't mean they're not paying.
 
Go back and read #20.
Customers with an ordinary meter cannot be charged extra for units which are consumed during peak hours because, as you are well aware, the ordinary meter cannot report usage times back to the electricity supplier.
 
So last December I switched on the smart meter and signed up for the free electricity on Sunday plan from Bord Gais
probably sometime late December or early January I will do an update on how we got on and if I saved money compared to a standard plan
But I've just go my renewal notice in from Bord Gais and was surprized at what they offered me and not in a good way

When I look at my account online there is a section "Smart plans for you" and when I look at my plan they are offering me a 20% on both gas and electricity and with the new rates it all looks good and will be paying less for the coming year
But I also got an email and a new section on my online account " Your contract is ending" and "View new plan"
So I was expecting to see at least a 20% discount but no I'm only been offered 15% the same as what I'm on now

Why are they doing this, why can't they offer me what is been offered to me on their website, why are they trying to hoodwink me into paying more on what they term an "exclusive offer"
Anyway all they have done with this shenanigans is turn a customer that was defiantly going to sign up to a third year to one that is most definitely going to see what the competition has to offer!!
 
Cervelo said:
Why are they doing this, why can't they offer me what is been offered to me on their website, why are they trying to hoodwink me into paying more on what they term an "exclusive offer"
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This has been the norm with energy companies for years. And there will be somebody along in a moment to tell you that this is pro-consumer as those with the skill and hours of spare time on their hands to perform analysis of their usage and ring around can get a good deal. That group of people are mostly well-educated already-comfortable retirees.
 
It’s almost impossible to compare now with all the different pricing structures, rates for different times, smart/non smart, free days, peak non peak blah blah blah.

You’d want the services of an actuary to figure it out

Simpler times when the unit rate was the unit rate.
 
Zenith63 said:
That group of people are mostly well-educated already-comfortable retirees.
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Much like myself then, well except for the "well-educated" bit

AlbacoreA said:
I switched, after being bord gais for many years. They didn't try to keep me.
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Is there a company out there that actively tries to hold onto their customer base??

Couldn't' agree more and it's not just energy companies remember the days when health insurance was only five plans A to E
 
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