Energy / Preparations for RTS switch-off a ‘national disgrace’, MSP says
POLITICIANS have repeated their frustration and concern over the preparations for the upcoming Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) switch-off – with local MSP Beatrice Wishart calling it a “national disgrace”.
Latest figures show that it would take more than a year to complete the 4,000 meter exchanges still needed in Shetland at the current rate.
Through a radio signal, RTS helps older meters in homes and businesses change to off-peak electricity tariffs.
However, the radio signal is being switched off on 30 June – with the worry being that hot water and heating could be disrupted if people are not on new meters.
A meter may use the RTS if the customer is on a tariff that charges different electricity rates at different times of day, which are common when electric storage heaters used.
Trade association Energy UK said RTS is being turned off because the underlying equipment that sends out the signal is at the end of its operational life.
Energy regulator Ofgem says if someone has an RTS meter, their electricity supplier should have been in touch to arrange an upgrade to a smart meter before the end of June deadline.
Energy companies say they have been upping their game in terms of replacing meters, with plenty of OVO vans for instance seen in Shetland in recent weeks.
But as the deadline approaches there is a call from politicians for companies to do even more.
The Lib Dems have highlighted that in Scotland there are just under 125,000 meters still to be changed, but only 5,000 per fortnight are being replaced.
“The RTS switch-off has been depressing, frustrating and entirely avoidable. Frankly it is a national disgrace,” Wishart said.
“We have weeks until the deadline but the energy companies are still so far behind. No-one should be left without basic hot water or heating.
“In Shetland and across Scotland, it will take over a year for all remaining RTS meters to be exchanged.
“We have been promised technological fixes in advance of the switch off, yet we are, at the fifty ninth minute of the eleventh hour, still finding that there has been limited development in technology or greater connectivity to the smart meter signal.
“I urge local authorities and local resilience partnerships to ready themselves for any potential adverse outcomes of the RTS switch-off which may include thousands of homes without heating and hot water.
“Another short extension of the deadline will not solve the issue and if the switch-off is in autumn or winter the problems it will cause would be exacerbated by cold weather.
“Energy companies must increase their efforts to exchange all outstanding meters ahead of the deadline and be prepared to compensate anyone who has requested a new meter but loses out as a result of this bungled switch over.”
Meanwhile Labour MSP for the Highlands and Islands Rhoda Grant, and Western Isles MP Torcuil Crichton, have also issued a joint letter expressing their “deep concern”.
They urged the UK Government and the industry regulator Ofgem to “step in on behalf of vulnerable consumers” by ensuring that households still waiting on a working smart meter at the end of June are moved on to the lowest tariff for every element of their electricity usage, including heating and hot water previously delivered through dual tariff meters.
Ofgem said if a supplier is unable to install a smart meter then it must make sure the customer has a suitable meter installed, and that their service is not disrupted.
More information can be found on the Ofgem website.
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