Why does Airtricity keep asking me for a meter reading?

C

CharlieMac

Registered User
Messages
530
I have a smart meter although not yet signed up to a smart plan. But it is recording my electricity usage which I can view from the ESB Networks site.

Is this the information not available to Airtricity? I thought smart meters would put an end to having to submit meter readings?
 
Seems odd alright. Have you asked Airtricity?

They should have access to the smart meter readings/data even if you're still on a non smart plan.
 
Last edited:
Just noticed this...

SSE Airtricity: IE - Smart Meters and the next generation of electricity meters

Ireland’s smart meter upgrade programme will guarantee that customers and businesses are provided with the next generation of electricity meters that are being rolled out across Europe and internationally.
www.sseairtricity.com

I have a smart meter. Why am I asked to submit my readings?​

  • You might be asked to submit readings if you have a smart meter but have not activated Smart Services.
  • If you have a smart meter and have opted for Non-Interval (Bi-Monthly) Smart Services, we will receive your meter readings remotely once every two months. This is an increase from the current meter reading frequency, which aims to read meters up to four times a year. The reads we receive from ESB Networks may not align with your billing cycle specially if you are on a monthly billing cycle. To keep your bill accurate and to avoid estimations, we may ask you to submit your meter readings.
Click to expand...
I thought that having the smart meter but not having activated smart services (which, I think happens, when you move to a smart plan?) would still allow them to access ESB Networks smart meter readings. That's how I recall it working when I got my smart meter installed but stayed on a legacy day/night MCC02 plan. But I can't remember what provider I was a with at the time in case practices differ between providers. It probably wasn't Airtricity.
 
ClubMan said:
thought that having the smart meter but not having activated smart services (which, I think happens, when you move to a smart plan?) would still allow them to access ESB Networks smart meter readings. That's how I recall it working when I got my smart meter installed but stayed on a legacy day/night MCC02 plan. But I can't remember what provider I was a with at the time in case practices differ between providers. It probably wasn't Airtricity.
Click to expand...

Same here. Never asked for (or volunteered) permission for meter readings and it happened automatically. But not Airtricity.
 
I called up Airtricity and yes they confirmed that if you are not on a smart meter plan they only get readings, from ESB Networks, every two months and sometimes a reading might come through after a bill just issued hence the reminder email to send in a reading manually a few days in advance of that bill.

I'll probably take the plunge and switch to a smart plan one of these days. That brilliant energy pal website helpfully showed I could save hundreds doing so. I think many people, like myself, assume it is a bad idea to walk away from the old day/night plan with the cheaper off peak rate (11pm to 8am or midnight to 9am) but in my particular case I just don't have a lifestyle and routine to benefit from cheaper electricity after midnight. So I might as well get a plan where rates are a bit less during the day than what I'm currently on.
 
CharlieMac said:
I think many people, like myself, assume it is a bad idea to walk away from the old day/night plan with the cheaper off peak rate (11pm to 8am or midnight to 9am)
Click to expand...
In my experience that seemed to be the case a year or more ago but since then a lot more smart plans have come on stream and there should be value to be found in them for most usage patterns. I was on a legacy day/night MCC02 plan up to last year but when I shopped around using my smart meter data and EnergyPal there were several smart/time of use plans that were better value so I switched to one.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top