Ofgem recently released an advert featuring Lorraine Kelly to warn households about the switch-off. In the ads, the Scottish TV presenter urges people to contact their supplier, with the tagline adding: “Don’t delay. The RTS switch-off is on the way”
Around 300,000 households are potentially at risk of having their energy supply cut off from next month as the Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) is set to be turned off.
This service charges households with linked electricity meters cheaper rates depending on the time of day. The devices, such as Economy 7 and other multi-rate energy tariffs, pick up the different energy rates through the RTS signal.
Some RTS electricity meters can also automatically turn heating and hot water systems on and off during certain hours. The RTS is broadcast to energy firms alongside the long-wave channel for BBC Radio 4, and many date back to the 1980s.
However, the signal is set to be shut off from June 30 this year as the technology which produces the signal can no longer be maintained.
Households which do not upgrade their meter risk being disconnected, as the meter will no longer function as intended.
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These meters could also be left jammed on peak time electricity rates, depending on when the RTS signal dies. This could lead to huge bill hikes for households affected by the switch-off.
Energy suppliers across the board have warned customers of the upcoming switch off over the last few years with many households being put onto a smart meter. However, Ofgem was forced to step in last year as suppliers had been initially slow at switching people over.
Ofgem recently released an advert featuring Lorraine Kelly to warn households about the switch-off. In the ads, the Scottish TV presenter urges people to contact their supplier, with the tagline adding: “Don’t delay. The RTS switch-off is on the way.”
Although the advertised date is June 30, the process will happen by area from July 1 through to September 30.
Currently, energy suppliers are switching around 1,000 old RTS meters each day. However, to ensure that the 400,000 homes with one are covered by the deadline, this number would need to rise to 5,000.
Campaigners fear that more than 300,000 homes could be left with a meter that does not work at the current rate. According to the latest figures, in April, there were still 392,000 households with RTS meters in Great Britain.
The UK’s trade association for the energy industry, Energy UK, said suppliers were accelerating the rate of installations ahead of the deadline. It said that in recent weeks it had seen evidence of suppliers significantly “stepping up their activity”. Ofgem is also pushing hard on suppliers currently requires them to provide fornightly updates.
A spokesperson for Energy UK said: “It will undoubtedly be challenging to replace all these meters by 30 June,”
“It means getting access to every single property to carry out the installation, many of which are in remote areas, and ultimately it requires all customers to respond to contact from their supplier.”
“We urge any customers who may have previously struggled to get their RTS meter replaced to please contact their supplier again to arrange an appointment.”
“Ofgem has also demanded action plans from every supplier, which we are scrutinising on an ongoing basis to ensure that robust contingencies are in place to protect any customers who remain on RTS meters after the phased switch-off process begins.”
Commenting on the rate of installations, Simon Francis, the coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition said: “We need to ensure contingency measures are in place for those who do not make the deadline and require energy suppliers to ensure fair metering and billing practices.”
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