Almost 300,000 households across the UK could soon have their electricity supply disconnected in the middle of winter. The Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) will be decommissioned at the end of June. The RTS remotely toggles electric heating and hot water systems from peak to off-peak rates, but it is currently being phased out. Replacing meters is proving difficult for countless customers during this ongoing transition.
As such, the RTS has played a critical role in enabling energy consumption management for millions of households – especially those dependent on electric heating. As the June 30 deadline looms, customers such as TK in West Sussex are understandably worried. Just like SHA in Glasgow, they all lament the loss of access to critical services. Those people are concerned about getting left “high, dry, and cold.” They are worried that their RTS meters will get swapped out in time – or at all.
ScottishPower, one of the suppliers using the RTS as a front line, has taken steps to support customers in crisis since last December. As many have experienced, it has been a challenge to make timely appointments for replacement of in-home meters. For millions of households, the experience has been frustrating, confusing, and daunting. As the September 30th deadline looms, rates of frustration and anxiety are increasing.
EDF Energy, another supplier participating in the RTS transition, is meeting challenges head-on with customers. They indicated that when an appointment isn’t immediately accessible, they’ll place customers on a priority list. By doing so, potential customers can be scheduled to install before the make-or-break June 30th deadline. This statute is intended to help guarantee that customers impacted by this transition get the help they need as the transition unfolds.
Regulators are taking action. Additionally, Ofgem has ordered action plans from all energy suppliers that handle RTS meters. As a result, they’re really looking under the hood at these plans. They want to be sure that solid contingencies are in place for those customers who continue to use RTS meters once the phased shut down starts.
While work to protect customers from these issues is ongoing, many customers are still left feeling worried about what lies ahead. The RTS’s planned discontinuation emphasizes the need for timely communication and effective solutions from energy providers to avoid leaving households in precarious situations.