Call for RTS meter switch-off to be delayed to protect Scots living in rural communities
Scots are being urged to double check their energy meters ahead of the June 30 deadline.
Scots living in rural communities could be left without hot water or heating when ageing energy meters are switched off at the end of the month, campaigners have warned.
Households still reliant on Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) meters are being urged to make an appointment with their energy provider as soon as possible to arrange for a replacement.
The system dates back to the 1980s and uses a radio signal to tell meters to switch between different electricity price rates.
Most households across Scotland, including those with older meters, will be unaffected by the change over this month.
But homes that use electric storage heaters or pay different electricity rates at different times of the day are more likely to have RTS equipment fitted.
From June 30, the radio signal that controls them will start to be switched off - with a risk customers could be left without heating and hot water.
The Scottish Fuel Poverty Advisory Panel is now calling for a delay in the switch-off to ensure more households are prepared.
"The switch-off should only happen once all critical RTS meters have been replaced, this removes the risk for households across Scotland, but particularly in many remote rural and island communities," said Matt Cole, the panel's chairman.
"We recognise the RTS service uses old technology and its time is limited, but the priority must be to accelerate replacement of old RTS meters with newer smart meters before the radio wave service is switched off.
"Some of the most vulnerable households in acute fuel poverty live in remote rural areas where RTS meters are common and we cannot risk disrupting their energy supply."
Charlotte Friel, retail pricing director at Ofgem, said: "We have been continually monitoring the industry's efforts to replace RTS meters as this ageing infrastructure reaches the end of its life.
"Last year we decided more needed to be done so convened the sector and made clear to suppliers they have to move faster. Following that intervention, the rate of meter replacements has increase from around 1,000 a month to more than 1,000 a day.
"However suppliers need to do more and ensure customers are protected from detriment, which is why industry is putting in place a phased area-by-area shutdown beginning from June 30.
"We have made clear that the signal serving a specific area should not be switched off until suppliers have demonstrated that they are ready and able to respond quickly to any issues customers experience.
'While this carefully managed phaseout should reassure customers that they will be protected, it remains crucial that these meters are replaced so I would urge customers to engage with their supplier when offered an appointment – even if it is after the June 30 date that marks the beginning of the process."
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