Warning over smart meter switch as 300,000 homes still use outdated system

AROUND 300,000 homes risk losing heating or hot water as energy companies race to replace old electricity meters with smart meters before a 30 June deadline.

The homes still use the Radio Teleswitching System (RTS), a technology dating back to the 1980s that uses a longwave radio signal to switch between peak and off-peak rates, the BBC reported.

Energy UK, which represents energy suppliers, said 430,000 RTS meters were still in use at the end of March, and more than 1,000 are being replaced daily. However, the replacement rate would need to rise to about 5,000 per day to meet the deadline.

Most households will not be affected, but campaigners estimate more than 300,000 homes could face disruptions, with heating systems either not working or being stuck on.

Energy UK's Ned Hammond told BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours that reaching everyone by the deadline would be “very, very difficult.”

Simon Francis of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition warned of prolonged disruption, especially in rural areas with limited engineer availability.

The RTS network was initially due to be turned off in March but was extended to June. Ofgem said only heating and hot water would be affected by the switch-off, not lights or plug sockets.

Some users have refused smart meters, while others cannot yet get one that works with their current setup.

Ofgem advises households to contact their supplier if they think they have an RTS meter and warns against scams demanding payment for replacement.