ACTING Scottish Parliament climate action minister Alasdair Allan has called on the UK Government to direct ‘urgent and proportionate action’ to protect households ahead of the planned switch-off of the Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) later this year.
Many energy meters in Scotland presently rely on this service, with 5,782 RTS properties in the Dumfries and Galloway parliamentary constituency and 3,745 in the Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale area using it.
Upcoming changes, responsibility for which sits with the UK Government and which are being implemented by energy suppliers, mean that support for RTS energy meters ends on June 30, 2025 and from July 31 meters may no longer function properly.
This could cause disruption to heating and hot water supplies, and households and businesses using the technology could end up with higher bills.
The RTS uses a radio signal to tell some older electricity meters when to switch between peak and off-peak rates.
Dr Allan has written to the UK Government urging them to introduce penalties for companies who fail to replace the RTS with smart meters.
He said: “If RTS equipment isn’t replaced by the switch-off date, not only could households, businesses, and public sector organisations be limited to a more expensive single-rate tariff, they may also no longer be able to rely on their heating and hot water switching on and off as expected, with the risk of them staying permanently on or off.
“I believe that there must, as a matter of urgency, be RTS-related obligations included in Ofgem licence conditions on both suppliers and the Data Communications Company (DCC) that compel both to use every tool available to ensure households and businesses across the country are not left behind.
“If consumers have any questions, I encourage them to contact their supplier in the first instance. Free and impartial advice and support is also available from Advice Direct Scotland or Citizens Advice Scotland.”
Although 99.3 per cent of the UK is covered by the smart meter communications network, there are many parts of Scotland, particularly rural and island areas, where it is not currently accessible.
Dr Allan also therefore requested that energy companies offer a suitable alternative to communities who cannot access the smart meter communications network.
