Overview
- The Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) meters, reliant on BBC longwave signals, will cease functioning on June 30, 2025, leaving affected households without heating or hot water unless replaced.
- Energy suppliers are replacing over 1,000 RTS meters daily, but the pace must quintuple to meet the deadline, with over 300,000 homes still at risk of disruption.
- Ofgem has labeled the transition an 'urgent consumer welfare issue,' requiring suppliers to submit action plans and implement contingencies for households not upgraded in time.
- Vulnerable and rural households face heightened risks due to limited engineer availability and logistical challenges in remote areas like Scotland's Highlands and Islands.
- Smart meters, the designated replacement, provide equivalent tariff functionality and real-time energy data, but concerns persist over installation delays and customer resistance to the technology.