Energy companies websites go down as customers scramble to submit meter readings

[Grumpy Owl]

I'm on a fixed 3 year tariff with EDF Energy, so I'm not really affected by tomorrow's change.

 

However, in the last few days, "experts" like Martin Lewis have been urging consumers to submit their meter readings on 31st March, in order to ensure they are billed correctly for the 'cheaper' energy they have been using.

 

And now - predictably - a number of energy suppliers' online portals have 'crashed'

 

Energy websites crash in meter readings rush

Quote

Energy websites have been crashing as customers rush to submit meter readings ahead of bills rising on Friday.

A number of major suppliers said they were working to resolve issues with their websites.

Experts have encouraged people to submit readings so their usage is covered by the current cheaper rates.

On Friday, the energy price cap - the maximum price suppliers in England, Wales and Scotland can charge households - is being raised.

It means the energy bill of a typical household will increase by 54%.

Recording a meter reading prevents suppliers estimating usage and potentially charging for energy used before 1 April at the higher rate.

• How to take a meter reading before Friday’s price rise
• Sunak defends response as energy bills soar by £693
• Why are prices rising so quickly?

Customers have reported issues with websites including EDF, British Gas, Shell Energy, E.On, SSE, Scottish Power, So Energy and Octopus Energy.

Greg Jackson, chief executive of Octopus Energy, said the company was currently receiving around 40,000 meter readings an hour, whereas a normal day would be a couple of thousand.

However, he urged people not to panic about submitting a reading before 1 April.

From: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60938730

 

 

[DaleP]

geez I'm off to read my meter now. Cheers.

[Truthblast]

The sad truth is that most IT infrastructure is full of security holes, poorly implemented and can't handle spikes in user numbers at all.

 

It is often said that '90% of IT projects result in failure'.

 

You're looking at such a failure...

[oddsnsods]

Is strange, yesterday I suddenly thought about actually reading my meter out the blue & then decided to change providers as mine (Scottish) is robbing me blind.

So I changed to OVO, that quoted me a 1/3 of what I was paying with Scottish.

Then today i hear all this about meter readings.

Quite pleased with myself.

But come winter when heating comes on. I doubt they will keep my fixed rate.

 

This countries full of happy slaves, its a sin to moan about the fact your electricity is going up over 50% Dont like our freedumbs move to NK or even Russia.

Dont like being blatantly raped more like from the satanists with their climate bollocks..the zombies will put up with anything.

 

I say we end this meter bullshit once & for all & all disable our meters on mass. But wont hold my breath.

[bamboozooka]

i'm planning on burning coal next winter

[DaleP]

8 minutes ago, bamboozooka said:

i'm planning on burning coal next winter

 

Lucky you.

I prefer wood...nothing like the smell of burning logs, that's entertainment right there.

 

Since we are onto the topic of energy, can I just tell you what I found out the other day?

I was checking to see what was happening with nuclear situation in Japan and apparently ALL nuclear power stations are now out of operation bar one small plant.

The country is still functioning without nuclear and there is no power cuts etc.

And I knew this 11 years ago but Plutonium and Uranium, the byproduct of nuclear power operation (supposedly) are used for nuclear bomb which needs to be replaced every six months for it to remain effective. THIS is why they need to keep running the nuclear to produce electricity. Place like Sellafield is a bomb factory in fact. Japan don't keep nuclear weapon but the US made them sign a 50-year contract, because Japan lost WW2, to provide Uranium. We don't need nuclear. If they can do without it, so can we. Now you know the truth.

 

[Grumpy Owl]

19 hours ago, oddsnsods said:

Is strange, yesterday I suddenly thought about actually reading my meter out the blue & then decided to change providers as mine (Scottish) is robbing me blind.

So I changed to OVO, that quoted me a 1/3 of what I was paying with Scottish.

Then today i hear all this about meter readings.

Quite pleased with myself.

But come winter when heating comes on. I doubt they will keep my fixed rate.

 

The thing is especially if using these 'comparison websites' (which I still think are a massive con) they all claim they will save you money on your energy bills, however most of the time the saving figures they quote are based on if you were currently on a standard variable rate tariff.

 

To get the best and most accurate quote, you need to know your actual energy usage in KwH and use those figures, rather than how much you spend.

 

Last year, I got moved to EDF after Green Network Energy (GNE) went bust, and was put on a temporary tariff to match GNE's rates. That was due to expire in October, which was when the last price increase happened. Ironically at the time, I was looking for 'better deals', but the comparison sites all failed me, as none could offer me any 'saving' - "we can't find any better deals than you currently have" - which was pretty useless, and didn't tell me what I knew anyway.

 

So after looking at a few other options myself, I decided to stay with EDF and accept the new tariff they offered me on a fixed 3 year deal. Granted, my monthly direct debit has increased by about £10 a month, but its not like I can't afford it. But at least I'm not impacted by the changes that come into effect today.

 

But just be warned, any figures you would have been quoted by OVO would be 'estimates', and once they start getting regular meter readings and an idea of how much energy you are using, you may find that there is not much of a saving.

[oddsnsods]

6 minutes ago, Grumpy Owl said:

 

 

But just be warned, any figures you would have been quoted by OVO would be 'estimates', and once they start getting regular meter readings and an idea of how much energy you are using, you may find that there is not much of a saving.

 

Yea I know this & mention in my post come winter..

 

These same fools who believed they were about saving grannie are now silent of course, when they should be on their pots an pans every night about this, like the Germans are right now over covid tyranny. This countries full of gutless worms who enjoy being slaves & do their master bidding.

The meter is one of the biggest tools of bondage, along with fractional reserve usury etc. A household should pay a set price..where are all the Corbynites?? Why no demand for nationalization. Instead we have hired death cult ops blocking roads for the media to paint the idea we need to save the environment by doubling our electricity bills.

[Ethel]

My boiler was switched off yesterday and was also switched off in the electricity box too. It may be switched on again next November or December, it depends whether there are more rises. Hot water bottles and thick jerseys are a wonderful invention. I already have mostly cold showers anyway, because it improves circulation. 

 

Nobody who is indoors should be concerned about this. You have shelter and a bed with a duvet. Consider yourself lucky. 

 

The energy companies are vagrants and it's about high time people stood up to them. I find it incredibly satisfying to know that I can choose how to respond to their slimy, manipulative behavior. Ha ha.

[Grumpy Owl]

29 minutes ago, oddsnsods said:

These same fools who believed they were about saving grannie are now silent of course, when they should be on their pots an pans every night about this, like the Germans are right now over covid tyranny. This countries full of gutless worms who enjoy being slaves & do their master bidding.

 

Exactly, people have been whipped up in to such a frenzy that they will go and protest about Ukraine.... but they won't go out and protest about their own Government.

 

 

 

[oddsnsods]

Tonight could be the coldest London night in April for at least 70 YEARS as temperatures drop to -3C and cold snap brings thundersnow, sleet and hail

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10675367/UK-weekend-weather-Temperatures-plummet-8C-Met-Office-issues-snow-warning.html

 

Dont forget to leave your window open..just incase global warming invites covid over. Stay safe!

 

[Grumpy Grapes]

My supplier's website (Bulb) didn't crash, but it put me in a queue for 3 hours, keeping me in suspense till midnight as it looked as if I might be able to submit a reading just before midnight. Of course, that didn't happen, and by a remarkable 'coincidence' the site became accessible 10 minutes after midnight. 

[Puzzle]

Bet that rain, sleet and snow didn't put in an appearance by coincidence either. "Let's freeze all them fuckers and quadruple the price." If anyone still thinks mother nature controls the weather, I'll eat some horseshit!

[kyrusdemnati]

1 hour ago, Grumpy Grapes said:

My supplier's website (Bulb) didn't crash, but it put me in a queue for 3 hours, keeping me in suspense till midnight as it looked as if I might be able to submit a reading just before midnight. Of course, that didn't happen, and by a remarkable 'coincidence' the site became accessible 10 minutes after midnight. 

This is fraud and companies should be ashamed . We need mass protests