Octopus Energy warning to thousands of Liverpool households

Octopus energy
-Credit: (Image: Octopus energy)


Octopus Energy has issued a warning to around 5,000 households in Liverpool as their outdated electricity meters could stop working in the coming months. The operator has warned thousands of homes in the city will be affected by meters that could become defunct in June 2025.

Octopus is urging affected customers to contact their suppliers if they have a have a Radio Teleswitch (RTS) meter, as they could potentially be hit with a supply disruption. RTS equipment receives updates through Long Wave radio broadcast, the same radio frequency as the BBC uses for radio programming.

But the Beeb has announced plans to migrate unique Long Wave content to other broadcasting platforms, effectively ending RTS communication capabilities on June 30 next year. If a customer uses electricity for heating and hot water, via electric storage/panel heaters and/or immersion heaters, and has a tariff that offers cheaper rates during off-peak periods, they may have an RTS meter. Usually there will be a large black box next to the meter.

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Octopus said its engineers will have added capacity to visit all affected properties in the city across this autumn and winter, and that its RTS customers will be fast-tracked to getting a smart meter.

John Szymik, CEO of Octopus Energy Services, said: "Octopus has boosted its service capability to offer fast-tracked assistance and ensure that no one is left without power. We urge all affected customers, of any supplier, to book their meter exchange now to ensure a smooth transition."

Smart meters are extremely important for the energy transition and unlock the power of smart tariffs. Customers with smart meters also have more control and oversight over their energy consumption and costs.

Octopus is also offering all RTS customers who opt for the switch a free Octopus Home Mini, the company’s very first hardware product, designed in-house and built in England. The device securely connects to a customer’s smart meter, giving customers real-time visibility of how much energy they are using and what that costs, helping them to better manage their bills at a click of a button on their phone.