How to get Southern Electric to swap 3 SP meters for a TP meter?

[peterinreading]

Converting large house to bedsits. The house has a TP supply with 3 SP meters feeding various CUs. Converting this to a TP dist board with 63A MCBs feeding separate submains to each unit so need a TP meter.

Spent 2 hours this afternoon on phone to southern electric going round in circles via enumerable call centres. Current status is that I think I have to get the "meter exchange" department to swap one of the meters to TP and then "site-works" to remove the two redundant meters. But I have totally failed to speak to "meter exchange" to confirm this process. I really don't understand why someone at SE can't take ownership of what is a clearly defined job.

Any ideas?

 

[snowhead]

Is S.E your Electricity supplier as well as your Network Operator, it's the supplier who owns the meter not the Operator.
What's wrong with keeping the 3 single phase meters?

 

[trev]

Can't you just hook the 3 x single phase meters up to the new 3 phase board? It'd probably wind up being a whole lot easier, cheaper and less frustrating than going round in circles on the phone to call centre monkeys.

 

[Knobhead]

The only down side is if the three meters are separately billed. It sounds a quick and easy solution, without summation billing it isn’t.

 

[trev]

Is that really a big deal though Tony? The meters will all be read at the same time, they'll all be with one supplier who'll most likely have a direct debit so will it be that much of a hassle?

 

[Knobhead]

Three standing charges springs to mind.

 

[peterinreading]

Supplier is Southern Electric and would therefore be reponsible for the meters.

Was really interested if anyone had dealt with Southern Electric on this or similar issue.

Peter

 

[snowhead]

It would appear Southern Electric are just a supplier.
SSE look to be the DNO for Reading.

http://www2.nationalgrid.com/uk/Our-company/electricity/Distribution-Network-Operator-Companies/


In that case just ring around other suppliers and ask for a new supply deal including a 3 to 1 meter swop.

 

[peterinreading]

In that case just ring around other suppliers and ask for a new supply deal including a 3 to 1 meter swop.

That sounds a good plot Snowhead - hadnt thought of that. Hopefully then I would be dealing with sales who might be incentivised better! Peter

 

[peterinreading]

Eventually got a three phase meter installed. The main issue is that I had three MPANs for the old meters but needed just one for the new meter and Southern Electric cannot handle the process of swapping three MPANs for one MPAN - it is simply not possible in their computer system. So the process adopted was:

1. I temporarily connected all circuits through one single phase meter. This was OK because there is currently only building work going on so one phase is adequate just now.

2. Rang Southern Electric "Site Works" in Cardiff on 029-202-49947 to remove the two redundant meters. They sent someone round to do it with a week. Then there was only one meter, and hence only one MPAN.

3. Ordered a "meter exchange" from the "meter exchange" department. I had to go through the call center to do this - you can't speak directly to the "meter exchange" department. But maybe I was lucky and got hold of someone who knew what to do. An appointment was booked for one week later and their meter exhange person came round and installed the new meter, and supplied a three pole isolator. Amazingly he even reconnected the supply to one of the phases as there was noone else around who could do it.

As ever the actual engineers on the ground can be quite helpful when they want to be.