Current Octopus Go rate for my postcode

Posted by: @mike-patrick

Prices still moving up fast. My 2 year fix to Feb 24 (agreed 2 days ago) with day units at 33.39p is no longer available. Replaced with a 2 year fix to March 24 and the day rate quoted is now 43.07. That is now about 10p per unit above the OFGEM price cap. At this rate the cap will move up again in 6 months time.

Mike

Spot natural gas prices are currently down nearly 30% today (back down to 227). With the Ukrainian pipes intact and the EU not  cutting back on the gas it gets from Russia, the gas market has settled down quite a bit. If all else fails Russia will find other markets for their gas.

Prices are volatile but no sign they will go over 400 as they did in December at the moment. 

Posted by: @prjohn

@editor At present, I can't get a smart meter. I sign up for a contract they come out to fit a smart meter and then tell me I can't get a signal. Terms of the contract fulfilled. This has happened three times now, they were here yesterday. 

At present, I don't see any advantage to a smart meter but this will change when smart meters become the majority, time of use charging will be encouraged. As mentioned in other posts the responsibility of energy consumption management will shift to the user, whether this is through energy conservation or off-peak consumption it will be the consumer's responsibility to reduce consumption or face high KWH rates. Those with smart meters will have a choice on when and how they use energy to save money as opposed to standard metering where high hourly costs will be potentially punishing. 

Time of use/off-peak metering does raise the question of whether storage heaters are more advantageous than heat pumps.  Then the next question is, are storage heaters a better choice than battery storage?

It depends what you mean by better.  Having had them recently, storage heaters are terrible for convenience and flexibility.  They would have to be almost free for me to choose them over the ASHP.  

For those want to review Ofgem's default tariff cap level for 1 April 2022 to 30 September 2022 I've attached it to this post. Our variable tariff will increase from 22p to a staggering 33.8p/kWh. It's crazy to think that this time last year we were paying 11p/kWh. Madness.

@prjohn, are you really rural that the smart metres can't get a signal. If you have 4g signal, will they be able to connect?

Posted by: @editor

@prjohn, are you really rural that the smart metres can't get a signal. If you have 4g signal, will they be able to connect?

Rural yes but not that rural. Mobile phone signals are available but for some reason where we sit the Smart Metering Wide Area Network fails. A few houses in our street can't connect to the WAN. 

@prjohn, I had no idea that they were connected via a WAN. I thought that they were 4g. Interesting.

Hi Everyone,

I feel certain that like my wife and I you are all very concerned about the situation in Ukraine and its effect on world stability.

To a great extent this has been caused by Europe's reliance on Russian gas supplies, which even if the UK is not that reliant, still suffers from the present high prices. I therefore suggest that all members, wherever possible, turn down their heating by 1C, or at least 0.5C. This would hopefully have a threefold effect.

1) Help Europe to reduce its reliance on Russian gas supplies and possibly reduce the money available to Putin to wage war.

2) Help reduce the cost of gas and hopefully keep any price rises to a minimum.

3) Help reduce global warming by reducing CO2 emissions.

If possible write to your MP, or anyone within the press to try to encourage everyone in Europe to carry out a similar action.

Today I have lowered our heating by 0.5C, with the hope of taking it down further, provided 'she who must be obeyed' does not complain too bitterly.

@derek-m, good suggestion. I will circulate your message via my social media channels if that's OK.

Posted by: @editor

@derek-m, good suggestion. I will circulate your message via my social media channels if that's OK.

By all means, please do so.

@editor Here is mine.

@derek-m I did it 0.5c down.