Northern Isles MSPs meet with fuel poverty charity in parliament ahead of RTS switch-off

Orkney’s MSP Liam McArthur and Shetland’s MSP Beatrice Wishart have today met with Energy Action Scotland, Scotland’s national fuel poverty charity, to discuss the impending RTS switch-off in the context of wider fuel poverty issues.

The radio teleswitch service (RTS) has been used since the 1980s to switch electricity meters between different tariff rates at different times of the day, allowing for the cost effective and efficient use of storage heaters. The system relies on legacy technology that is increasingly at risk of failure, and the signal is currently planned to switch off on 30th June 2025 after two previous deadlines were pushed back.

During the meeting in Holyrood, EAS provided Mr McArthur and Ms Wishart with up-to-date figures showing the rate of RTS meter replacement in every postcode area in Scotland over the past few months, which showed that there was no area of the country where energy companies are on track to replace enough meters before the deadline. Orkney and Shetland have among the highest number of RTS meters per capita.

The MSPs also spoke with EAS about which constraints are holding back faster replacement, and what actions need to be taken to ensure energy companies take action, as well as what might happen to households with an RTS meter if their supplier has not replaced their meter before the switch-off date.

Commenting after the meeting, Mr McArthur said:

“With only a month and a half to go before the switch-off, it is clear that energy companies simply have not done enough to replace RTS meters. The lack of a well-developed strategy for resilience if meters are not replaced by the deadline is also increasingly concerning.

“This deadline has been known about for some time, and indeed has been extended on various occasions. Yet energy companies are only now starting to scramble into action.

“The number one priority must be switching households away from RTS meters as fast as possible, with work continuing at pace after the 30th June deadline, if needs be. Meantime, the UK and Scottish governments, along with the regulator, Ofgem, must now set out a plan of action that ensures customers are not left paying the price.

“For now, I would urge anyone with an RTS meter to get in touch with their supplier as soon as possible.”

Ms Wishart added:

“RTS has been coming down the line for a decade and it was well known by government and energy providers of the necessity to exchange existing RTS meters and provide customers with a workable solution ahead of signal switch off.

“From what has been seen of efforts by energy providers, Ofgem, the UK and Scottish Governments, there has been no national co-ordinated plan to address this problem and now we see a belated rush to exchange meters.

“It is possible that customers, including some of the most vulnerable in our communities, could lose their heating and hot water due to the failure of all involved in the RTS swich-off.”