Half hourly meters

• What are half hourly meters?
• What kind of businesses have half hourly meters?
• How do I know if I have a half hourly meter?
• Is half hourly meter pricing different to standard pricing?
• Can I switch my half hourly business energy tariff?

What are half hourly meters?

Half hourly (or HH) meters are a kind of electricity meter.

They measure how much electricity is being used every half hour and automatically send a meter reading via a phone connection, a bit like a smart meter.

Because the meter is automatically read, there is no need to take meter readings and you will get accurate energy bills.

Half hourly meters also help you to see how much energy your business is using at different times of the day, which can help you to be more energy efficient and cut your expenditure.

What kind of businesses have half hourly meters?

There are around 100,000 half hourly meters in the UK and they are for businesses with high energy usage. They are mandatory for all business electricity customers with a maximum demand of 100 kW or more in any single half-hour period. This is known as a mandatory half hourly meter.

Businesses with maximum demand of more than 70kW can opt to have a half hourly meter.

How do I know if I have a half hourly meter?

The S number on your bill will help you identify if you have a half hourly meter. If the S number has a ‘00’ in the top left box, then you have a half hourly meter.

If the number in the same box is ‘05’, ‘06’, ‘07’ or ‘08’ than you may have a half hourly meter – call your energy supplier to check.

Is half hourly meter pricing different to standard pricing?

Yes, half hourly meter pricing does work differently to standard pricing. Because the energy supplier gets such accurate and up-to-date data, it can base your pricing on the individual energy usage of your business.

Can I switch my half hourly business energy tariff?

Half hourly contract negotiation can be an involved and complex process, due to constantly fluctuating wholesale market prices, variable supplier hedging strategies and the requirement for detailed demand data.

When your half hourly business energy contract is up for renewal, come to uSwitch for Business - we understand how half hourly metering works, so we can find you the right deal for your business at the right price. Give us a call on 0800 688 8568 to speak to a business advisor or fill in our online form and we'll call you back.