Business electricity meter installation

Some of the main types of meter available include:

• Smart meters – these meters send automatic updates to your electricity provider so they can accurately bill you. Smart meters come with a separate monitor which displays how much energy you’re using and how much it costs. They’re good if you’re particularly budget conscious or want to actively monitor and lower your energy use.
• HH meters – also known as half-hourly meters these also automatically send meter readings to your electricity provider (every 30 minutes as the name suggests). These are aimed at businesses that use a lot of electricity for example factories or manufacturing plants.
• Single rate meters – also known as ‘standard rate meters’, these run at a single unit rate. This means you pay the same amount for your electricity no matter what the time of day so they’re ideal for businesses that only use energy during conventional opening hours like shops, cafes and offices.
• Two-rate meters – these meters charge you at two different rates, for example a peak-time rate and a cheaper off-peak rate. A common example of using a two-rate meter is the Economy 7 tariff which gives you seven hours of off-peak electricity (which typically runs overnight between midnight and 8am). Economy 10 tariffs are also available which give you 10 hours of cheaper energy. These types of meter are great for businesses that mainly operate at night like bars and clubs.
• Three-rate meters – these can calculate tariffs at three different rates, an expensive peak-time rate for the day, an off-peak night rate which will usually be the cheapest, and a separate charge for weekend use. Three-rate meters are best for businesses like restaurants and pubs that are busiest during the evenings and weekends.

Arranging an electric meter installation is relatively straightforward – just follow these four simple steps:

1. Find out your MPAN – this is your meter point administration number which is unique to your premises so any supplier will be able to pinpoint your supply – you can find it on your last electricity bill. If you’ve just moved in to a building and don’t know who supplies you, you can find out at the Energy networks association.
2. Choose the meter you need – business energy tariffs are tailored to your needs so it’s a good idea to know how much you use in order to find the right kind of tariff.
3. Agree a price for your new electricity meter installation – Smart meters are free to install as they were part of a government rollout, but if you’re looking for any other type of meter then it’s likely that you’ll have to pay for installation. In most cases you’ll be able to negotiate a price so don’t be afraid to haggle.
4. Book in your installation – when you’ve chosen a supplier and agreed a meter and tariff, you’ll need to sort out a time and day for the new meter to be installed.

If you’ve moved to new premises, it’s worth finding out what the KVA (kilo volt amperes) of the current supply is. The KVA represents the amount of electricity you can draw from the National Grid at any time – the higher the KVA, the more energy you’re taking which increases the amount you pay. So, if the previous tenants were high energy users they may have had the KVA increased to meet their needs in which case you should ask for it to be lowered. On the other hand, if you run a business that consumes a lot of electricity you might need to raise the KVA.

If you are running a high energy use business, then you’ll probably also need to check your electricity runs on something called a ‘three-phase supply’ which ensures your provision is constant. If your business is a regular energy user then you’ll only need a single-phase supply. You can check both the KVA and type of supply you have with your provider.

Electricity meter installation cost comes down to what you agree with your new provider and it can be worth your while to negotiate.

It can take a few weeks to organise a new meter installation so if you’re moving to a new building, you should aim to start the process at least a month beforehand. You should also bear in mind that you or a member of staff will need to be on the premises when the engineer comes to fit the meter or they may not be able to complete the work.

At uSwitchforBusiness, we understand just how important it is to get it right when it comes to commercial energy and we’re here to help you get the very best deal for your business. Simply tell us what you’re looking for and we’ll compare for you – we’ll also take care of all the details when it comes to switching – so, to get the most for your money, give us a call on #CAMPAIGNBUSINESSSERVICENUMBER#.

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