Business Electricity Meter Types

This is a very early version of what is now known as a smart meter.  A Half Hourly meter is connected to a phone line, or in some instances uses alternative communication technology and as its name suggests the meter takes and records a reading of your demand every half an hour. This information is then relayed to your supplier to provide an accurate view of how much energy you use and when.

Other things to know:

• A Half Hourly meter is easily identifiable from the Supply Number. Any Supply Number that begins with “00” indicates a Half Hourly meter is installed.
• Only around 200,000 Half Hourly meters are installed in the UK
• Half Hourly meters are mandatory for customers with more than 100kW demand
• A customer can also opt for a Half Hourly meter where their demand is greater than 70kW
• Half Hourly meters require a separate Meter Operator and Supply contract to be agreed
• Smart and Advanced meters are designed to operate in the same way as Half Hourly meters but with more accessible technology (mobile telecommunications) and at a lower cost.
• The Smart Meter Roll Out of 2015-20 will see us all have meters with the capability for Half Hourly Meter Reading

The information sourced from the meter creates a 365 (days) x 48 (half hours) of data that allows a bespoke ‘demand profile’ to be created. This information is critical for our I&C Professional customers to source optimal pricing via our Reverse Auction service.

This is a one-rate meter and is the most common type of business meter. One rate means that there is only a single price and measurement period, this will most likely be described as ‘All Units’ on your electricity invoice.  You will therefore only have one tariff that is applicable for all your usage meaning that pricing is relatively straightforward and that all suppliers will be happy to accommodate your meter type.

Other things to know:

• A Standard meter is easily identifiable from the Supply Number. Any Supply Number that begins with “03” indicates a Standard Meter is installed.
• Our SME Lite customers will often be supplied via a Standard Meter

This is the simplest two-rate meter available and is very common amongst both businesses and households. One rate is used to measure your day usage and this will be charged at a higher rate to represent ‘peak’ hours.  You will then be charged a lower unit rate for the Economy 7 hours throughout the night.

Other things to know:

• An Economy 7 meter is easily identifiable from the Supply Number. Any Supply Number that begins with “04” indicates an Economy 7 meter is installed.
• The timing of the Economy 7 Rate varies between suppliers.
• However the Economy 7 Rate normally occurs for a 7-hour period between the hours 11pm and 8am.
• Our smaller customers will often be supplied via an Economy 7 Meter

This is another two-rate meter that operates in a similar way to an Economy 7 Meter, however the lower rate lasts for 10 hours throughout the afternoon and evening.  This meter is not as common as the Economy 7 Meter.

Other things to know:

• The timing of the Economy 10 Rate varies between suppliers.

Business Juice Top Tip

To establish whether you are taking the greatest advantage of an Economy 7 or Economy 10 meter always set machines or processes that can be delayed to run through the night. 

This is a two-rate meter but with a significantly more complex set up. As the name suggests this meter’s two-rate functionality isn’t defined just by hours but also days. As a result you will have a Day Rate and a second rate for your Evening and Weekend usage.

Other things to know:

• The evening and weekend rate will be cheaper than the day rate
• The timing of the Evening and Weekend Rates vary between suppliers.
• Such a meter is advantageous for companies who use most of their energy during the evening and weekend such as restaurants.
• This meter type can appear with our SME Lite customers as well as part of larger groups suitable for our SME Professional and I&C Professional customers.

This is a three-rate meter with added complexity by virtue of measuring and charging for energy usage across three distinct periods. This Meter will consist of a Day Rate, an Evening & Weekend Rate and a Night Rate.

Other things to know:

• The most expensive rate will be for your day usage
• The evening and weekend rate will be cheaper than the day rate
• The night rate will be the cheapest of all
• The timing of the Evening and Weekend and Night Rates vary between suppliers.
• Such a meter is advantageous for companies who use most of their energy during the evening and weekend such as nightclubs.
• This meter type can appear with our SME Lite customers as well as part of larger groups suitable for our SME Professional and I&C Professional customers.

Business Juice Top Tip

Maximum Demand Meters are designed for larger business users; there are far fewer than standard meters, and are categorised according to their peak load factor or in other words their peak demand as a proportion of overall demand.

Most businesses will not need to worry about such complex metering

This is a one-rate meter, similar to a standard meter but which is designed to accommodate high demand customers.

This is a two-rate meter, similar to an Economy 7 meter but which is designed to accommodate high demand customers.

Other things to know:

• Maximum Demand Meters are most likely to feature as part of larger groups suitable for our SME Professional and I&C Professional customers.

This is a multi-rate meter and the most complex single meter of all. Under this metering system your usage will be split into different times of the day and different months throughout the year.

Other things to know:

• This complex metering system can have with up to 56 rates across night, day, peak & other periods each measured separately by season.
• This can be a useful meter if your business has extreme peaks and troughs with its usage throughout the year.
• SToD meters are most likely to feature as part of larger groups suitable for our SME Professional and I&C Professional customers.

A Related Off-Peak Meter is a metering system where a second meter is linked to a main meter. The ‘related’ meter will use less energy than the main meter and is classed as off-peak.  As is common with all meters, the off-peak rates will be cheaper than the main meter rates.

Other things to know:

• Each meter has their own individual MPAN’s but unusually they will be invoiced on the same bill as if they were one and the same meter
• You cannot switch your main meter supply without also switching the related meter and both must go to the same supplier.
• Your current supplier can ‘object’ to your switch to a new supplier if you do not transfer both the main and related meter.
• Related Off-Peak meters are most likely to feature as part of larger groups suitable for our SME Professional and I&C Professional customers.

A Multi Metered MPAN is a set up where multiple meters feed into one main meter and it is that main meter that logs the usage of all the meters within the chain.

Other things to know:

• There is only a single MPAN attributed to the multiple meters installed
• The multiple meters will be invoiced on just one bill under the single MPAN
• Multi Metered MPANs are most likely to feature as part of larger groups suitable for our SME Professional and I&C Professional customers.