There are fears Perth and Kinross residents could be left without hot water and heating when radio signal meters are shut down this summer.
Around 600,000 homes and businesses across Great Britain currently have Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) meters, which will be switched off from June 30.
Energy regulator Ofgem is insisting suppliers fulfil their responsibility to install meters that offer the best outcome for consumers and have “robust” contingency plans to protect customers who remain on RTS meters after the switch-off date.
The Radio Teleswitch Service uses radio signals to control when electricity meters switch between peak and off-peak rates.
Anyone with the old-style radio signal meter is being advised to change to a smart meter ahead of the industry-wide change.
Highland Perthshire SNP councillor Mike Williamson is worried some residents could be left without hot water, heating or face higher bills.
Baile Williamson said: “I am concerned that turning the radio teleswitch meters off at the end of June, could mean that either the meter will be permanently on leaving households with much higher electricity bills or off which means that storage heaters and hot water tanks will not work.
“I am concerned that electricity suppliers will not be able to keep up with demand to transfer people onto smart meters or – more worryingly – not be able to install a smart meter because of a lack of signal to operate them.
“There may well be thousands of homes who may be affected by this transfer and some households may be forced into installing a new heating system.”
Angus and Perthshire Glens MP Dave Doogan is urging local residents and businesses on the RTS system to get smart meters installed “without delay”.
The SNP MP said: “There is no question the RTS system will close down at the end of June this year so households need to be prepared.
“There may be challenges in individual households with signals but this is the energy companies’ responsibility to resolve and is not a reason to avoid arranging a smart meter installation.
“I have challenged the UK Government to mandate Ofgem to ensure consumers are no worse off on an economy tariff compared to THTC [Total Heating with Total Control] but they have as yet refused to this pragmatic and reasonable request.
“Either way, the worst possible outcome is for consumers to be without a smart meter after the RTS signal switches off in June this year so I urge my constituents to contact their energy company without delay to arrange this installation. I stand ready to support constituents with any challenges which may arise thereafter.”
Ofgem, the independent energy regulator, has given assurances it will hold energy suppliers to account and has set up a taskforce to speed up the process.
An Ofgem spokesperson said: “The RTS upgrade programme is about consumer welfare – ensuring customers maintain control of their heating and hot water when the ageing 40-year-old infrastructure that provides the RTS signal is phased out.
“While suppliers are upgrading RTS meters at an increasing rate, it is still short of where it needs to be and Ofgem will take every step to hold them to their obligations.
“This is why Ofgem set up a taskforce alongside Energy UK, bringing together suppliers and the wider sector to accelerate progress and solve complex technical barriers posed in certain remote regions.
“Ofgem has also demanded action plans from every supplier, which we are currently scrutinising to ensure that robust contingencies are in place to protect any customers who remain on RTS meters after the switch-off date.”
Introduced in the 1980s, the RTS equipment used to transmit the radio signal cannot be adequately maintained as the spare parts are no longer being produced.
Suppliers are being asked to take all reasonable steps to ensure RTS consumers stay on the same or a like-for-like tariff, or a tariff arrangement appropriate for the customer.
There were 900,000 RTS meters at the start of 2024.
There are now 600,000, which means around 100,000 will need to be upgraded each month.
Anyone in Perth and Kinross with a RTS meter who has any questions or concerns should contact their supplier.