Latest news with #BeatriceWishart
Daily Record
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Record
More than 6,000 Dumfries and Galloway properties still rely on RTS meters
The system is due to be switched off at the end of next month, meaning people are at risk of losing control of their heating and hot water systems. More than 6,000 properties across Dumfries and Galloway are still using electricity meters that will stop working within weeks. And new figures show that the vast majority of them are likely to still have a radio teleswitching service (RTS) meter installed when the service is switched off at the end of June. That means they're at risk of losing control of their heating and hot water systems. The figures have been revealed by the Scottish Liberal Democrats and Energy Action Scotland. Lib Dem MSP, Beatrice Wishart, said: 'The RTS switch-off has been depressing, frustrating and entirely avoidable. Frankly it is a national disgrace. 'We have weeks until the deadline but the energy companies are still so far behind. No one should be left without basic hot water or heating. 'Across Scotland, it will take more than a year for all remaining RTS meters to be exchanged. 'We have been promised technological fixes in advance of the switch off, yet we are, at the 59th minute of the 11th hour, still finding that there has been limited development in technology or greater connectivity to the smart metersignal.' The data shows that as of April 18, 124,864 properties across Scotland still relied on meters using the RTS system, which controls when they switch between peak and off-peak rates. There were 6,218 properties with a Dumfries and Galloway postcode still with the RTS system – a drop of just 413 or 10 a day from the figure onMarch 7. At that rate, there would still be 5,510 properties using RTS by the end of June. And it would take 632 days – more than 20 months – for all properties to be changed to a new system unless the process is sped up. Chief executive of Advice Direct Scotland, Andrew Bartlett, said: 'With less than six weeks to go until the deadline, these figures lay bare the scale of the challenge ahead. 'The replacement rate simply isn't fast enough and must urgently speed up. 'We are continuing to see a rise in the number of calls from worried households and expect this to increase as we get nearer to June 30. 'The system isn't working as it should, putting thousands at risk of losing heating or hot water. 'Anyone who thinks they might be affected should act now and contact their supplier. If you know someone with an RTS meter, especially if vulnerable, encourage them to act. 'Free advice is available at or by calling 0808 196 8660.' Director for retail pricing and systems at Ofgem, Charlotte Friel, said: 'We have been continually monitoring the industry's efforts to replace RTS meters as this ageing infrastructure reaches the end of its life. Click here for more news and sport from Dumfries and Galloway. 'Last year we decided more needed to be done so convened the sector and made clear to suppliers they have to move faster. 'Following that intervention, the rate of meter replacements has increase from around 1,000 a month to more than 1,000 a day. 'However suppliers need to do more and ensure customers are protected from detriment, which is why industry is putting in place a phased area-by-area shutdown beginning from June 30. 'We have made clear that the signal serving a specific area should not be switched off until suppliers have demonstrated that they are ready and able to respond quickly to any issues customers experience.'
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Beware the great energy switch off - families at risk of power meltdown amid meter upgrade chaos
Around 125,000 Scots are still at risk of losing their heating and hot water when their meters are switched off next month. New figures show that large numbers of households across Scotland still have Radio Teleswitching System (RTS) meters which are due to be deactivated at the end of June. A major rush is taking place to ensure they are replaced in time but energy firms are only currently dealing with 5,000 households per fortnight. It has led to concerns that many of the homes could lose their heating and hot water if their meter is not replaced in time. According to Ofgem figures provided to Liberal Democrat MSP Beatrice Wishart by Energy Action Scotland, 124,864 of the RTS meters still needed to be replaced across Scotland as at April 18. The figure had only fallen from 129,814 on April 4 and 134,829 on March 21. Ms Wishart, who represents Shetland where 4,204 meters still need to be replaced out of 10,600 households, said: 'The RTS switch-off has been depressing, frustrating and entirely avoidable. Frankly it is a national disgrace. 'We have weeks until the deadline but the energy companies are still so far behind. No one should be left without basic hot water or heating. 'In Shetland and across Scotland, it will take over a year for all remaining RTS meters to be exchanged. We have been promised technological fixes in advance of the switch off, yet we are, at the 59th minute of the eleventh hour, still finding that there has been limited development in technology or greater connectivity to the smart meter signal. 'I urge local authorities and local resilience partnerships to ready themselves for any potential adverse outcomes of the RTS switch-off which may include thousands of homes without heating and hot water.' The figures show there are still 22,579 of the RTS meters in Glasgow, and 17,175 in Edinburgh. The UK Government is facing calls to require energy suppliers to compensate any household that requested a replacement meter before the switch-off but did not receive it in time. Andrew Bartlett, chief executive of Advice Direct Scotland, said: 'With less than six weeks to go until the deadline, these figures lay bare the scale of the challenge ahead. The replacement rate simply isn't fast enough and must urgently speed up. 'We are continuing to see a rise in the number of calls from worried households and expect this to increase as we get nearer to June 30. 'The system isn't working as it should, putting thousands at risk of losing heating or hot water. 'Anyone who thinks they might be affected should act now and contact their supplier. If you know someone with an RTS meter, especially if vulnerable, encourage them to act.' Some parts of Scotland with a large rural population are more likely to have households which use the meters for hot water and heating because they are off the gas grid. The RTS system - a feature of older electricity meters which controls heating and hot water - uses a longwave radio frequency to switch between peak and off-peak rates. But the technology is becoming obsolete and energy companies have a deadline to change their customers' meters by June 30. Charlotte Friel, director for retail pricing and systems for Ofgem, said: 'We have been continually monitoring the industry's efforts to replace RTS meters as this ageing infrastructure reaches the end of its life. Last year we decided more needed to be done so convened the sector and made clear to suppliers they have to move faster. Following that intervention, the rate of meter replacements has increase from around 1,000 a month to more than 1,000 a day. 'However suppliers need to do more and ensure customers are protected from detriment, which is why industry is putting in place a phased area-by-area shutdown beginning from 30 June. We have made clear that the signal serving a specific area should not be switched off until suppliers have demonstrated that they are ready and able to respond quickly to any issues customers experience. 'While this carefully managed phaseout should reassure customers that they will be protected, it remains crucial that these meters are replaced so I would urge customers to engage with their supplier when offered an appointment - even if it is after the 30 June date that marks the beginning of the process.'
BBC News
20-02-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Shetland MSP Beatrice Wishart set to stand down in 2026
Shetland MSP Beatrice Wishart has announced she will be not be standing at next year's Holyrood Liberal Democrat MSP was first elected in said the May 2026 Scottish Parliament election was the appropriate time for her to step Wishart described it as an "honour and a privilege" to have represented the people of Shetland. She succeeded Tavish Scott, who had been MSP for the constituency since 1999."I have taken the difficult decision not to seek re-election for the Shetland constituency at the next Scottish Parliament election," Ms Wishart said."After careful consideration, I think May 2026 is an appropriate time for me to step aside."Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton praised Ms Wishart as a "fantastic voice for Shetland and a wonderful colleague in the Scottish Parliament".
