whisky-dave wrote
John Rumm wrote
harry wrote

Smart meters have infinite capability. What they do now
is neither here nor there. It can be changed quite easily.

That's not really true...

A smart meter may be able to disconnect the whole supply, but any
ability to selectively turn other stuff on or off requires co-operation
from the appliance or domestic switching infrastructure to make it
possible.

It will be intresting to see what they do.

We already know from what they did before smart meters
were even invented, just controlled the stuff like storage
DHW, storage heaters, electrically heated floors etc.

I guess if you buy a 3kw kettle

No point with loads like that that aren't used for long and which
the consumer wants to operate when they want the tea etc.

they could put cirucry in it that will either turn the kettle
off or switch it down to 1kw. But that ciruitry might not
be cheap enough to include in the £5 kettles you can buy.

Corse it would, doesn't cost much when its an ic.

They will be able to turn stuff on when there is plenty of (cheap)
power. Anyone overiding them will have to pay (lots?) more.

Maybe Harry's got that right at least.

Nope, he never does.

I really can;t see them offering true cheaper electricity,

They have done that for decades now, to encourage people
to use that cheaper electricity when its surplus to requirements.

what they'll do is charge you more for your
electric when renewable isn't availible.

They still have the need they always have done, to balance the load
on coal and nuke power stations because you can't economically
just them off when there is renewable power available.

A smart meter in communication with suitable "smart" appliances perhaps.

and smart people working out ways to override them.

Hasn't happened with the off peak power devices that have
been around since long before smart meters were even invented.

Not sure how practicle it will be to turn down or off all the kettles
in the country in the early evening just as Eastenders finishes.

Pointless, pumped water systems have handled those spikes for a long time
now.