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Octopus Energy issues warning as households could be left in dark The energy supplier has urged customers to make a 'vital' switch or face being left in the dark and coldCommentsNewsClaire

Schofield and Jamie Brassington Senior reporter19:40, 02 Jun 2025Households have been urged not to be left in the dark Octopus Energy is advising customers to make a “vital” switch or face

having their electricity and hot water cut off.

The major energy supplier says UK households with an outdated radio teleswitch meter (RTS) must switch to a modern smart meter as soon as possible as the old meters will stop working at the

end of this month, reports Express.co.uk.

‌ RTS meters were first brought in back in the 1980s and rely on longwave radio signals from the BBC ’s RTS meters to switch meters between peak and off-peak tariff rates.

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However the equipment which broadcasts the signal is now almost obsolete and is due to be switched off on June 30, affecting more than 600,000 customers.

Article continues below Households that don’t upgrade their electricity meter face being left without heating or hot water - and could be hit with more expensive energy bills - as the system

is deactivated.

Octopus Energy says customers who use electricity for heating and hot water – via electric storage, panel heaters and/or immersion heaters – and have a tariff that provides cheaper rates

during off-peak periods, may have an RTS meter.

Typically, there will be a large black box next to the meter.

‌ The energy supplier is fast-tracking upgrades for its customers – covering nearly a quarter of affected households – and deploying additional engineers to ensure households can switch to a

smart meter before the deadline.

Explaining the looming switch off in a YouTube video, Greg Jackson, CEO of Octopus Energy, said: “The radio signal they [RTS Meters] rely upon is getting switched off later this year so it’s

vital that these meters get switched for modern smart meters as soon as possible, otherwise may get an overcharge of electricity, or even see their heating and hot water not working.”

Aside from keeping the heating and hot water on, Octopus Energy says switching to a smart meter can bring a myriad of benefits including better overviews of energy usage, access to smart

tariffs and the opportunity to take part in free-energy periods when the grid has lots of green energy.

‌ John Szymik, CEO of Octopus Energy Services, added: “Octopus has boosted its service capability to offer fast-tracked assistance and ensure that no one is left without heating. We urge all

affected customers, of any supplier, to book their meter exchange now to ensure a smooth transition.”

Smart meters are important for the energy transition and unlock the power of smart tariffs, while also giving customers more control and oversight over their energy consumption and costs.

Octopus Energy is also offering all RTS customers who opt for the switch a free Octopus Home Mini, a device which securely connects to a customer’s smart meter, giving them real-time

visibility of how much energy they are using and what costs.

Article continues below Affected customers can check if they have an RTS meter by looking for a large black box next to their current electricity meter, or by logging into their online

Octopus account to book a smart upgrade.