Your electricity tariff options are all about the configuration of your electricity meter (not just the type). Here are the possibilities:
MCC01
For people who
- Have a mechanical 24-hour electricity meter
- Used to have a mechanical 24-hour electricity meter, now have a smart meter, but have not switched to a smart tariff
Can you get a smart tariff? If you have a smart meter, but are currently on a non-smart tariff, then you can switch to a smart tariff. At this point, your meter configuration will permanently change to MCC12 or MCC16. You will not be able to switch back to a non-smart tariff later. If you don’t have a smart meter, then you can apply to ESB Networks to get one. There is no charge for this.
MCC02
For people who
- Have a mechanical day/night electricity meter
- Used to have a mechanical day/night electricity, now have a smart meter, but have not switched to a smart tariff
Can you get a smart tariff? If you have a smart meter, but are currently on a non-smart tariff, then you can switch to a smart tariff. At this point, your meter configuration will permanently change to MCC12 or MCC16. You will not be able to switch back to a non-smart tariff later. If you don’t have a smart meter, then you can apply to ESB Networks to get one. There is no charge for this.
MCC12 and MCC16
These are the codes for “activated” smart meters. If you have one of these, then only smart tariffs will be available to you. All newly built homes have s MCC12 or MCC16 electricity meter configuration.
Should you switch to a smart tariff?
In principle, smart tariffs are better than non-smart tariffs. This is because smart tariffs can, but don’t have to, come with the option of time-of-use tariffs. If you don’t like the time-of-use tariffs, you can always just select a flat rate “smart tariff”.
The only problem is that electricity suppliers are allowed to (and sometimes do) charge different prices for effectively the same electricity plan depending on the meter configuration. So customers can potentially get locked out of the best deals buy not having the flexibility to chose a non-smart tariff.
In the early days of the smart meter rollout, the differences were often large. Thankfully, any gaps now tend to be narrow.
So if you think you can make meaningful savings by switching to smart tariff, then it’s probably worth doing so. Otherwise, stay with non-smart tariffs to keep your options open.
Summary of Meter Configurations
| Meter Type | Configuration | Meter Code | Smart Tariff | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24-hour mechanical | MCC01 | Not available | ||
| Day/night mechanical | MCC02 | Not available | ||
| Smart | As a 24-hour mechanical meter | MCC01 | Available | If you switch to a smart tariff, your meter code will change to MCC12 or MCC16 |
| Smart | As a day/night meter | MCC02 | Available | If you switch to a smart tariff, your meter code will change to MCC12 or MCC16 |
| Smart | “Activated” | MCC12 or MCC16 | Mandatory |
Smart Meters and Solar Export Payments
If you get solar panels installed, the ESB will be put on the priority list for smart meter installation. If you refuse the smart meter, you won’t get paid for surplus electricity that you export to the grid.