Half Hourly-Meters Explained
Confused by half-hourly meters and wondering how they differ from standard meters and tariffs? Read on to learn more about how they work and see if they could benefit your business…
To get started, either call us on 0800 9777 000 or fill in our energy quote form to see how much you could save…
What are half-hourly meters?
Half-hourly meters are an advanced form of electricity meter designed specifically for business energy consumers who use more than 100kW of electricity every 30 minutes. This technology uses Automated Meter Reading (AMR) to capture energy consumption data at thirty-minute intervals, hence the name ‘Half-Hourly’.
This granular approach to energy monitoring offers significant advantages. For users, it allows for a deep understanding of usage patterns, revealing peak consumption times and facilitating a more strategic, cost-efficient approach to energy management. For energy suppliers, it assists in balancing the power grid by providing real-time data, thus helping to prevent power outages.
The key differentiator between a half-hourly meter and a standard meter is this frequent data transmission. The continuous, half-hourly reading every 30 minutes, leads to a more accurate representation of energy consumption, empowering users and suppliers with precise and timely information for effective energy management and billing.
How does this meter work?
Unlike traditional meters, the half-hourly meter does more than just track overall energy use. It provides precise measurements every half hour, reporting these readings back to the energy supplier in real time. This constant data stream results in a detailed and dynamic view of energy usage throughout the day.
This granular approach to energy monitoring offers significant advantages. For users, it allows for a deep understanding of usage patterns, revealing peak consumption times and facilitating a more strategic, cost-efficient approach to energy management. For energy suppliers, it assists in balancing the power grid by providing real-time data, thus helping to prevent power outages.
The key differentiator between a half-hourly meter and a standard meter is this frequent data transmission. The continuous, half-hourly reading leads to a more accurate representation of energy consumption, empowering users and suppliers with precise and timely information for effective energy management.
Which businesses require a half-hourly meter?
For those businesses that have a peak load electricity usage of above 100kW a month or are planning to renew their energy contracts with a current electricity meter with a profile type / profile class between 05-08. Then the electricity supplier will be required to ensure that the business’s meter is updated to the newer half-hourly meter.
How to check if a half-hourly meter is already installed?
There is a simple way to check if you have been placed on this type of meter. You need to look at a recent bill and check for a grid similar to what you see below which is known as the MPAN number. If the number in the top left box is ’00’ then you already have a half-hourly meter for your premises. 
What is P272 and how did it affect businesses?
P272 refers to BSC 272, a set of legislation passed in October 2014 which came into effect on April 1st 2017. It meant that all ‘Non-Half Hourly’ profile type / profile class 05-08 meters had to be moved over to half hourly meters by law. This was carried out by the electricity suppliers on behalf of their customers if they requested a new meter or renewed their electricity contract.
What are 05-08 profile class meters?
It’s very unlikely that your electricity meter will still be on a 05-08 meter as all metering systems had to be changed over to the new type in 2017. To find out if your meters are profile type / profile class 05-08 you can check your bill or call Exchange Utility and we will be able to advise you. To find the profile type / profile class on your bill, look for the ‘Electricity Supply Number’. If this number is from 05-08 inclusive, the meter is one of the profile classes affected.
What are the benefits of using a half-hourly meter?
These meters capture a lot more information than their less technical counterparts. From your half-hourly meter readings, you will also be able to see when you are using the most energy, and then investigate why this is the case. This could then help you to put additional energy-saving measures into place so that you can reduce your consumption as well as your costs.
The fact that meter readings are taken automatically also saves you the time and stress of having to feed your readings back to a supplier yourself, meaning you have more time to focus on what is important to you – Your business!
Do manual meter readings need to be taken every half hour?
No, most definitely not! A half-hourly meter is a particularly user-friendly piece of kit and uses a hard-wired connection such as a telephone line or even a mobile sim card connection to send readings to the designated electricity supplier. The entire process is automated, and unless you’re asked to send a manual reading, there’s nothing that you need to do.
What will a half-hourly meter do to business electricity bills?
For those businesses that have previously found their electricity suppliers relied on estimated meter readings when meter readings were not supplied. They will now find they are far more likely to be billed for actual usage, rather than estimated usage.
This of course means that bills will be based on actual usage rather than projected estimates within the billing periods. As so, these businesses would be far less likely to be underpaying during billing periods due to the supplier underestimating usage and needing to claim back the underpayments.
What do the numbers in an MPAN number mean?
Your MPAN number which stands for Meter Point Administration Number is a unique number assigned to your electricity supply. Although the numbers in your MPAN may look complex when you first see them, they all combine together to help your electricity supplier better understand more about the supply to your business, as well as identify your business.
You can learn more about MPAN numbers in our guide. 
What is a half-hourly meter operator (MOP)?
A half-hourly meter operator (MOP) is the entity responsible for the installation and maintenance of electricity meters within business premises. They are responsible for ensuring that the meter is able to send the data to the data collector. For more detailed information on business energy meter installations take a look at our helpful guide.
The meter operator will either be your energy supplier or an accredited third party. A third-party MOP is often the cheaper option, but you must have a contract in place with an electricity supplier for your electricity.
Can a business choose to switch to a half-hourly meter?
The easiest way to check your eligibility to switch to a half-hourly meter would be to call our energy experts for an informal chat to discuss your current energy usage to see whether they’re right for you.
As well as advising on half-hourly meters, our energy experts are also able to help you with finding the right business energy supplier and tariff. They can provide you with all of the information and guidance you need to ensure you’re able to make a well-informed decision that’s right for your business or organisation.
To get started, either call us on 0800 9777 000 or fill in our energy quote form to see how much you could save…
