Save money on electricity bills with simple Linky smart meter adjustment
Checking that your meter matches your electricity consumption can help you save
Linky meters are now installed in 90% of homes in France
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People in France with a Linky electricity meter can save on their bills by ensuring that their meter has a power rating that matches their household energy use.
Linky meters are now installed in 90% of homes in France. However, not all meters are the same. They come with different power ratings, depending on your household’s typical electricity consumption.
Having an ‘outsized’ meter can cost you extra without you realising. 56% of people in France have an oversized meter according to a recent study by supplier Octopus Energy.
You may have had a larger meter installed when the Linky was first put in.
What savings are available?
Checking your Linky meter and ensuring it corresponds closely to your actual electricity usage can save you money.
To do this, you can check your electricity bills, or check directly on your Linky meter by pressing the ‘+’ button several times to display the subscribed power. “If in doubt, your energy supplier can help you verify this information,” says Octopus Energy.
Read also: Little-known Linky meter trick can help people in France save on energy bills
Read more: Widespread Linky electricity meter checks on way across France
How do I decide?
You will need to understand how much electricity your household typically uses, and also take the size of your property into consideration, this calculator can help you.
The downside of having a smaller meter is that you may need to keep a closer eye on your electricity use, such as not switching on all your appliances at the same time as the power rating of a meter determines the number of electrical appliances that can operate at the same time.
However, for many consumers, having a smaller meter will suffice, said Céline Stein, from Octopus Energy, to TF1.
“If you do not have electric heating, and if you are not particularly careful not to switch on all your appliances at the same time, then often, in an apartment, 4 kW will be more than enough. In a house, even 5 or 6 may be enough,” she said.
Linky meters are ‘smart meters’, meaning that they send data on your electricity usage without the householder needing to manually send readings to the energy supplier, or an Enedis agent needing to come to the house.
While most people have not experienced issues with their meters, the devices have become controversial for some, with (disputed) concerns over data privacy and health.
In January this year, one appeals court in Loire became the latest to allow a householder to have his Linky meter removed due to ‘whistling noises’ from the meter, which he claimed left him unable to sleep.
Read also: French court orders withdrawal of Linky smart meter in home after health complaints
Read more: Extra fees start soon for French homes without Linky smart electricity meter
Similarly, those who have not had a meter installed yet have been facing extra charges from distribution company Enedis, due to the costs of needing a technician to come to the home and take readings manually.
