Electricity meter: How much does it cost to increase the power of the electricity meter?

Electricity meter

Does the electricity in the house go out often? This is normal if many appliances are used at the same time. The solution is of course in increasing the power of the meter domestic. But the increase from the electric energy that comes home how much can it cost? It is necessary to do an exchange of the Enel counter? In this article, we will give the answers to these questions.

How to choose the power of the meter, the difference between committed and available power

Taking the bill arriving home, you notice two voices: one is usually referred to as Contractually committed power the other like Power available. The first represents the value chosen when signing the contract (very often they are the classic 3 kW), the second is equal to the contractual power increased by 10% (in this case, therefore, 3.3 kW or, in other terms, 3300 Watt).

For to choose correctly the power of the meter it is essential to consider if you live in a large house, how many users there are in the family, and if electric water heaters, ovens, induction cookers, air conditioners are often used. If you live in a double room, with basic appliances, and you also rely on gas, it makes little sense to ask for an increase in the power of the meter.

What interests us, therefore, is to have an increase in available power to avoid continuous disconnections due both to the simultaneous use of too many energy-intensive appliances such as the oven or electric water heater and to an undersized counter.

Until the end of 2016, a home user who had wanted to increase the contractually committed power would have had little choice. The supply of electricity, in fact, could only be increased (or decreased) in steps of 1.5 kW. Therefore, the operator could be asked to go from 3 kW to 1.5 only (if so little was consumed that the standard equipment was considered “excessive”), or from 3 kW to 4.5 or 6.

From 2017, however, it is possible to change the contractual supply according to steps of 0.5 kW. It is no longer necessary to go from 3 to 4.5 kW, but you can (for example) request a power of 3.5 kW, 4 kW, 4.5 kW, and so on up to 6 kW. For higher values, or for three-phase users, the brackets are 1 kW.

Arera (Regulatory Authority for Energy, Networks and the Environment) abolished the difference between the tariff D2 (resident domestic user) e D3 (non-resident domestic user). Today the single tariff TD, under which progressive tariffs are exceeded. Those tariffs, that is, which caused costs per kWh to increase as consumption increased. A nice simplification for those who intend to increase the power of the meter.

Their TD tariff introduced the same cost, for all, both of the transport that of counter management. The so-called system charges, however, continue to differ between residents and non-residents. The latter must pay the charges both in the fixed portion and in the energy portion, while residential customers, on the other hand, find them only in the energy portion.

Without getting too technical, suffice it to say that, precisely because of the system burdens, those who consume more electricity today have an advantage (that is, pay a basically lower bill) than those who consume less. For this reason, those who occasionally use a holiday home are penalized compared to those who always stay in their apartment or detached house and perhaps use many appliances.

The bill (“Expenses for the transport of electricity and management of the meter“) Is indicated power share: if its amount (which varies according to the kW we asked for when opening the contract, and NOT according to how much we consume), set by Arera, was equal to 1 € / kW / month for everyone, resident and non-resident, those with the standard household equipment of 3 kW would pay € 1 x 3 = € 3 per month or € 36 per year. The figure is to be verified by reading your current bill.

If we wanted to increase the meter from 3 to 4 kW, the calculation would be 1 x 4 = € 4 per month, or € 48 per year. This is only for the fixed cost of the power share.

How much does it cost to increase the kW of the meter?

For a change the power of the meter (assuming an increase of 1 kW) must be paid (10% VAT must be added to the amounts), one-off:

1) a fixed contribution to cover administrative costs of € 25.81, which however from April 2017 until December 31 2023 not is more requested by home users.

2) a contribution in terms of power, for each kW of increase up to 6 kW, of € 70.41. This amount, for home users, is reduced to € 55.66 (about 20% less) until December 31, 2023, as long as the new power does not exceed 6 kW, or if the increase is requested to restore the previous power level to a decrease in power.

3) a fixed contribution, to cover the seller’s charges, equal to € 23, if you are still in higher protection regime.

The concessions have been established from the Arera precisely to ensure that the change in the power of the meter for home users of the enhanced protection market it was less expensive.

If, on the other hand, it means moving to the free market, the costs depend on the individual contracts. Some suppliers clearly state their expenses on their sites, while others prefer the customer to contact them to make a quote ad hoc.

The switching to another energy supplier will be mandatory from 1 January 2024. Already now, however, you can contact Tiscali Tagliacosti, a comparator that accurately and reliably compares the rates proposed by the best operators on the free market.

The reason? Take advantage of cheaper tariff packages, and therefore have a lighter bill. Not a small thing, given the continuous energy increases we are witnessing recently.

And if you can’t make your own decision, you can have a free personalized consulting service: just a few clicks or a few touches on the smartphone.

Timing to change the power of the meter

Today in most Italian homes the old meters have been replaced by the new Smart Meter, which allows both to measure consumption more precisely and to easily manage requests for changes in contractual power.

The simplest interventions must be carried out by the local distributor within 5 working days from the date of the request.

If, on the other hand, you want to switch to a three-phase system, for example, a visit by the technician of the distribution company will be necessary. After the inspection, you will receive within 15 days a quote detailing the costs and times of the operation, which can take from 10 to 50 working days.

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