Electricity meter enclosures

[tuckswood8]

I have a friend whose electricity was cut off for non-payment. Endesa required him to sign a new contract with payment by direct debit before they would reconnect, which he did.

Endesa's electrician eventually came to connect the supply but then refused to do so, saying that the meter enclosure was now illegal. The property is some 20 years old and had the meter mounted in a cutout in a concrete wall with a solid metal opening door measuring 500 x 500 covering the front. It is the centre enclosure in a bank of three, all of the same type and size and positioned tightly together.

Endesa's man said that the enclosures now have to be 600 x 600 with a metal door with four ventilation slots and an electricity warning sign.

It is obviously impossible to comply with this requirement in my friend's situation without major modifications to his and the neighbours enclosures. Can anyone confirm that meter enclosures now have to be 600 x 600, and whether Endesa can enforce this requirement on existing properties.

On checking the meters in my own community I found that the enclosures are very similar to my friend's, and foresee major problems if the new ruling is correct.

[DavidSearl]

FROM DAVID SEARL

FOR TUCKSWOOD8

Yes, the new electronic electricity meters being installed by Endesa require the 60x60 box and door as described by your installer. These meters will communicate directly to Endesa and so do not require a man to come and read them.

All new installations have them. Yours is in effect a new installation, so you are supposed to have the new meter and box and door. There are 25,000 of these running a pilot programme right now and millions will be installed over the next few years.

Yes, it will cause problems.

If you rent your meter, costing you about 78 cents a month I think, this will cost you nothing. If you own your meter, it should cost you very little. If the installer tries to charge you something outrageous, contact your Endesa office directly.

Good luck with it, David Searl