No half measures: E.ON Next customers among first to see benefits of half hourly meter readings

The Market-wide Half Hourly Settlement (MHHS) programme is designed to help modernise the UK’s energy sector by providing more detailed consumption data – taking readings from customers’ electricity meters every 30 minutes – instead of the current monthly frequency.

The precise view of how and when customers use electricity will mean more accurate billing for all. The improved data will also help customers to make informed decisions on how they can reduce energy waste and support the grid in balancing supply and demand, as well as being encouraged and rewarded for playing a part in driving the UK's net zero ambitions.

Ramona Vlasiu, Chief Operating Officer of E.ON Next, said: “Ultimately, half hourly settlement is about making energy fairer and more responsive for customers – it is a building block for a smarter, fairer, more innovative energy system. The goal is to make electricity bills more accurate and reflective of how customers live their lives, and to empower those consumers to adapt their energy usage and switch to tariffs that allow for more flexible consumption. Together, these factors can help to drive down the cost of energy for people and reward them for playing a part in the future energy system.”

The switchover for UK consumers and businesses is happening gradually, with the ambition to complete migration by May 2027. From today, E.ON Next customers will start to move to the new MHHS system  and begin to benefit from:

• Energy bills based on more precise data rather than averages or estimates
• Greater transparency of the energy they use and how much it costs – with this knowledge, customers can find ways to use energy in more affordable ways
• Increased opportunities to switch to more personalised tariffs such as a Time-of-Use or electric vehicle (EV) tariffs, where customers are incentivised to switch their energy use to off-peak times and rewarded with savings on their bills
• More support for flexible energy use through dynamic pricing tools for those customers who generate and export energy to the grid via solar, batteries or EV’s

Added benefits for the wider energy sector and the UK’s clean power drive

The rollout of MHHS also has wide-reaching benefits for the UK’s energy sector. These include:

• Enhanced forecasting: Half-hourly data enables energy companies to predict energy demand with greater accuracy, to help optimise operations and reduce running costs
• Easing strain on the grid: Encouraging off-peak usage eases pressure on the grid during peak hours
• A catalyst for innovation: the detailed, real-time data that comes from MHHS can accelerate innovative new products and services from energy suppliers, such as smart tariffs and demand response tools

Furthermore, the switch to half hourly smart meter reading is good news for the government’s drive for clean power by 2030. With electricity usage being tracked more closely, energy companies can match the supply of renewable energy to times when it is most in demand.

Chris Norbury, CEO of E.ON UK, said: “Market-wide Half Hourly Settlement marks a pivotal shift in how we manage and use energy across the UK. By unlocking smarter data, it empowers households and businesses to make clearer energy choices, access more flexible tariffs, and help to reduce energy costs. It also enables a more sustainable and resilient energy system, helping the UK accelerate its clean power mission and make new energy work better for everyone.”

To find out more about Market-wide Half Hourly Settlement, visit: eonnext.com/market-wide-half-hourly-settlement.