Incident: Smart Meter Glitch Causes Inaccurate Electricity Usage Readings

Published Date: 2021-04-01

Postmortem Analysis
Timeline 1. The software failure incident happened in October 2022. [133592]
System 1. Smart meters In Home Display malfunctioned, showing incorrect costs to customers [133592, 112526] 2. In Home Displays (IHD) showed high consumption figures that were incorrect [133592] 3. Smart Energy Trackers and In Home Displays showed incorrect costs [112526]
Responsible Organization 1. OVO Energy [133592] 2. SSE Energy Services [112526]
Impacted Organization 1. Customers of energy companies, including OVO Energy and SSE Energy Services, were impacted by the software failure incident [133592, 112526].
Software Causes 1. The software glitch in the smart meters' In Home Display caused incorrect and exorbitant electricity usage readings, leading to panic among customers [133592, 112526]. 2. The glitch prevented the meters from adjusting to the new price hikes on October 1, resulting in inflated and inaccurate electricity cost displays [133592]. 3. The glitch affected a small number of In Home Displays, showing incorrect costs, but did not impact the actual meter readings or energy bills [133592]. 4. The software issue was acknowledged by OVO Energy and SSE Energy Services, who assured customers that a fix would be implemented within 24 hours to address the faulty readings [133592]. 5. The glitch was confirmed by the energy companies to be a technical issue rather than an April Fool's prank, indicating a software malfunction in the smart meters [112526].
Non-software Causes 1. The price of wholesale energy rose steeply due to global factors such as the Ukrainian War and the government's Price Cap increase on October 1, allowing suppliers to increase their prices [133592]. 2. The incident occurred around the time of the October price rises, which may have contributed to the confusion and panic among customers [133592]. 3. The incident coincided with April Fool's Day, leading to initial confusion among customers who questioned if the high charges were part of a prank [112526].
Impacts 1. Customers experienced panic and stress as their smart meters displayed exorbitant and incorrect electricity usage costs, with readings reaching up to £42,670 in a day [133592]. 2. Confused and worried customers contacted their energy firms and took to social media platforms like Twitter to express their concerns and seek clarification on the issue [133592]. 3. The software failure incident caused significant confusion and disbelief among customers, with some questioning if the high charges displayed on their smart meters were April Fool's jokes [112526]. 4. The glitch led to customers sharing images of their smart meter readings on social media, further amplifying the impact of the incident [112526]. 5. SSE Energy Services apologized for the fault and assured customers that the issue was with the display only, not the actual meter readings, and that a fix would be implemented within 24 hours [133592]. 6. The incident highlighted the vulnerability of smart meters to technical glitches and the potential for such failures to cause financial distress and uncertainty among consumers [112526].
Preventions 1. Proper testing and quality assurance procedures before deploying the smart meters could have potentially prevented the software failure incident. This would involve thorough testing of the meters' functionality, including their ability to accurately display energy usage and costs [133592, 112526]. 2. Regular maintenance and updates to the software could have helped identify and address any potential glitches or bugs before they caused widespread issues with the smart meters [133592, 112526]. 3. Improved communication with customers about the potential for software glitches or errors in the smart meters could have helped manage expectations and reduce panic when incidents like this occurred [133592, 112526].
Fixes 1. A fix to the glitch causing incorrect costs on the In Home Displays and Smart Energy Trackers is expected to take place within 24 hours [133592]. 2. Technicians are working to resolve the technical glitch causing smart meters to display exorbitant charges for energy consumption [112526].
References 1. OVO Energy spokesperson [Article 133592] 2. Customers who experienced the smart meter glitch [Article 133592] 3. Twitter users who shared their experiences and concerns [Article 133592] 4. SSE Energy Services spokesperson [Article 133592] 5. SSE Energy Services customers impacted by the glitch [Article 112526] 6. Twitter users who shared their smart meter readings [Article 112526]

Software Taxonomy of Faults

Category Option Rationale
Recurring one_organization, multiple_organization (a) The software failure incident having happened again at one_organization: - The incident of smart meters showing exorbitant and incorrect electricity usage readings due to a glitch has happened again with OVO Energy. Customers experienced panic and confusion as their smart meters displayed extremely high costs for electricity usage, similar to a previous incident reported with SSE Energy Services [133592]. (b) The software failure incident having happened again at multiple_organization: - The incident of smart meters displaying incorrect and inflated electricity usage costs due to a technical glitch has occurred with multiple energy companies, including SSE Energy Services and OVO Energy. Customers from different organizations woke up to see their smart meters showing unrealistically high charges for energy consumption, causing confusion and concern among users [112526, 133592].
Phase (Design/Operation) design, operation (a) The software failure incident in the articles seems to be related to the design phase. The incident was caused by a glitch in the smart meters' In Home Display, which led to incorrect and exorbitant electricity usage readings being displayed to customers [133592, 112526]. This glitch was triggered by the system not adjusting properly to the new price hikes that came into effect on October 1. Customers reported seeing readings showing usage of tens of thousands of pounds in a single day, causing panic and confusion among them. The issue was acknowledged by energy companies like OVO Energy and SSE, who assured customers that the problem was with the display only and not the actual meter readings or energy bills. They mentioned that a fix would be implemented within 24 hours to address the incorrect cost displays. (b) The software failure incident can also be attributed to the operation phase. Customers' panic and confusion were a result of the incorrect and alarming readings displayed on their smart meters, which impacted their perception of energy usage and costs. This led to customers contacting their energy firms, sharing images on social media, and expressing concerns about the sudden surge in displayed costs [133592, 112526]. The operation of the smart meters, specifically the In Home Display, played a significant role in causing distress among customers as they tried to make sense of the unusually high readings. Energy companies like SSE reassured customers that the issue was with the display only and not the actual meter readings or energy bills, indicating that the operation of the meters themselves was not faulty.
Boundary (Internal/External) within_system, outside_system (a) within_system: The software failure incident related to the smart meters showing exorbitant and incorrect electricity usage readings, such as £42,000 in a day, was caused by a glitch within the system. Customers reported seeing extremely high and inaccurate charges on their smart meters, leading to panic and confusion. The issue was specifically related to the In Home Displays (IHD) showing incorrect costs, not reflecting the actual meter readings or energy bills. SSE Energy Services confirmed that it was a technical glitch within the smart meters and In Home Displays, which their technicians were working to fix [133592, 112526]. (b) outside_system: The software failure incident was influenced by external factors such as the price hikes in energy costs that occurred on October 1. The smart meters failed to adjust to the new prices, leading to the incorrect and alarming readings displayed to customers. The increase in wholesale energy prices due to global factors like the Ukrainian War and the government's Price Cap adjustment also contributed to the situation where customers were shocked by the high charges shown on their smart meters [133592].
Nature (Human/Non-human) non-human_actions, human_actions (a) The software failure incident in the articles seems to be primarily due to non-human actions, specifically a technical glitch in the smart meters and In Home Displays. Customers woke up to exorbitant charges on their smart meters, with readings showing prices up to £42,000 for a day's electricity usage. The articles mention that the glitch caused the meters to display incorrect costs, leading to panic and confusion among customers [133592, 112526]. (b) Human actions also played a role in the software failure incident as customers were the ones who noticed the incorrect readings on their smart meters and In Home Displays. They took to social media platforms like Twitter to share images of the high charges and express their concerns. Some customers questioned if the charges were an April Fool's joke, while others sought clarification from the energy companies. Additionally, customers contacted their energy firms or made phone calls to report the issue, indicating human involvement in identifying and escalating the problem [133592, 112526].
Dimension (Hardware/Software) hardware, software (a) The software failure incident occurring due to hardware: - The incident reported in Article 133592 was related to a glitch in smart meters' In Home Display, causing incorrect and exorbitant electricity usage readings for customers. This glitch led to panic among customers as they saw readings showing prices up to £42,000 for a day's electricity usage [133592]. - Customers reported issues with their smart meters, such as one person whose parents' meter showed £41,000 had been spent, indicating a hardware-related malfunction in the smart meters' display [133592]. - The glitch in the smart meters' In Home Display caused incorrect cost displays, leading to confusion and concern among customers, with some even comparing the situation to an April Fool's joke [112526]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to software: - The software failure incident in the articles primarily stemmed from a technical glitch in the smart meters' In Home Display software, causing incorrect cost displays for customers. The glitch was acknowledged by energy companies like OVO Energy and SSE, who assured customers that the issue was with the display only, not the actual meter readings or energy bills [133592, 112526]. - SSE confirmed that the exorbitant charges displayed on smart meters were not a prank but a technical glitch that their technicians were working to fix, indicating a software-related issue [112526]. - The software failure incident was specifically related to the In Home Display software of the smart meters, causing incorrect and alarming cost readings for customers, which the energy companies were addressing through software fixes [133592, 112526].
Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) non-malicious (a) The software failure incident described in the articles is non-malicious. The incident was attributed to a technical glitch in the smart meters and In Home Displays, causing them to display incorrect costs to customers [133592, 112526]. The energy company confirmed that it was not a prank but a technical issue that needed to be fixed by technicians [112526]. Customers were left confused and concerned by the exorbitant charges displayed on their smart meters, with some questioning if it was an April Fool's joke [112526]. The software failure incident was not caused by any malicious intent but rather by a technical issue within the smart meters and displays, leading to incorrect readings and panic among customers.
Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) unknown (a) The intent of the software failure incident related to poor_decisions: - The software failure incident related to the smart meters showing exorbitant and incorrect electricity usage readings was due to a glitch in the In Home Displays (IHD) causing them to display incorrect costs [133592]. - The glitch led to customers seeing readings of tens of thousands of pounds for a day's electricity usage, causing panic and confusion among customers [133592]. - The incident was exacerbated by the failure of the meters to adjust to the price hikes that occurred on October 1 [133592]. - The software issue was acknowledged by OVO Energy, and they communicated with impacted customers about the error, assuring them that it only affected the display and not the actual meter readings or energy bills [133592]. - The glitch was attributed to a fault on a small number of In Home Displays, indicating a software issue that needed fixing [133592]. (b) The intent of the software failure incident related to accidental_decisions: - The software failure incident was not explicitly linked to accidental decisions or unintended actions in the articles. The primary cause of the incident was identified as a glitch in the In Home Displays leading to incorrect cost displays [133592]. - Customers and energy company representatives expressed confusion and concern over the sudden and incorrect electricity usage readings displayed by the smart meters, indicating that the incident was not a result of accidental decisions but rather a technical fault [112526]. - SSE Energy Services confirmed that the issue was a technical glitch and not an April Fool's joke, further emphasizing that it was not an intentional action but a software malfunction [112526].
Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) development_incompetence (a) The software failure incident occurring due to development incompetence: - The incident was caused by a glitch in the smart meters' In Home Display, leading to incorrect and exorbitant electricity usage readings for customers [133592]. - Customers had been facing problems with the smart meters since their installation, indicating potential issues with the development and implementation of the meters [133592]. - The spokesperson for OVO Energy acknowledged the fault on a small number of In Home Displays, causing them to display incorrect costs, highlighting a development issue [133592]. (b) The software failure incident occurring accidentally: - The incident was described as a technical glitch by the energy company, indicating that the issue was unintentional and not deliberately caused [112526]. - SSE confirmed that the exorbitant charges displayed on the smart meters were not a prank but a technical glitch, suggesting an accidental nature of the failure [112526]. - SSE Energy Services apologized for the fault and mentioned they were working hard to resolve the issue, indicating that the incident was accidental and not intentional [112526].
Duration temporary (a) The software failure incident in the articles appears to be temporary. The glitch causing the smart meters to display incorrect and exorbitant electricity usage costs was acknowledged as a technical fault by the energy companies. They mentioned that the issue impacted the display only, not the actual meter readings or energy bills. Technicians were actively working to fix the problem, and a fix was expected to take place within 24 hours [133592, 112526].
Behaviour crash, omission, value, other (a) crash: The software failure incident described in the articles can be categorized as a crash. Customers' smart meters displayed exorbitant and incorrect electricity usage readings, such as showing bills of £42,000 or more for a single day's electricity usage, which caused panic and confusion among the users [133592, 112526]. (b) omission: The software failure incident can also be categorized as an omission. The smart meters failed to adjust to the new price hikes on October 1, leading to incorrect and inflated readings being displayed to customers, omitting to accurately reflect the actual electricity usage [133592]. (d) value: The software failure incident can be categorized as a failure related to value. The smart meters displayed incorrect and exaggerated costs for electricity usage, such as showing bills of tens of thousands of pounds for a single day, which was not reflective of the actual usage, causing distress and confusion among customers [133592, 112526]. (f) other: In addition to the above categories, the software failure incident can also be considered as an anomaly or abnormal behavior. The smart meters exhibited abnormal behavior by showing extremely high and unrealistic electricity usage readings, causing customers to question the accuracy and functionality of the meters [133592, 112526].

IoT System Layer

Layer Option Rationale
Perception None None
Communication None None
Application None None

Other Details

Category Option Rationale
Consequence property (d) property: People's material goods, money, or data was impacted due to the software failure - The software failure incident caused smart meters to display incorrect and exorbitant electricity usage costs, with readings showing amounts like £42,670 in a day [133592]. - Customers reported shock and panic upon seeing these inflated readings, with some mentioning figures like £41,000 and £6,000 a day [133592]. - The glitch in the smart meters led to confusion and stress among customers, as they were faced with unrealistic and alarming electricity usage charges [133592]. - The software failure affected the In Home Displays of the smart meters, showing incorrect costs, but it was clarified that the issue was with the display only, not the actual meter readings or energy bills [133592]. - SSE Energy Services, part of Ovo, acknowledged the fault and assured customers that a fix was being worked on to address the incorrect cost displays [133592]. - The incident impacted customers' perception of their energy usage and billing, causing distress and prompting them to seek clarification and resolution from their energy providers [133592]. - The software failure resulted in customers contacting their energy firms, sharing images on social media, and expressing concerns over the displayed charges, indicating a significant impact on their financial well-being and trust in the smart meter technology [112526]. - SSE apologized for the fault and reassured customers that they were working to resolve the issue, acknowledging the confusion and concern caused by the incorrect cost displays on the smart meters [112526].
Domain utilities (a) The software failure incident reported in the news articles is related to the utilities industry. The incident involved smart meters displaying incorrect and exorbitant electricity usage costs to customers, causing panic and confusion [133592, 112526]. The glitch in the smart meters led to readings showing prices as high as £42,000 for a day's electricity usage, which was attributed to the meters failing to adjust to the price hikes that occurred on October 1 [133592]. The affected customers contacted their energy firms and took to social media platforms like Twitter to express their concerns and seek clarification on the unusually high readings displayed by the smart meters [133592, 112526]. The energy company, SSE Energy Services, which is part of Ovo, acknowledged the issue and assured customers that it was a fault in the In Home Displays (IHD) causing incorrect cost displays, not reflecting actual meter readings or energy bills [133592]. The company stated that a fix for the glitch would be implemented within 24 hours to address the issue [133592].

Sources

Back to List