Monitoring energy use in schools

Why meter readings matter

Utility suppliers are no longer obliged to inspect or read meters on a regular basis, so it becomes the responsibility of the bill payer to confirm the accuracy.

These days most electricity and gas meters have AMR (automated meter reading) devices or are SMART meters, so reads are automatically collected and billed. However, access problems, faulty equipment, or communication issues with meters can all prevent accurate readings from being collected, and it is important to regularly submit our own meter readings.

When issues occur, suppliers may estimate your usage. These estimates can be significantly higher or lower than your actual consumption. As a result:

• Overestimated bills can leave your service paying far more than it should.
• Underestimated bills may seem convenient at first, but they often result in large, backdated bills later on.
• Both situations create a financial rollercoaster, making budget management challenging.
• Inaccurate readings can also impact our carbon reporting, leading to misleading data that affects our environmental targets and planning.

There are buildings which still have the traditional meters and require to be manually read, and the majority of water meters are the traditional style so it is essential to keep records as early leak detection is important and can go undetected.

The Energy Team actively monitors supplier invoices and flags obvious issues where possible. However, with around 1,500 utility supplies across Council owned buildings, including schools, the team rely on regular, accurate meter readings from services to keep billing accurate and up to date. Some of the billing errors that can occur include:

• Incorrect rates being applied
• Wrong meter numbers billed
• Miscalculations
• VAT errors
• Faulty meter reads
• Even Smart/AMR meters sending incorrect data

Here are some simple but effective steps your school can take to ensure costs stay as accurate as possible:

• Access your Energy Manager Live (SystemsLink) account
  Every service has login details. If you don’t know yours—or would like training—please get in touch. You can find explainer videos for each energy option here.
• Check that all meters for your sites are listed and billed correctly
  Missing meters and incorrect billing setups are common causes of problems.
• Submit monthly meter readings
  Quarterly works too if monthly is difficult. If readings are uploaded in time, suppliers will usually use them for your billing cycle providing greater accuracy for budgeting.
• Talk to the Energy Team
  If something doesn’t look right, if you’ve spotted unusual usage, or if you’re unsure how to interpret a bill, please reach out to the Energy Team. We’re here to help. Email: utilitymanagement@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
• Review which sites you’re being billed for
  • Are you being billed for sites you no longer occupy?
  • Are there sites missing that you should be billed for?
• Make sure you know where your meters are located
  If you’re unsure, or can’t access them, the Energy Team can help you find solutions.

Keeping accurate and regular solar meter readings is essential for ensuring your school’s solar energy system performs at its best.

Our responsibilities

• Ensure all equipment is operating to the optimal level
• Arrange regular maintenance and servicing of systems
• Arrange for remedial works to resolve any operational issues

Your responsibilities

• Record solar meter readings ideally monthly, but at least quarterly. (Reads are required to validate Feed in Tariff payments - meter reads should be submitted by 15 March, June, September and December
• Enter readings into Energy Manager. View the guidance videos to find out how.
• Report any unusual changes or issues immediately to the Energy Team via: utilitymanagement@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk and we will ensure that issues are investigated and resolved.

Why this Is important

• Performance Monitoring: Regular readings help identify drops in solar output.
• Budgeting and Reporting: Accurate figures support sustainability reporting, energy audits, and long‑term financial planning.

What to look out for

• Sudden decreases in generation
• Readings that don’t align with expected seasonal patterns
• Error messages or display issues on the meter