When will smart meters be available?

A national roll-out of smart meters across Britain is being planned that will involve replacing 46 million meters in all 25 million homes across the country by 2020. This is a major technological and social transformation to rank alongside digital switch-over and the introduction of North Sea gas to homes in the early 1970s.

This is a huge undertaking and will involve a detailed and complex planning process with government, Ofgem and the energy industry before a national roll-out can even begin.  The planning process is expected to last at least two years before the first smart meters can be installed.

Why are smart meters being introduced now?

Climate change is high on the national agenda. The EU, the British government and the energy industry are looking for better and greener ways to produce and use energy. An important aspect in any attempt to tackle climate change is to promote energy efficiency in the home and smart meters are a key part of enabling consumers to use less energy. The Government has now completed their cost benefit analysis for rolling out smart meters across the country and has found a positive business case for doing this.

Can householders arrange for a smart meter to be installed now?

Not yet. The industry is very keen to begin a national roll-out of smart meters across Britain but it believes that in order to ensure there is a successful delivery programme it is essential that the planning stages are as thorough as possible.  The definition for smart meters needs to be agreed first by government and industry; otherwise, we run the risk of installing meters that are not compatible across the whole industry.

Is Great Britain leading the world in the roll out of smart meters?

Not quite. The United States, Canada, Italy, Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands are among the countries already using smart metering technology. Now it’s time for us to catch up on the benefits offered by smart metering. Because others have already developed this technology, we can benefit from their experience and apply the lessons they have learned in our smart metering programme.

This is why the energy industry has committed to taking decisive action and, when Government provides the framework needed to move forward, we can begin the process of bringing the benefits of the smart meters to all British households.