Final call for smart meters as consultation ends

- Industry hopeful for revolution in energy usage -

 31 October 2007

The Energy Retail Association (ERA) has today published its response to the Energy White Paper consultation on Billing and Metering proposals, and is urging the Government to give the green light to the industry to roll out smart meters to all households across Britain within ten years.

The ERA is calling for the all-important mandate to roll-out smart meters so that everyone in the UK can benefit from next-generation metering technology. Smart meters will communicate with both the customer and supplier in real-time, providing a wealth of information on energy consumption and putting the customer in the driving seat for the first time.

This new infrastructure will mean the end of estimated bills and waiting at home for a meter reader to call, and will enable all consumers to have accurate bills and greater control of their energy usage.

A mandate from Government would provide a legal framework within which smart meters can be delivered. The industry’s aspiration is that the roll-out will cost consumers nothing, because of the increased business efficiency that the meters will enable as long as the programme is delivered in a logical manner across Britain.

Duncan Sedgwick, Chief Executive, Energy Retail Association said:

“This next generation metering technology will revolutionise home energy use and enable consumers to make greener, smarter and more sustainable energy decisions.. But this cannot happen unless the Government gives an unambiguous commitment to smart meters through a mandate to the energy industry. We need to be able to work together to implement the roll-out of smart meters in a planned and logical way.”

For more information please contact:

Claire Gibson (Press Officer) on 020 7747 5432

Nicola Bowles (Head of Communications and Media Relations) 020 7930 9181

- ends -

Notes to editors:

1. A copy of the executive summary of the ERA’s consultation response is available on request. Please call the ERA Press Officer on 020 7747 5432.
   
   
2. The ERA, formed in 2003, represents Britain's domestic electricity and gas suppliers in the domestic market in Great Britain. All the main energy suppliers operating in the residential market in Great Britain are members of the association - British Gas, EDF Energy, npower, E.ON, Scottish Power, and Scottish and Southern Energy.
   
   
3. The Energy White Paper, published in May 2007, supported the ERA's view that smart meters could be rolled out to 25 million homes for gas and electricity within 10 years. More information on the ERA’s work on smart meters can be found on our website at http://www.energy-retail.org.uk/smartmeters.html. The Energy White Paper can be downloaded from the DBERR website:
   http://www.berr.gov.uk/energy/whitepaper/page39534.html
   
   
4. 31 October 2007 is the deadline set by government for responses to their proposals published in August 2007 (“Energy billing and metering: changing customer behaviour - a consultation on policies presented in the Energy White Paper”). Although the BERR White Paper confirms the Government’s expectation that smart metering will be introduced to the domestic market over the next decade, it does not give the energy industry the legal framework it needs to roll out smart meters.