The UK government continues to push forward with its ambitious plans for an extensive rollout of smart meters, despite facing significant challenges. Almost three-quarters of homes in the UK have a smart meter today. This success is very much in line with the government’s aspiration to have this technology in all homes by 2019. Far from giving up, first they changed the goal. Their more achievable target now is to make smart meters available to all homes by 2020. This deadline has now been further extended to the end of 2025.
Smart meter campaign Martin Lewis, founder of MoneySavingExpert.com, is the latest to sound the alarm. As he points out, about one of these 5 devices isn’t even working the way it’s supposed to. He particularly touches on the impact these failings have had on consumer perception of the technology.
“Far too many smart meters, likely one in five, don’t work as they should – a problem not just for all the homes with broken ones, but for the smart meter rollout. With so many dissatisfied customers, word of mouth is bad, so people tell their friends and neighbours not to get one.” – Martin Lewis
In reaction to these persistent problems, Ofgem has recently finalized new rules that will come into effect next year. These requirements protect families from shoddy installations and malfunctioning equipment. Second, they will set new service standards, raising the bar for energy suppliers and making sure they provide the highest quality of service.
Charlotte Friel, director at Ofgem, predicts that these new regulations will raise industry standards for installation. Yet, even with such ambitious goals, they deeply understand the need to save time for their customers.
“This is only the beginning – with automatic compensation, faster fixes and improved installation standards well on the way, getting a smart meter will be quicker and easier than ever.” – Charlotte Friel
The new regulations will strengthen relief for consumers who experience long delays on installation and repairs. As energy companies adapt to this new paradigm, consumers can hopefully look forward to a more dependable service.
In addition, the UK government is now committed to delivering a zero-carbon electricity system by 2030. To bolster this effort, the administration has released preliminary plans. They commit to increasing the construction of new power grid infrastructure twice over the next five years relative to the past ten years. As we enter 2022, this investment surge will be key to addressing the country’s energy targets.
Alongside these historic changes, localities that will host new or upgraded electricity infrastructure have a lot to gain from them. Thousands of households located within half a kilometre of this infrastructure could receive up to £250 off their annual energy bill beginning next year. As an added bonus, local residents would automatically receive a £125 discount every six months under this proposal.
At a time when renewables development is booming, Miatta Fahnbulleh advocates for ensuring communities benefit from energy projects. She called for tangible benefits to people affected by new infrastructure.
“That is why we are teaming up with communities hosting new pylons to ensure they receive direct, tangible benefits. We are on the side of those who want Britain to get back to what it does best: building for the future, driving innovation and putting communities first.” – Miatta Fahnbulleh
The federal government has been implementing new strategies to slap energy suppliers on the wrist. These expectations will drive improved national smart meter standards and guard consumers against shoddy service during this transition or whenever major complications occur.
Martin Lewis called out a crucial change in direction expected of energy firms.
“We need to shift firms’ focus from just installing smart meters to promptly fixing those that are broken – not just meters that go into dumb mode, but crucially all elements, including in-home displays that stop working. That’s the aim of this plan, and while it’s taking a softer approach than we proposed, it is an improvement and we’ll be monitoring to see if it delivers.” – Martin Lewis
These can only be delivered if the UK government continues to pursue ambitious initiatives to address the smart meter rollout’s previous failures. All while influencing positive community returns and setting the stage for future energy resilience.