Number of installed SMETS2 smart meters hits five million mark (only another 22 million to go)

‘Significant milestone’

DCC said that the ‘significant milestone’ was accomplished on the 7^th September 2020 with Bulb energy installing a SMETS 2 smart meter in a property in Lincoln.

The smart meter rollout suffered a significant blow as a result of the Covid-19 lockdown but as restrictions have eased (for now) energy suppliers have doubled their efforts to make up for the lost time.

Since lockdown measures eased in July the number of installations in domestic properties has rallied and throughout the lockdown period over 750,000 smart meters were installed.

Read more: Covid-19’s impact on smart meter installations revealed

What are SMETS2 smart meters?

SMETS2 smart meters are the second generation of smart meters that were introduced to replace the problem-prone SMETS 1 meters.

Issues with those first-generation meters included becoming useless after a person switched their energy supplier and as a result, the enthusiasm for the smart meter rollout from consumers was harmed.

These issues forced the government to push back its target for getting a smart meter into every home and small business. Since then the deadline has been pushed further and further back as energy suppliers continue to struggle to convince their customers to adopt the technology.

Unlike the SMETS 1 meters, SMETS 2 smart meters are fully interoperable and remain functioning even if a consumer switches their energy supplier.

Read more: New data shows that Smart Meters saved customers money on their energy bills during Covid-19 lockdown

The benefits of SMETS 2 meters

As well as being able to continue operating if the owner switches energy supplier, a SMETS 2 meter has a few other benefits to consumers.

Energy suppliers should emphasise these points when trying to convince a customer to have one installed.

They include:

• Meter readings are sent automatically, reducing the chance of erroneous energy bills
• They provide the highest standard of data security
• A user can see exactly how much energy they are using, allowing them to plan their usage and in turn save money on their energy bills

Read more: How to sell the benefits of smart meters to consumers

“Despite difficult circumstances, the pace of the smart meter rollout has recovered well during the lockdown, with one million meters being installed since February. This is testament to the hard work of our customers – the energy suppliers and distributors – who found new ways of working which allowed installs to continue safely.

“Britain is more concerned about its carbon impact than ever before and the appetite for this greening technology remains strong. Our data shows that in the front-runner localities, more than a third of homes now have a second-generation meter.

“Our network is a platform for good and the data flowing across it is paving the way for better use of renewable energy. The DCC is making Britain more connected so we can all lead smarter greener lives,” said DCC CEO Angus Flett.

Read more: Who are the DCC?

Further Reading 

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