Smart Meters Bill introduced in UK Parliament



Today saw Theresa May’s government introduce the Smart Meters Bill into Parliament. This bill is a big step towards energy efficiency and includes provisions that will help consumers get the most out of their smart meters.

A smart meter is a small display you have in your home that shows you exactly how much energy you are consuming and how much this energy is costing you. This will allow you to keep track of what you are spending and identify elements of your home that use up more energy than others. Ultimately, they will help people reduce their expenditure on energy.

The bill provides that every household and small business should have this technology made available to them by the close of 2020. The bill will also ensure that the government can regulate the rollout of these meters. By doing this, the government will be in a position to act on the findings it gathers and to do what is necessary to improve consumer experience.

A further policy contained in the bill states that consumers of energy will all be protected even if the Smart Data and Communications Company (the company in charge of the smart meter infrastructure) becomes insolvent. This event is unlikely but not impossible.

The Minister for Energy, Richard Harrington, has said that the distribution of smart meters is maintaining a steady pace with around 350,000 being installed each month. This is in addition to the 7.7 millions that are already out there. He believes that the days of estimated bills are gone and that the country is well on its way to helping people save both money and energy.

He is also quoted as saying: “The Bill published today will ensure consumers continue to get the most from their smart meters once installed, during and beyond the rollout.”


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