Which? responds to latest Government smart meter installation statistics

Alex Neill, Which? Managing Director of Home Products and Services, said:

“It’s alarming that the rate of smart meter installations by large suppliers has dropped by around 1,500 per day, when the rollout has already been massively delayed.

“Amid concerns that the savings smart meters could bring consumers are at risk, this is yet further evidence that the Government urgently needs to replan the rollout with industry and consumer groups to ensure people get the maximum benefit at the minimum cost.”

Notes to editors

• BEIS Q3 2018 Smart Meters report – published 29 November 2018.
• Large energy suppliers installed just 8.6 meters per minute according to Which? calculations based on data from the BEIS Smart Meters, Quarterly Report to end September 2018. This is down from 9.7 meters per minute in Q2.
• Up to 53 million smart meters, designed to replace traditional gas and electricity meters across homes and businesses, are due to be installed across Britain by the end of 2020. Large energy suppliers are responsible for rolling out smart meters to 46 million of them.
• Currently 12.3 million are in operation by the large energy suppliers, just a quarter (26%) of the 46 million existing meters that could potentially be replaced.
• The deadline for the installation of SMETS1 for most suppliers is this Wednesday 05 December 2018.

Statement