Smart meters can give readings that are 6 times too high

Smart meters can give readings almost six times higher than the actual electricity consumed – particularly in homes with energy-saving bulbs, a study found.

modern devices including dimmer switches and LED bulbs can confuse some smart meters, leading to massively inflated readings and higher bills.

Energy companies claim that smart meters will stop people overpaying due to estimated bills, and the Government wants them installed in all 26million homes in England, Scotland and Wales by 2020.

But researchers have found that some smart meters come up with readings that are 582 percent higher than they should be.

It comes after an energy company was forced to apologise to customers earlier this week after malfunctioning smart meters handed them bills for as much as £44,000 a day.

Big Six firm SSE’s gadgets experienced a glitch that increased their daily usage of gas and electricity by nearly three million per cent. One customer posted a picture of his meter showing a total that would keep a medium-sized home running for 53 years.

Charity Citizens advice has also said that complaints about smart meters have almost almost trebled since 2014.

In tests carried out on a range of smart meters manufactured between 2004 and 2014, researchers found that five of the nine gadgets gave readings that were much higher than the amount of power used. Conversely, two came up with readings that were 30 percent too low.

the meters were connected to a range of power- consuming appliances via an electronic switchboard. these included energy saving light bulbs, heaters, LED bulbs and dimmer switches. Lead author Professor Frank Leferink, of twente University in the Netherlands, said: ‘We’ve known since 2009 electronic meters can give readings which are too low.

‘But this is the first time we’ve seen they can be much too high. We were flabbergasted by our results.’

the team blamed the inaccurate readings on the smart meters’ design, as well as the increasing use of modern energy- efficient devices that switch on and off rapidly to save energy.

the meters that gave the most inaccurate results were found to be the ones that contained a rogowski coil – an electrical device for measuring alternating current or high speed current pulses.

Professor Leferink added: ‘the study was carried out in a laboratory setting. If you looked at ones in homes I don’t expect they would be 500 or 600 per cent out.

‘But what we have shown is the reading can clearly deviate a lot from the power customers are actually consuming.

‘I believe the problem surrounding the accuracy of smart meters has been underestimated and more research is required.’

Smart meters automatically send readings to a customer’s energy supplier. they form part of the Government’s plan to reduce carbon emissions by making it easier for homes around the country to save energy.

Last night a Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy spokesman insisted that smart meters installed in the UK have to comply with regulations which mandate high standards of accuracy.

‘Smart meters are a vital upgrade to Britain’s energy system,’ he said. ‘the technology will bring an end to estimated billing, and give consumers real-time information about their energy use to enable them to make more efficient energy choices.

‘By 2020 every home ... will have been offered a smart meter.’