Smart meter expense

SIR – It is wrong for Ofgem (Letters, June 30) to criticise EDF, and even make it pay £350,000, for missing its target to install smart meters.

I am a customer of EDF, and on the numerous occasions they have phoned offering to install a smart meter, I have politely declined, citing the fact that the devices do not of themselves save fuel, and that there have been many problems after installation.

I am quite happy reading my old meters. Any sensible person would switch off unnecessary power and lights, thus making these clever meters a waste of time – for the consumer, of course.

I blame the Government for foisting this £11 billion scheme on the energy companies. The propaganda campaign in the national papers by Smart Energy GB to “inform” us is also adding to the tremendous cost. B J Colby

Bristol

SIR – It is not common knowledge that different suppliers may use different systems from each other, so that if you have a smart meter fitted and you then switch to another supplier, the meter might not be able to relay the readings back to the supplier. This I discovered to my cost. David Daborn

Weybridge, Surrey

SIR – With anything from government that is described as being for your own good, there is a hidden reason. Smart meters clearly fall into that category.

For a country that could produce limitless cheap electricity from nuclear power, it is ridiculous that we now depend on sun, wind and wood-burning, and inevitably face rationing by pricing. Malcolm Parkin

Kinnesswood, Kinross