Deadline fails to cull older ‘dumb’ smart meters

“DUMB” smart meters are still being installed in households because of a shortage of new models, despite the Government ordering they had to be phased out by yesterday.

Energy providers were told to stop installing the older smart meters, which can lose their smart function and “go dumb” after households switch to a rival firm.

However, The Daily Telegraph has learnt that four of Britain’s biggest firms – British Gas, Scottish Power, E.ON and SSE – will continue to install the old meters. This is partly because there are not yet enough of the new type to install. There are also technical issues affecting some parts of the country.

One of the benefits of the £11billion roll-out is that the meters can help reduce energy bills, but a panel of MPS reported last year that the annual savings are as low as £11 per household. Meanwhile, switching suppliers can save a household up to £324 a year, according to price comparison site uswitch.

The Government said first generation meters would be enrolled on to a national network operated by the Capita-run Data Communications Company (DCC) by the end of next year, but this had been delayed by six months.

A spokesman for SSE said: “In areas where we are unable to technically install second generation meters but could provide first generation meters, in order to provide customers who request a smart meter with one as early as possible we would install a first generation meter.

“SSE believes this is in the best interests of customers as our meters are within scope to be ‘enrolled and adopted’ to the DCC.”

An E.ON spokesman said new meters were installed wherever possible but the company would continue to install first generation meters.

She said: “We believe that everyone should be able to have a smart meter, regardless of where they live or what their signal is like. Smart meters are a great way of ensuring customers get accurate bills as well as giving them the visibility they need to better manage their energy use.”

British Gas and Scottish Power will install second generation meters as a priority but will also continue to install the first generation models. Npower and EDF declined to comment.

Any early meters now installed by suppliers will not count towards regulator-mandated targets, meaning firms risk fines by continuing to install them. Last year EDF was fined £350,000 for failing to install enough smart meters.

Rob Cheesewright, of Smart Energy GB, the body promoting the roll-out, said consumers should ask if their new meter would be second generation.

He said: “Energy suppliers are experiencing some challenges with meter availability currently, but these will be resolved in the coming year.”