End delays to smart meters, say energy firms

The Government has been told by the UK's big energy firms to get a move on with its plans to roll out smart meters, which record customers' gas and electricity use, letting them see precisely how much energy they are using as well as its cost.

Trials have shown that smart metering leads to lower energy use as consumers become more aware of the cost and times of day and activities which lead to greater consumption. Smart metering could slash household energy bills by £100m by 2020. It could also reduce our C02 emissions by 2.6 million tons.

The Government is near the end of a consultation period over how to complete a planned nationwide roll-out by 2020. However, the Energy Retail Association has said that it is concerned that installations aren't moving quickly enough. "As well as saving money, smart meters provide the Government with an excellent opportunity to accelerate its plans to move Britain to a low-carbon economy. It's time to get the ball rolling," said Garry Felgate, the chief executive of the ERA.

But few customers are aware of the benefits, the ERA said. In a recent survey, 68 per cent of energy customers questioned had no idea what it was.