SMART METER BILL
The purpose of the Bill is to:
-
Allow the Government to continue to support the effective
and efficient completion of the smart meter rollout.
-
Allow the Government to oversee implementation and ensure
the successful realisation of the £5.7 billion of net benefits
delivered by smart meters.
-
Enable the continued secure provision of the national
smart meter infrastructure in Great Britain.
The main benefits of the Bill would
be:
-
The successful rollout of smart meters, which puts
consumers in control of their energy use, helping them
understand their energy and bills, bringing an end to estimated
billing and transforming the experience of pre-payment
customers.
-
Protecting the operation of the national data and
communication service to safeguard smart services at all
times.
-
Deliver the manifesto commitment to ensure that “smart
meters will be offered to every household and business by the
end of 2020, giving people control over their energy bills that
they have not had before” (p.57).
The main elements of the Bill are:
-
To extend the Government’s ability to make changes to
smart meter regulations by five years, making sure the rollout
is delivered effectively, and that benefits are maximised into
the future.
-
To introduce a Special Administration Regime which will
provide insurance for the national smart meter infrastructure
in the unlikely event that the company responsible for it were
to become insolvent. The availability of a Special
Administration Regime is standard practice for energy network
companies, energy suppliers, and in other sectors such as water
and rail.
Territorial extent and application
-
The Bill would apply to Great Britain.
Key facts
-
Smart meters are a vital upgrade to energy infrastructure
bringing our energy infrastructure into the twenty first
century.
-
We are making good progress with the rollout of smart
meters, with nearly 7 million meters installed already by the
end of March 2017.
-
Smart meters will provide a net annual bill saving of
£300 million in 2020 across all households, rising
to £1.2 billion a year in 2030.
