Are npower installing smart meters now?
npower have had a set of established smart meter trials running for some time now. However we are not currently installing smart meters, and for good reason. Supplier’s (npower included) will have to start rolling out smart meters to our customers from spring 2014. At the moment the industry and the government are finalising the exact specifications for these smart meters. There’s still a lot of work to do, but we expect the specifications to be finalised by early 2012 and that compliant meters should be available by the end of 2012. When we have compliant meters we’ll start installing them in increasing volumes, initially through pilots, to ensure we’re in great shape for the big roll out in 2014
What are the benefits of smart meters?
Smart meters have loads of benefits! The most obvious being more accurate data for billing; the end of estimated bills! Accurate billing should also reduce costs by reducing call centre traffic, ending visits by meter readers, and better debt management.
Everyone will have access to real time information to see how much energy they are using and, more importantly, monitor how much they are spending. Good for the wallet, great for the environment! The government reckons this should help change behaviour and save the average consumer (gas and electricity) about £23 per year by 2020.
Finally smart meters will help lay the foundations for wider smart networks. This means energy companies should be able to produce energy more efficiently by understanding and balancing energy ‘demand’ better. Smart grids will also help support sustainable energy supplies like wind farms and micro-generation.
Who is getting smart meters?
The major smart meter roll out applies to all domestic electricity and gas metering as well as some smaller businesses. For the technically minded this means meters which are profile class 1-4. In total that’s about 53 million new meters by the end of 2019!
For medium and larger sized businesses there is a separate commitment where smart meters are expected to be installed by spring 2014. This applies to profile class 5-8 electricity meters or gas meters which consume in excess of 732,000kWh each year.
Is Great Britain the first to install smart meters?
Great Britain has one of the most competitive energy markets in the world, but in terms of smart meters the United States, Canada, Italy, Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands are among the countries already using smart metering technology. This is good news for us because much of the technology is already well developed and we can learn important lessons from other countries roll out programmes.
When will I be able to get a smart meter in my area?
npower will begin to roll out smart meters when compliant meters are available (expected at the end of 2012). We’ll initially start installing through pilots to ensure we’re in great shape for spring 2014, when the mandated roll out of smart meters begins. The roll out is a huge infrastructure project and we are still planning so are unable to say exactly who or where will get smart meters first.
If you’re an npower customer you can register for our Smart Priority Queue. Once registered you’ll receive Smart related news and might even get the opportunity to participate in future trials and pilots. You can register at mynpower.com
How often will my meter be read?
The exact frequency of readings is yet to be decided, but smart meters will make billing much more accurate and supply customers with real time consumption data.
I currently generate my own electricity and take advantage of ‘Feed in’ Tariffs. What will smart meters mean to me?
For those customers on our Feed in Tariffs and those who have solar panels, the new smart meters will show you how much electricity you are selling back to the grid and how much money you're making. You will also have the flexibility to decide when to sell back to the grid, like during peak times of the day when you can make the most money
Will I have to pay for my smart meter?
Yes and no. You won’t get a specific bill for having your new smart meter installed, but we all pay for our meters and other energy infrastructure (like pylons and gas pipes) through our energy bills, so that won’t change. In general terms the technology in smart meters is more costly than old, ‘dumb’ meters, however, there will be significant new benefits to having smart meters. The government reckon that the average customer will save about £23 a year due to being better able to manage their consumption and there’ll be an end to estimated billing too.
Will there still be off peak tariffs like E7 available?
Smart meters will also make choosing and changing tariffs easier. We are still trialling this, but tariffs such as Economy 7 will still be available so you can monitor and save even more money during peak periods.
I have a smart meter already. Can I move to npower?
Yes, in the vast majority of cases you should have no problem moving to npower. However, you will lose the 'smart' functionality of the meter and we will need to take readings manually just like a normal meter.
Why is this?
At present there is no standard for smart meters. Currently the government and energy industry are working hard to finalise standardised specifications for smart meters and we hope to have these approved by the EU by early 2012. This is a key step in preparing for the mass mandated roll out of smart meters from spring 2014. Unfortunately with there not currently being standard smart meters, there's equally no standard compatibility across smart metering systems. As such, for the time being, npower would treat any inherited smart meters as normal 'dumb' meters.
I understand that there is a mandatory roll out of smart meters for larger non domestic customers between now and 2014. Can npower provide an indication of timescales to individual business customers?
Yes, business customers will need to have a business version of a smart meter by 2014. In the meantime, we offer a commercial product to our customers, called Encompass, which allows them to see their consumption on a daily basis through a web based application. When purchasing this product, they can have smart meters installed would allow them to see a half hourly profile of their energy consumption.
Have npower signed up to the Which? smart meter promise?
Yes. We’re proud to be the first major energy supplier to have signed up to the Which? smart meter promise.
Consumer group Which? has called on energy providers to sign up to a charter of best practice to ensure that customers get a fair deal from the smart meter roll out and that energy companies don’t simply use the installation as an opportunity to sell other products and services.
Volker Beckers, RWE npower CEO, said: “The support from our customers in achieving a successful smart metering programme is crucial. We want to continue to build a trusted partnership with customers and think that the Which? challenge is a great way of displaying our commitment, sending a clear signal that we’re focused on delivering a quick, efficient and safe smart meter installation to customers.“
