DECC to push back the ambitious £11 billion project to 2015.
The installation of smart meters in all of the UK’s businesses and homes has been delayed by at least year, the government has announced.
The £11.7 billion project was meant to start in the summer of next year, but it will now begin in the autumn of 2015.
Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Ed Davey, said in a written statement to parliament:
“Completing the national rollout will be an enormous logistical and technical challenge for the industry, involving visits to around 30 million homes and small businesses and installing over 50 million meters.
“To this end, and reflecting the extended period to build and test the systems required by industry, the Government has decided to move the completion date for the mass roll-out from the end 2019 to the end 2020 – although I expect the vast majority of smart meters to be in place against the original 2019 deadline.
“Getting this right for consumers is the Government’s priority and this package of proposals will give consumers and industry the confidence they need for a successful roll out.”
Angela Knight, chief executive of Energy UK, which represents the major energy companies, commented:
“We welcome the government’s prudent decision to allow an additional 12 months to complete the smart meter programme. This recognises the scale of the programme and the need to prepare carefully.”
Smart meters are an essential tool to deliver accurate bills, more transparent pricing and greater customer satisfaction but they also play a crucial role in creating the first steps to a genuine smart grid.
The fact that this rollout has been delayed even before it has begun has serious implications to the long-term delivery of an energy network fit for the connected, digital world. Without smart meters there is no basis for the hoped for future, as a result 2015 and 2020 will be pivotal dates for the advent of the smart energy market.