Making the Smart Choice for Energy Meters in the City and County of
Swansea Council
Smart gas and electricity meters are being offered to everyone in Wales,
Scotland and England at no extra cost, between now and 2020. Fflur
Lawton, Head of Policy and Communications Wales for Smart Energy GB,
the voice of Great Britain’s smart meter rollout, explains the new technology.
All about smart meters
In a nutshell, smart meters are the new generation of gas and electricity
meters. They will replace traditional meters in homes across Great Britain
and are a vital modernisation to our nation’s energy infrastructure.
Traditional gas and electricity meters haven’t changed since Victorian times,
so the current system means living with estimated bills, manual meter
readings and no real-time visibility of how much energy we’re using or what
it’s costing. The out-dated technology is particularly problematic for
prepayment customers who have to top up their key or card at a shop, and
pay higher prices for doing so.
Smart meters send automatic meter readings to your energy supplier, so no
more estimated bills or manual meter readings. The accompanying digital
in-home display will also show you exactly how much energy you’re using
as you go along, and what it’s costing you in pounds and pence.
All energy suppliers will offer their customers a smart meter by 2020, so
every household in Great Britain will be able to benefit from the new
technology. Smart meters will be fitted by energy suppliers and they come at
no extra cost, so you won’t need to pay anything extra for the upgrade.
Almost 5 million smart meters have already been installed and independent
research published by Smart Energy GB shows that eighty two per cent of
people with smart meters are taking steps to reduce their energy use and
eighty one per cent would recommend smart meters to other people.
Benefits for everyone
Smart meters will bring an end to estimated bills, so you won’t need to worry
about the shock of an unexpected bill landing on the mat. They will also
communicate automatically with your supplier via a secure network, so you
won’t need to access your meters to submit manual readings, or let
someone into your home to read the meter.
Smart meters will also give you greater transparency and control. Being able
to see what you’re spending in pounds and pence is a great reassurance, so
Smart Metering Communications Body Limited (trading as Smart Energy GB) is a company registered in England and Wales. Company number 8455995.
Registered office: 1 Alfred Mews, London, W1T 7AA
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you can keep your home warm during winter without worrying about running
up an unexpectedly high bill.
If you have a prepayment meter you’ll be able to see how much credit you
have left on your in-home display and top up at any time of the day or night,
by phone or online, from the comfort of home. You can still also top up in
your local shop and any credit, wherever you pay, will be automatically
added to your account, so you won’t need to worry about putting a key or
card back into a meter, which might be difficult to access.
Smart meters are also a great tool to help you reduce wasted energy and
save money, if you would like to do so. Understanding what you’re spending
on energy will no longer be a case of guesswork. You’ll also be able to
compare your energy use over time, identify where you could make positive
changes, and reap the rewards in your bills.
Smart meters are also paving the way for a smarter, greener and more
energy-efficient Great Britain. They are a crucial step to the development of
smarter energy grids, meaning a better ability to match our power
requirements as a nation. Smart meters will enable the introduction of tariffs
designed to suit different lifestyles, so there will be the flexibility to do
washing or charge devices when power is cheapest, if you choose to.
For smart ways to save energy in your home, take a look at this short film,
published by Smart Energy GB.
FAQs
It’s natural to ask lots of questions about new technology, but there is
absolutely no need to worry when it comes to upgrading to smart meters.
How do smart meters work?
Smart meters send your energy use directly to your energy supplier, and
this will soon happen via a secure, national communications network
developed specifically for smart meters.
For more information on how smart meters work, take a look at this short
film, published by Smart Energy GB.
How can I get a smart meter?
Every household in Britain will be offered a smart meter by their energy
supplier between now and 2020. Contact your energy supplier to see if you
can get one now.
When can I get my smart meter?
Smart Metering Communications Body Limited (trading as Smart Energy GB) is a company registered in England and Wales. Company number 8455995.
Registered office: 1 Alfred Mews, London, W1T 7AA
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Contact your energy supplier to see if you can have your smart meter fitted
now. How soon you can get your meter depends on your energy supplier,
where you live and what kind of home you live in.
What will happen during a smart meter installation?
When it comes to the installation, you can arrange an appointment at a time
that suits you and invite a friend or relative to be there, if you’d like to. All
smart meter installers follow the same code of practice so they will show
their company ID when they arrive. Installations take about two hours. While
they are there, your smart meter installer will show you how to use your
smart meter and the smart meter display. They will also be able to give you
some energy saving advice and will carry out safety checks.
For more information on the installation, take a look at this short film,
published by Smart Energy GB.
How easy is it to use this new technology?
Smart meters do all the communicating for you, so all you need to do is
check your energy use on your handheld display – as simple as checking
the clock on the wall. Your smart meters will be fitted where your current
meters currently are, but the in-home display is portable, so you can put it
wherever it’s most useful.
For more information on reading and understanding your in-home display,
take a look at this short film, published by Smart Energy GB.
Can I get a smart meter if I rent my home?
If you pay your gas and/or electricity bills and they're addressed to you
rather than your landlord, you don't need your landlord's permission to get a
smart meter. If your landlord pays the bills, you should check with them first
before arranging your smart meter installation.
Contact your energy supplier today about installing your smart meter.
Smart Metering Communications Body Limited (trading as Smart Energy GB) is a company registered in England and Wales. Company number 8455995.
Registered office: 1 Alfred Mews, London, W1T 7AA
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