Smart meters 'will benefit consumers'

Friday, December 4th 2009

The government has announced plans to fit all homes with smart meters by 2020.

Homeowners will be able to benefit from seeing exactly how much their energy use is costing them and taking steps to reduce usage and cut carbon emissions, according to the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

The government's plans also include proposals to set up smart grids to make electricity delivery more efficient.

Commenting on the announcement, Zoe McLeod, energy expert for Consumer Focus, said: "Smart meters have the potential to help bring energy customers out of the dark - by ending estimated bills and making people aware of the savings they could make."

She went on to call on energy suppliers to make sure they do not burden consumers with the cost of installing the displays by sharing the expense themselves.

A two-year trial of smart meters was first launched in the UK in 2007.