Energy News

British Gas prepares smart meter roll-out

Thursday 2 July, 2009

By becca.talbot@consumerchoices.co.uk

British Gas is the first of the UK’s “big six” suppliers to prepare for the roll-out of energy smart meters.

Britain’s biggest energy supplier, British Gas (www.britishgas.co.uk), has said it will create 2,600 new jobs as it prepares for the roll-out of new smart meter technology.

In May this year, the government announced plans for every household in the UK to have smart meters installed, for both their gas and electricity, by 2020.

Smart meters will help households cut their fuel bills by allowing them to monitor their own energy usage, as well as eliminating the problem of estimated meter bills. Energy suppliers will be able to take customers’ gas and electricity meter readings without visiting their homes.

Phil Bentley, managing director of British Gas, said: “We are committed to making our customers’ homes the greenest in Europe - cutting their carbon emissions and fuel bills.”

Industry experts had originally thought the roll-out of smart meters would lead to thousands of jobs being lost as meter readers will no longer be required. However British Gas said its project, which will start next year, will create thousands of new jobs as it recruits experts to install the meters.

The meters are designed to give customers more control over energy use, as well as help reduce their carbon footprint and save money on their energy bills.

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