Energy News

British Gas: 2million smart meters by 2012

Tuesday, 30 March 2010

By Daniel Barnes- daniel@consumerchoices.co.uk

Accurate energy bills are coming for 2million British Gas customers who will be given new smart meters.

British Gas is planning to install two million smart meters by 2012.

Smart meters allow customers and energy companies to monitor energy use more accurately, providing readings every half hour.

As well as cutting costs for energy firms, smart meters should also allow customers to follow their energy use more closely and avoid waste.

Studies suggest smart meters can help households cut their energy usage, and so their bills, by around 10%.

British Gas managing director Phil Bentley said: “We want all our customers to have smart meters as soon as possible, so they can take advantage of this technology and use it to help them cut their energy use, carbon emissions and fuel bills.”

The government plan is for all of the UK’s 47 million gas and electricity meters to be replaced by smart meters by 2020.

British Gas is now to recruit 2,600 engineers for the installation of meters and is working on establishing standards for smart meters across the industry.

Chris Eagle, commercial manager at Energychoices.co.uk, said: “Smart meters in themselves won’t cut your energy bills. But they do allow you to see very closely, and even online, your energy usage.

“They also mean energy bills are accurate and not based on estimates, so unexpected changes to bills should be a thing of the past.”