Second generation smart meters hit five million mark

Residents of Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire are officially the fastest adopters of the smart technology in Britain, followed by those in South Derbyshire

The installation of second generation smart meters (SMETS2) across Britain has hit the five million mark.

The significant milestone was achieved on 7th September 2020 with the installation of an electricity smart meter by Bulb Energy in Lincoln.

More than 750,000 smart meters were installed during the COVID-19 lockdown period, according to the Data Communications Company (DCC).

Residents at Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire are officially the fastest adopters of the smart technology in Britain, helping them save money on their energy bills, followed by those in South Derbyshire.

SMETS2 meters are fully interoperable and continue to function as smart meters even if consumers switch energy suppliers, which was not the case for consumers who had the first generation smart meters installed.

DCC CEO Angus Flett said: “Despite difficult circumstances the pace of the smart meter rollout has recovered well during lockdown, with one million meters being installed since February. This is testament to the hard work of our customers – the energy suppliers and distributors – who found new ways of working which allowed installs to continue in a safe way.

“Britain is more concerned about its carbon impact than ever before and the appetite for this greening technology remains strong. Our data shows that in the front-runner localities, more than a third of homes now have a second generation meter.

“Our network is a platform for good and the data flowing across it is paving the way for better use of renewable energy. The DCC is making Britain more connected so we can all lead smarter, greener lives.”

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