Smart Electricity Meters

My energy supplier at the moment is EDF.  They have been pestering me with messages about replacing the electricity meter for our flat with a "smart meter".  As it happens, Which? have an article on the subject in their most recent edition.

Armed with the information from Which? I called EDF and here is what they said:

• The meters EDF are proposing are SMETS2 ready. Not SMETS2, just SMETS2 ready.  SMETS means 'smart metering equipment technical specifications', the 1 and 2 are the 'generation' of the meter.  The older SMETS1 meters may not remain smart if you switch to a different supplier, which would mean manual readings would be required again.  Also, suppliers may need to replace SMETS1 meters anyway if and when meter standards are nailed down.
• The EDF meters are 70cm high, 13cm wide and 6.5cm deep.  If new meters are bigger than the existing meters there may not be enough room in block meter cupboards, and who knows what happens then.
• EDF say that their meters do support IHD (in home displays) which show all kinds of exciting live information about your electricity consumption.  But, some have suggested that the Barbican meter cupboards are too far from the flats for the IHD signals to work.

Which? explain that we don't have to accept smart meters.  I'm not going to accept one until the supplier is able to provide one which is SMETS2 (or better).  Also I'm going to suggest to the BEO that they coordinate the rollout of the meters and that they ensure they do all fit in the meter cupboards!

Here is a part of the letter from EDF.  Note the wording "we need to replace your meter"; this is true, the suppliers are under pressure to roll out smart meters.  We customers do not need to accept them.

Click to enlarge a bit