News Alert: Orsis UK: ORSIS urges government to smarten up on metering

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ORSIS urges government to smarten up on metering
Organisation: Orsis UK
Source: Press Releases
Date: 17.01.12

Leading independent smart metering provider, Orsis UK, has urged the Government to rethink its proposals for a national domestic roll-out of smart meters, after the Public Accounts Committee criticised the Government's current proposals in a Report out today.  Drawing on its experience in the UK and international metering sector, Orsis believes that the benefits of smart metering can be achieved by adopting a far simpler and cheaper approach than the Government's current programme. By doing so, UK customers have the potential to save millions of pounds on their energy bills.

Whilst supporting the policy of a national domestic roll-out, the
cross-party group of backbench MPs, chaired by Rt Hon Margaret Hodge MP, questioned the merits of the Government's current smart meter plans:

- the timescale of the roll-out (reduced from 10 years to 5 years and to be completed by 2019); is that feasible?
- the lack of transparency from Government on the costs and benefits for consumers, especially the fuel poor; and
- that most of the positive impacts of the current proposals are heavily stacked in favour of the Big 6 suppliers.

In welcoming the Committee's report, which supports much of what Orsis said in evidence to the inquiry, Hans Kristiansen, Chief Executive of Orsis UK, said:

'Make smart meters simpler - that's what we have been saying to the
Government for over a year. Current proposals will not meet the
Government's well intentioned objectives and the benefits of the scheme are not weighted in favour of the consumer as they should be. For example, whilst smart metering will save the Big 6 millions - the consumer will only see a benefit of £23 a year on current estimates and that's only after they have paid nearly £350 in their energy bills to pay for it.

There is a simpler, more cost effective and consumer friendly approach to smart metering that we advocate and which is available now. We urge the Government to accept the Report's recommendations as well as look at simpler, smarter alternatives to ensure the biggest roll-out of smart metering anywhere in the world is a blueprint for the rest to follow, rather than risking it become an expensive white elephant in which we all
have to pick up the tab.

Smart metering can and should benefit both suppliers and consumers, allowing us all to have more control of the energy we use in our homes and help us to make better use of it. For this to become reality the
Government must be humble and rethink its proposals.'