Consumers have been encouraged to install smart meters in recent years, to allow them to monitor energy use in real time and potentially save money amid the cost-of-living crisis. But many have raised concerns that the devices are not working due to an unreliable signal, or are rendered useless if they switch providers, the Express reports.
One woman wrote to the Guardian last month to complain her Shell Energy smart meter had become "strangely uncommunicative" shortly before gas prices soared in April - and hundreds of other smart meter users reported similar problems.
John Curtis, who manages a residential estate, said: “Smart meters are an absolute scandal – millions were spent, yet the majority here are now useless. We have to read almost all of them and are frequently required to provide dated photographs for all phases plus the total, on each meter - sometimes four photos for each reading - since the power companies don’t trust customers to provide accurate readings.
“Another example of taxpayers’ money wasted on a government fantasy, with unproven technology rolled out nationwide with an almost entirely negative result. The money would have been better spent continuing to employ meter readers instead of devolving this increasingly irksome task to customers.”
Another consumer branded smart meters a "massive waste of money". He said his electricity meter stopped communicating when he switched companies from EDF to Green, but started working again when he switched to Shell - only for his gas meter to stop working. He said: “Smart meters have had no impact on my energy usage whatsoever.”
Another added: “It certainly doesn’t save me any money as I’d kept a close eye on what I was using anyway, and I dread to think what scarce minerals are used in making the meters and gadgets. The arguments for installing them are greenwash in my view.”
Shell Energy responded: “As is the case across the industry, a small proportion of smart metering equipment can lose communication. Where the cause of the fault can be identified and is within our control, we work to resolve the issue as swiftly as possible. Where the issue is beyond our control, we work with our industry partners to try to address these.”
Energy comparison site Uswitch warned up to four million smart meters could be running in "dumb" mode, and need to be read by customers or professionals. The site's head of regulation Richard Neudegg said: “Consumers have been trying to find ways to reduce their energy use, and it is good to see that millions of households have turned to smart meters to save money.
“Installing smart meters in half the homes in the country is an impressive milestone, but it’s important to remember that four million of these are operating in ‘dumb’ mode, so there’s still a lot of work to be done."
Meanwhile, companies have been struggling to obtain semiconductors used in the devices due to the war in Ukraine and global supply chain issues - a problem also encountered in the car industry. Speaking to MPs on the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee, Energy UK said: "As an industry, we are already experiencing the effects of the global [semiconductor] shortage.
"Many energy suppliers have suffered shortfalls in the deliveries of smart metering equipment as a result of smart metering device manufacturers being unable to secure sufficient volumes of semiconductor materials to meet demand.
The Government has a target of offering every UK household the option of replacing their meter with a smart meter by 2025 as part of its drive to get to net-zero carbon emissions. Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy indicates there were 28.8million households with smart meters installed in the UK at the end of March 2022 or slightly more than half.
A spokesperson at Smart Energy GB told express.co.uk: “It is an extremely challenging time for many households at the moment, and a smart meter can be a useful tool by providing near-real time information on energy usage and spend. This information can help people identify where they can cut down on their energy use and hopefully save money on their energy bills.
“Since the price cap increase was announced, research has found that more people are actively using their smart meter and in-home display, helping them to feel more in control of their energy use and bills.”
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