22 January 2007
Consumer electricity and gas watchdog energywatch is calling on the government to follow the example set by its Swedish and Italian counterparts to "ensure the swift and effective installation of smarter metering technology".
Antiquated meters are costing consumers significant sums of money by not correctly predicting the household usage of energy, often leading to "wildly inaccurate" bills.
Jonathan Stern, head of campaigns at energywatch, said that by installing one of the new meters, consumers would not just be saving money, but could also start to actively save their energy by seeing how much they are using each month and working out where to make the cuts.
"Correct and easy-to-understand information is the precursor to changing people's understanding and use of energy," he said.
"However, householders are disadvantaged by meters that are arcane and technologically ancient. Energywatch believes smarter metering is not only the key to helping consumers become more energy efficient but also to relieve the tremendous stress many consumers face with the sometimes wildly inaccurate and often estimated bills they receive from energy suppliers.
"By using its influence and encouraging the uptake of smarter metering by suppliers, the government will help bring a sea change in the market as well as bring down the cost of installation and smarter metering technology itself," Mr Stearn concluded.
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