Smart meters 'will not be compulsory'
02 February 2012 14:49:42
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| Smart meters feed information back to the supplier |
Originally, the Department for Energy and Climate Change wanted all households to be fitted with the meters, which record energy consumption and communicate the information back to the supplier for monitoring and billing purposes.
However, the department has reportedly backed down amid concerns over privacy and potential health risks, as the devices emit electromagnetic radiation.
Energy minister Charles Hendry said: "We believe people will benefit from having smart meters. But we will not make them obligatory."
Zoe McLeod, energy expert at campaign group Consumer Focus, welcomed the government's clarification.
She observed that smart meters could help gas and electric customers to cut their energy use and save money, but conceded that several concerns need to be addressed.
"This clarification should be a wake-up call for suppliers to genuinely put customers at the heart of their roll-out plans, if they are to succeed," Ms McLeod said.
"People need to know that the concerns they have, for example over data privacy, are addressed, so the benefits are seen as valuable enough to make this change."
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