Energy smart meters are becoming an important part of how we use and pay for energy. They help us track our gas and electricity usage in real-time, making it easier for suppliers to send accurate bills. However, a recent investigation has shown that the benefits of these smart meters are not being equally enjoyed across the UK. Specifically, customers in northern England and Scotland might not be getting the full benefits of their smart meters. Let’s take a closer look at why that is and what it means for your energy bills.

What are Smart Meters?

Smart meters are electronic devices installed in homes to measure energy use. They send information about your energy usage directly to your energy supplier. This means no more manual readings or estimated bills. Instead, your supplier can bill you accurately for the energy you actually use.

Smart meters also come with a display screen. This screen shows how much energy you are using and how much it is costing you in near real-time. This helps you understand your energy consumption better, and it can also help you save money by using less energy at certain times of the day.

One of the benefits of having a smart meter is that it allows you to take advantage of cheaper energy prices during off-peak hours. Off-peak times usually occur at night when people are sleeping, and factories are closed. During these times, energy suppliers offer lower prices because there is less demand for electricity and gas. This helps balance the overall demand on the energy network, which is usually highest during peak hours (from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.).

Why are Smart Meters Important?

The UK government started rolling out smart meters across the country in 2011. They aimed to have a smart meter in every home by 2020. However, by the end of March 2023, only 57% of homes had a smart meter installed, and the deadline was pushed back to 2025. The rollout has cost about £13.5 billion to install 36 million devices across Great Britain. The cost of installation is spread out over energy bills, meaning customers help pay for the smart meters through their monthly payments.

Smart meters make energy billing more accurate by sending regular readings to the energy supplier. Without a smart meter, customers have to provide their own readings or rely on estimated bills, which may not reflect their actual energy use. With smart meters, bills are more accurate, which can lead to fairer pricing for customers.

What is the North-South Divide?

An interesting issue has arisen because of the way the smart meter network works in different parts of the UK. In the southern parts of Britain, including the Midlands, Wales, and southern England, smart meters use wireless cellular technology, similar to mobile phones. This allows the smart meters to send data back to energy suppliers through the same signals that mobile phones use. If the signal is weak in some areas, it can be boosted with an aerial to ensure that the smart meter still works properly.

However, in northern England and Scotland, the situation is different. In these areas, smart meters rely on long-range radio frequencies to send energy usage data to suppliers. Unlike cellular technology, radio signals cannot be boosted easily. This means that in areas with weak radio signals, customers may experience problems with their smart meters not working properly. This can result in customers receiving estimated bills, which do not reflect their actual energy usage.

Why Does This Affect Your Bills?

If you live in an area where your smart meter relies on a weak radio signal, it may not be able to send accurate readings to your supplier. As a result, your supplier may end up estimating your energy usage instead of using real-time data. Estimated bills can sometimes be much higher or lower than your actual energy usage, leading to incorrect billing.

For example, if your meter can’t send data because of a weak signal, the supplier might assume that you are using more energy than you actually are. This could lead to higher bills. On the other hand, if your meter sends readings less frequently or inaccurately, your bill might end up being lower than it should be, and you could end up owing more money later.

Why Was Radio Technology Chosen for the North?

At the time when the government first started installing smart meters, it was believed that long-range radio frequencies would be a good solution for rural areas in the north. Radio signals can travel further across hills and mountains, making them ideal for reaching areas that might be difficult for cellular signals to reach. However, the BBC investigation has revealed that radio signals are not as reliable as cellular signals. As a result, customers in northern England and Scotland may be facing more problems with their smart meters than people in the south.

What Can Be Done About It?

The difference between how smart meters work in different parts of the country is causing frustration for many customers. Energy companies have been working to address this issue, but the problem is still ongoing. In fact, a recent report showed that more than 3.98 million smart meters were not operating in smart mode by the end of 2023, up from 2.7 million in June of the same year.

To solve this problem, energy suppliers need to ensure that all customers, no matter where they live, are getting the full benefits of their smart meters. This could mean upgrading the technology used in some areas to improve the signal strength or finding new solutions to boost weak signals.