Smart Meter Delays and Fixing Glitches Will Add to Already High Costs for Customers in Britain

By B.N. Frank

Activist Post reports regularly about all issues associated with utility “Smart” Meters – including fires and explosions. They are NOT SAFE and they are NOT saving customers money (see 1, 2, 3, 4, 5).

People all over the world are trying to prevent them from being installed on their homes and throughout their communities. They are also trying to get them removed from their homes and their communities.

It’s become embarrassingly obvious that the cheapest, easiest, and safest way to fix “Smart” Meter problems would be by replacing every single one of them with original analog meters which were affordable, reliable, safe, and had an average life span of 40 years. Unfortunately, utility companies like these meters because they collect customer usage data 24/7. They want this data so they can market additional products and services to customers AND/OR sell it to 3^rd parties who may try to sell products and services to them. This is referred to as “Surveillance Capitalism.”

Over the years, there have been many reported problems with “Smart” Meters in the UK. Despite this, these meters have been aggressively promoted as necessary and beneficial to customers. Now more problems are being reported which is really no big surprise. From DailyMail:

The rollout of smart meters has been delayed by four years, ministers admitted last night.

In an embarrassing climbdown, they announced that families will now have until 2024 to install one of the devices.

The scheme has been so shambolic that only around half of homes will have a smart meter by the original 2020 deadline and the estimated cost has soared by £2.5billion to £13.5billion.

Only two million of the 15million properties with the devices have models that automatically allow customers to switch supplier.

The delay shows the Government has ‘finally recognised reality’, according to Gillian Guy of Citizens Advice.

This new deadline gives suppliers time to fix ongoing technical problems and make sure customer service isn’t sidelined as the rollout continues,’ she said.

Smart meters send readings to suppliers and are supposed to encourage households to reduce their energy consumption – saving money and the environment.

But families are paying around £10 a year more through their bills to fund the rollout and are not expected to save cash until 2022.

[…]Customers can refuse to have a smart meter, but firms face fines if they have not done enough to promote the devices. This has led to concerns that energy giants have resorted to ‘blackmail’.

Aggressive practices include limiting the best tariffs to those with smart meters. Households have complained of technical issues, with many saying their device had stopped working after switching supplier.

Another common issue is broken display screens, which show customers their usage rates.

For additional bitching about “Smart” Meters and “Smart” Grids, visit our archives and the following websites:

Image credit: StopSmartMeters.org

Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Follow us on Minds, Twitter, Steemit, and SoMee. Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $1 per month.

Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.