Rollout of smart meters is progressing well

The limited rollout of the so-called smart meter by the regional network operators is progressing well and in a customer-friendly manner. Between 400,000 and 500,000 households are projected to have smart meters by the end of 2013.

These are some of the conclusions from the monitor report by the Netherlands Competition Authority (NMa), which Minister of Economic Affairs Henk Kamp today sent to the Dutch House of Representatives. Using smart meters, consumers are able to keep track of their own energy consumption. Smart meters also give accurate information on energy sold back to the grid, for example, by consumers that have installed solar panels.

The limited rollout means that regional network operators are statutorily required to install smart meters in households or small businesses in case of replacement, new housing development or major renovation. The rollout was launched last year. By mid-2012, some 117,000 meters were already installed. In approximately 5,000 cases (4.3 percent), smart meters were installed at the request of consumers themselves. In those cases, a small fee (EUR 72.60) had to be paid. The number of voluntary installations is in line with projections. Regional network operators were able to install almost all smart meters within the required period of three months.

Network operators must make clear on the smart meter itself that the remote meter reading feature can be switched off. The NMa has established that consumers hardly object to the installation of these meters nor to the remote reading of the meters. Consumer information desk Consuwijzer, jointly operated by the NMa, the Netherlands Independent Post and Telecommunications Authority (OPTA) and the Netherlands Consumer Authority, too, has hardly received any complaints about smart meters since the start of the rollout.

However, the NMa notes that energy suppliers and regional network operators must improve their communication efforts about smart meters. According to the NMa, consumers receive too little information about the many possibilities smart meters offer, and they are currently not sufficiently informed about their rights and options with respect to these smart meters. 

If the limited rollout of these smart meters continues to progress well this year, Mr. Kamp may decide in consultation with the Dutch House of Representatives to step up the rollout. That would mean that all consumers will be actively offered a smart meter by their regional network operators.