Energy and Climate Change CommitteeSupplementary written evidence submitted by Ray Cope

SMART METERING. PROGRESS OR A WASTE OF MONEY?

I have already submitted a paper explaining the inaccuracies in gas billing and some of the options for putting matters right. Please add these further comments as I would like the committee to re examine the cost of introducing smart meters as currently proposed.

The decision to scrap all the existing stock of gas meters is very costly and foolish. There are about ten million gas meters in use with a built in link (R5 pulse) that can be used to connect to the electronics thus converting them to smart meters. The only difference is that these meters would not have a gas valve to enable them to be changed automatically to prepayment. Three hundred million pounds or so is a high price to pay for this facility when there could be a derogation period to enable these perfectly sound meters to be used. Times are hard and money must be spent wisely.

I don’t know the numbers but this method is already being used for commercial and industrial meters.

I believe the roll out plans as they stand are a waste of money. The spec for the smart meter makes no reference to correcting for temperature or pressure which I am sure you will agree is a disgrace when you have read my paper explaining the billing inaccuracies.

February 2013