British Gas installs one million smart meters in homes across Britain

British Gas, the country’s biggest energy supplier, today announced it has installed one million smart meters in homes across Britain. The residential milestone takes the total number of smart meters installed by British Gas in homes and businesses nationwide to 1.4million. The millionth smart meter was installed in a home in Lewisham, South East London.

Welcoming the achievement of the milestone, Energy Secretary Ed Davey said, “I want to see everyone benefit from smarter technologies and that’s why we’re starting our national roll-out by the end of next year, which will see over 50 million smart meters installed by 2020. The fact that British Gas is installing its millionth smart meter in a home shows that helping people take control of their energy use and reduce their bills is becoming a reality.”

Sacha Deshmukh, Chief Executive of the Smart Meter Central Delivery Body said, “British Gas reaching the one million mark for home installations is a landmark moment. It is testament to the incredible work of British Gas’ Smart Energy Experts, the installers who have visited homes around the country and done so much to transform the experience of buying gas and electricity for so many people. This provides a vital foundation for a transformation that will reach many millions more homes around the whole of Great Britain in the years ahead.”

Jorge Pikunic, Managing Director of British Gas Smart Metering said, “The installation of the millionth British Gas residential smart meter represents a major milestone not just for our customers but for the country, as we become a nation of consumers with increasing control over our energy use. At British Gas we want our customers to be the most informed and best equipped for energy efficiency, so we’re working hard to ensure they receive the benefits of smart meters as early as possible.”

By 2020 smart meters will be installed as standard in homes and businesses across the country as part of a Government initiative. They will replace current gas and electricity meters.

Customers with smart meters receive an in-home display showing how much gas and electricity is being consumed as they use it – and the cost expressed in pounds and pence. Smart meter readings are sent directly to energy suppliers, putting an end to estimated bills and manual meter reads.

British Gas, which has chosen to take a lead in the smart meter roll-out, has measured satisfaction among smart meter customers as consistently 40% higher than among those without.

Smart meters will enable ‘Time of Use’ tariffs, which provide lower prices for electricity used during off-peak hours. By reducing peak demand, the need to build new power generation capacity in the future is also reduced. They will also enable the use of microgeneration such as solar power and the local sharing of such energy in the community.