Decc says no to DCC services tender visibility

by Brendan Coyne

Energy suppliers and networks hoping for some visibility of the tender process for smart metering data and communications services were this week given short shrift by the Department of Energy & Climate Change (Decc).

One supplier told Utility Week that it made no sense to operate the data and comms service provider contract tenders “under a cloud of secrecy as [Decc] seeks to create a new national monopoly”. The firm said being “blind to the detail” was “frustrating when we’re currently trying to evaluate credible future partners for meters and comms”.

The message was echoed by distribution network companies. One told Utility Week that without knowing the cost of data, which will depend on the technologies chosen by Decc, it could neither make nor cost technology choices. “There are questions about the overall cost-effectiveness of the programme when forced to make decisions without access to information,” said the network firm.

Utility Week fed the question to Decc’s online smart meter Q&A session this week, but received little in the way of insight. Tom Powell, responsible for smart communications and stakeholder engagement, said the procurement exercise was running “in accordance with common government and utilities procurement regulations” and that Decc was “following government transparency guidelines” and needed to keep bidders’ solutions confidential.

The department promised to answer all questions posted here – http://bit.ly/KcCx7K – “over the next few days”.

This article first appeared in Utility Week’s print edition of 1 June 2012.

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