Energy firms divided on merits of Midata

Scottish Power has broken ranks with the rest of the big six energy firms by announcing plans to make customer consumption data available to switching sites. The company aims to make data available to all residential consumers directly or via switching sites free of charge by the end of this year.

by Brendan Coyne

Operations director Andrew Ward revealed the plan at the launch of the government’s Midata personal data initiative last week. “The question is, will other energy companies do the same?” he asked.

That is not yet certain. All of the major energy companies have signed up to Midata, but not all are convinced that the initiative, under which customers are given better access to the data held on them by companies, will succeed.

Utility Week understands there are concerns about the timing of the initiative, and the threat of big changes to data systems so close to the smart meter rollout. Questions also remain over security and liabilities. The Energy Retail Association is currently working with the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to work out how to take the Midata programme forward.

Scottish Power dismissed concerns about liabilities and cost. Ward said there was currently “no risk” for the company. “For this early phase we are very comfortable,” he said. “It is addressing the issue of mistrust and will allow us to see how customers react.”

Ward added that the Midata programme should follow work already being done by Decc on the smart meter programme. He said there was little point in duplicating work and pointed out that the smart metering Data Communications Company could also act as the data store for consumers’ energy data.

This article first appeared in Utility Week’s print edition of 11 November 2011.

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