Energy suppliers resume smart meter rollout

A number of energy suppliers are beginning to restart the smart meter rollout, more than two months after it was halted.

Eon, EDF Energy, Centrica-owned British Gas, Ovo and Bulb have all confirmed they are beginning to install meters, after lockdown measures meant all but essential jobs had to stop.

Eon has developed a “no contact” installation process which its technicians will follow.

The company has outlined how it will keep consumers and technicians safe on its website. It will call ahead of arrival to make sure it’s safe for an engineer to enter the property and maintain social distancing at all times, meaning occupants may have to leave the room. Social distancing measures mean engineers will not provide a demonstration on how to use the in-home displays, but information will be provided.

Engineers will wear PPE gear for the duration of the installation and gloves will be sanitised between each job. Furthermore, any surfaces that need to be touched will be sanitised before and after.

Additionally, if any conversations need to take place during the install, or if customers would like tailored energy efficiency advice, this will be done via telephone at a safe distance.

The company says it has received interest from customers about installations, following a change in government guidelines.

A spokesperson added: “That’s why we’re now approaching customers in England and are seeking to fit smart meters for them if they want one. We do this following all government guidelines and have published our Covid-19 secure protocols on our website, so customers can understand the measures we are taking with PPE and social distancing while in their home.

“This decision is entirely at each customer’s discretion and if anyone in a customer’s home is aged 70+, has underlying health conditions, is pregnant or is self-isolating, we’ll discuss this with the customer and only proceed if and when it is safe to do so.”

EDF Energy said it was getting its business ready to restart activity, initially in small volumes. Tom Lowe, Bulb’s interim head of legal, risk and regulation, confirmed on Utility Week’s latest #AskUsAnything webinar that the supplier was beginning to install meters again in a socially distanced way.

EDF has asked its smart meter installers to take the opportunity of their call letting customers know they are on their way to determine if anyone is self-isolating. If customers aren’t sure if they have symptoms, they will be asked to fill out an NHS 111 questionnaire. In the meantime, engineers will explain the appointment will have to be rescheduled and that they should rearrange for when they have fully recovered and after the self-isolation period.

EDF is issuing hand sanitiser, hand wipes and single use gloves to its field staff. They have been told to wash their hands whenever possible at the end of each appointment (with the permission of the customer). Where water isn’t available or not practical, they should use the hand sanitiser provided and where appropriate make use of the single use gloves provided.

Ovo Energy began taking bookings for smart meter installations last month and began a small number of installations last week. It is however not accepting bookings from customers in moderate and high-risk categories.

According to the supplier’s coroanvirus risk assessment, phone calls should be made prior to any visit to ascertain if anyone in the household is in self-isolation. On arrival, engineers must knock on the door, move two metres back and avoid all physical contact. Customers will be asked if anyone is self-isolating or shielding and if they are, Ovo will only enter the property under controlled emergency conditions. If it is not an emergency, staff are expected to explain that the job can be carried out when they are no longer self-isolating.

Ovo has ensured that adequate supplies of 70 per cent alcohol hand gel, soap and antibacterial wipes are readily available for all field staff. They must use the gel any time they return to a work area. Staff have been told to use antibacterial wipes on all surfaces to be worked on, before starting work, after they cough or sneeze and at end of the task.

Customers are being asked to leave all internal doors open. Anti-cut gloves used by engineers cannot be properly washed to remove infection and as a result increase infection risk. Ovo says they should only be used where individual risk assessment identifies a cut risk and in that case they should be “considered as infected and disposed of immediately after use”.

Where documents need to be signed by customers, staff are asked not to share pens and should not pass the document directly to the customer. It should be placed down for them to pick up while maintaining a safe distance.

Meanwhile Centrica said it was mainly focused on pay-as-you-go devices so customers do not need to visit the shop to top up.

The company says it has a “thorough process” for attending emergency calls for customers who are self-isolating and that its engineers have the appropriate PPE for the safety of themselves and customers.

A spokesperson for Scottish Power said its non-essential installations are still on hold but added that it was continuing to plan for getting back to work across Britain.

“Any resumption of service will be in line with government guidance and in consultation with customers”, they added.

Will Owen, energy expert at Uswitch.com, welcomed the news and said the comparison service’s research shows that two million households still rely on meter readers visiting their property, meaning that bills do not accurately show how much energy has been used.

He added: “Companies have developed ‘no contact’ installations, which may need you to be in a different room to the engineer. Advice will be offered over the phone rather than face-to-face, and engineers will wear protective clothing and masks.

“If you are over 70, considered at high risk from coronavirus, or anyone in your household is displaying symptoms, you will be asked to wait until a later date. Appointments can also be rescheduled if someone starts displaying symptoms.

“If you’re in a vulnerable position or anxious about having an engineer in your house, you can check your own meter more frequently and submit your own reading to your provider instead.”

Data from ElectraLink found that smart meter installations decreased by 95 per cent during the lockdown as non-essential home visits have been halted.

Philippe Commaret, EDF’s managing director of retail, recently told Utility Week that the sector needs to renew confidence in the rollout following the pandemic.

“The key success factor will be definitely to recreate confidence with customers, so we have to demonstrate to them that when we are going to install a smart meter, it is going to be safe for the customer and for our employee. To do so, we are reviewing our protocols in order to stay for as little time as possible in the house and also to maintain social distancing from the customer,” Commaret said.