Flats may get left until end of smart rollout, says Ofgem

Customers in flats and tall buildings could be left until the end of the smart meter rollout in 2020, according to Ofgem.

In a response to a Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc) consultation the energy regulator warned that difficulties in setting standards for the Home Area Network (HAN) could see customer living in apartments left until 2020 before having a smart meter installed.

The HAN will allow the electricity and gas smart meters to wirelessly connect to the In Home Display (IHD), which will show consumers their energy usage.

Ofgem said “at present it is not plausible” to specify a range extending technology needed for the HAN to work in apartment blocks and tall buildings.

The difficulty in setting a specific range extending technology means customers in flats “may get left to the end of the rollout” or “cost effective solutions” for these types of properties may not be developed.

Rob Church, associate partner for smart metering and smarter markets, said: “If that is the case, and suitable approaches to installing smart metering for these consumers are not being progressed, then Decc should consider stepping in and leading work (or implement an accountable governance structure) to develop a suitable solution.”

In their response, Ofgem added that to allow IHDs to over the HAN when a customer changes supplier, “regulation to secure a single HAN signal is justified”.

A Utility Week report in association with Ordnance Survey, which outlined the preparations needed ahead of the mass rollout of smart meters, highlighted that 72 per cent of respondents thought identifying and fitting the meters into difficult buildings – including flats – would be a problem during the rollout.