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Ofgem has today (2 August) revoked the final order it placed on Avro Energy after the supplier complied and became a Data Communications Company (DCC) user.
The energy regulator issued the final order on Avro on 3 April, requiring it to become a DCC user by no later than 25 July in order to avoid a customer ban.
Ofgem revealed that it had “received satisfactory evidence” from the Smart Energy Code Administrator and Secretariat on 14 June, which outlined Avro had completed “all the required steps” and met the final order.
All suppliers were required to become DCC users by 25 November 2017 to help drive the installation of next generation SMETS2 meters.
The supplier failed to become a user by the deadline and was still not a user by 8 March this year, prompting Ofgem to propose the final order.
The regulator warned that, had the non-compliance been allowed to continue, there was a likelihood of increasing numbers of customers with smart meters “suffering harm” by either switching to Avro and losing their smart functionality or, for existing customers, remaining without smart functionality longer than was necessary.
Avro made two written representations and argued that the final order was not warranted because of mitigating circumstances. It further offered to voluntarily impose a sales ban on itself if it did not become a DCC user before 26 May 2019.
It also argued that because the deadline for enrolling first-generation SMETS1 meters onto the DCC had been put back, the final order should also be put back.
Ofgem nevertheless concluded that the final order, including a sales ban, was justified.
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