Shortage of engineers could delay smart meter rollout

The government’s pledge to roll out smart meters to 30 million homes by 2020 could be delayed because of a lack of qualified engineers.

Nearly one in five customers who have arranged for a smart meter to be installed in their home have experienced long delays because there are not enough engineers available to carry out the work, research by ECTA Training has found.

The group said it is “vital” that energy companies “do more to promote careers in engineering”. It urged the sector to examine means of funding extra training and development opportunities to “ensure the smart meter rollout is a success”.

The survey found that homeowners are concerned about the environmental impact of possible delays, with 15 per cent fearing the government will miss its target of meeting EU requirements on cutting carbon emissions.

More than half of the people surveyed believe that energy companies should be putting more money into training schemes for staff, while more than 20 per cent believe the government should invest more money as part of its smart meter target pledge.

ECTA Training director Kerry-Anne Berry said: “Delays to smart meter installations caused by a lack of qualified engineers is denying consumers the chance to reduce energy usage and the cost of their energy bills.

“We estimate that up to 6,500 new smart meter engineers are currently required to help meet the government’s ambitious targets. Therefore, more needs to be done to address this issue in order to recruit and train qualified engineers to meet the demand.

“While the skills gap is not good news for those waiting for a smart meter, it does present an opportunity for people looking for a new job or a career change.

“It is therefore vital that energy companies do more to promote careers in engineering, whilst the sector needs to examine means of funding extra training and development opportunities to ensure the smart meter rollout is a success.”