In 2010, the Department of Energy and Climate Change handed responsibility for the rollout of smart meters to energy suppliers. They had the relationship with the customer, reasoned ministers, and were best placed to communicate, educate and use the opportunity to change public attitudes and behaviour. Moreover, and perhaps more importantly, they were subject to market pressures, unlike the monopoly distribution network operators (DNOs), and would thus be forced to keep costs down.
The smart meter rollout is a job for DNOs
