Smart as standard: The future of energy meters

It’s hard to believe that it’s over a decade since the first smart meter was installed. The smart rollout for both households and businesses has gone from strength to strength, with over 2 million electricity smart meters installed in 2022. In January 2023 alone, there were 183,000 smart meter installations across domestic and non-domestic properties. Many businesses across the country already benefit from smart metering, and as traditional analogue meters are no longer fit for purpose, that number is set to grow.

Read on to discover why you should join other businesses like yours and upgrade to smart.

Why are smart meters being installed for businesses?

Electricity meters are made by meter asset providers on behalf of energy companies. In recent years, these companies have moved towards creating smart meters, and the old style of analogue meter are being phased out of production. So, when businesses need a replacement for their meter, they will have a smart meter installed as standard.

Smart meters are also a key foundation in upgrading the UK energy infrastructure. The UK Government has established a rollout framework, which all energy suppliers contribute to through their annual installation targets. The end goal is to help make an independent, sustainable future of energy, and to increase energy efficiency by reducing waste. To find out more, watch this short video.

Are smart meters compulsory for businesses?

Under Ofgem (the energy regulator for Great Britain), all energy suppliers are obligated to install a smart meter at a business premises when there is a new connection or if a meter needs replacing. Traditional meters are no longer being made and there’s a reduced number of old meters available, which means smart meters for businesses are the new standard.

Upgrading to smart not only means your business can benefit from the most up to date method for tracking energy, but your business will be part of a safer, sustainable, smarter future of energy.

What benefits will your smart meter offer?

Smart benefits for your business

With a smart meter, your business has the most up-to-date energy technology, which is even safer and more secure, and offers benefits which improve upon previous meter types:

• It’s easy to install - There’s no additional cost* for your business to install a smart meter. Our Smart Metering Team will work with you to book an appointment slot which suits your business. The appointment should only last up to an hour, and your supply will only be switched off for up to 40 minutes.
• Accurate and reliable bills - Installing a smart meter for your business means you no longer have to worry about submitting meter readings**, saving you time and effort.
• Free access to your usage data - All our business energy plans include free access to SSE Clarity^†, our insightful energy management tool. Clarity collects data from your smart meter, allowing you to measure, manage, and forecast your energy usage. Understanding how much electricity and gas your business uses can help identify ways to reduce your costs and carbon footprint.

Smart benefits for the UK

Smart meters aren’t just beneficial here and now, they’re one of the key components in the UK Government’s net zero plans.

• Smart meters give an accurate view of the UK’s energy consumption, allowing energy providers to better predict how much energy is needed at any given time.
• Understanding how much energy is needed and when, allows energy providers to balance green energy resources efficiently, and reduce our dependency on fossil fuels.
• The ability to balance energy supply and demand, combined with renewable sources of energy, helps create a sustainable future.

*There is no additional cost for a standard installation of a SMETS2 smart meter. The costs of installing and maintaining a new meter are covered in the same way as those of your present energy meter.

**In the unlikely event that our communication with your smart meter is disrupted, we may advise you to submit a manual meter reading, or you may receive an estimated bill

† Terms and conditions apply