As part of a new rollout programme, all gas and electricity meters must be upgraded to a smart meter or automated meter by 2020.
Businesses must upgrade their gas and electricity meters to either an automated (AMR) or smart meter by 2020 as part of the Smart Meter Rollout programme. The upgrade will allow business owners to be more in control of their energy usage, helping the UK work towards a smarter, more efficient and environmentally-friendly energy network.
Under the scheme, efforts must be made by business energy suppliers to install smart meters at every SME site by 2020. However, an ‘AMR exemption’ gives businesses an ‘exemption deadline’ which allows them to install an AMR meter instead. This deadline was recently extended to the 5th October 2018 by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).
In addition to the extension of the ‘AMR exemption’, the BEIS has also released a policy proposal which aims to ensure the Smart Meter Rollout programme is more flexible for non-domestic users.
Customers with a large portfolio of sites (a combined demand of more than 3GWh of gas or electricity) will only be required to install AMR meters. If demand exceeds 3GWh for only one fuel (gas or electricity) then they will automatically be eligible to install an AMR meter for both.
Qualifying businesses would not be subjected to an exemption deadline, meaning AMR meters would not have to be upgraded to a smart meter after 2020.
The consultation conducted by the BEIS in regards to its proposal ended in October 2017 and any findings are expected to be released in the very near future.
Get in touch with Apollo for more information on smart metering by calling us on 01257 239500 or email us at [email protected].