Smart meters rollout labelled a 'fiasco' as consumers face extra £500m bill

(The Guardian, 23 Nov 2018) National Audit Office says that with 39m meters still to be replaced, government has no chance of hitting 2020 deadline.

Consumers face paying half a billion pounds more than expected for the rollout of smart meters and the programme has no chance of hitting its deadline, the UK’s spending watchdog has warned.

The National Audit Office said that with 39m old-fashioned meters yet to be replaced, there is “no realistic prospect” of meeting a goal of all homes and businesses being offered one by the end of 2020 as planned.

In a damning report on the £11bn infrastructure project, the group said that energy suppliers were expecting just 70-75% of households and small businesses to have a smart meter by then.

The NAO urged the government to consider whether a new deadline should be adopted. An influential group of MPs said they would examine whether ministers should stick to the 2020 timetable.

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The Guardian, 23 Nov 2018: Smart meters rollout labelled a 'fiasco' as consumers face extra £500m bill