Changes to equipment installation requirements and governance arrangements for technical specifications

The government’s vision is for every home and smaller business in Great Britain to have smart electricity and gas meters. Smart meters will play an important role in Britain’s transition to a low-carbon economy and help to meet some of the long-term challenges in ensuring an affordable, secure and sustainable energy supply. The government has introduced licence conditions on energy suppliers that require them to take all reasonable steps to install smart metering systems in domestic and smaller non-domestic premises by the end of 2020. The licence conditions require that energy suppliers install smart metering systems that meet the requirements set out in the Smart Metering Equipment Technical Specification (“SMETS”).

The initial version of the SMETS (“SMETS 1”) was designated by the Secretary of State on 18 December 2012 . SMETS 1 remains the version in legal force, although we intend shortly to make some minor clarificatory changes. In August 2012 the government consulted on proposed updates to the specification (“SMETS 2”), arrangements for the provision of communications hubs and enduring governance of the technical specifications. This consultation focuses on how we enact these policies.