30 March 2011 13:04
E.ON welcomes Government response to the smart metering prospectus consultation

E.ON today welcomed the Government response to the smart metering prospectus consultation as an important step in helping British homes and small businesses to meet their changing energy needs.

Graham Bartlett, managing director of E.ON's Energy Solutions business, said: "This is an important step towards the national rollout of smart meters, giving us some of the vital detail that will enable us to deploy this game changing technology responsibly to our customers.  We've been consistent in our support of the programme and in recognising the benefits that smart meters will bring to our customers but have always been concerned that, without an industry standard, there was a real risk that it would be customers who were hit hardest as early adopters were left with outdated technology - the equivalent of having a walkman when everyone else has an iPhone. Today's announcement provides us with the clarity we need to proceed and to make sure that doesn't happen.

"And, following this announcement, we intend to install a further 100,000 smart meters this year to help us shape our offering for our customers. We see this next phase as crucial in shaping the national rollout and ultimately our customer experience as we look to provide them with cleaner and better energy." 

What do you think about the announcement? Tweet us @talkingenergy to get involved in the debate.

• E.ON has already installed more than 35,000 smart meters across the country.

With each meter installed we learn more about how to deliver the best customer experience in terms of the installation process, from booking the appointment to how we actually go about putting the meter in.  And we're also testing different In Home Display units, energy management tools and time of use tariffs so that we are building a clear understanding of what appeals to different customer groups. 

• Next month we'll be opening our Smart Metering Centre of Excellence which will put all this knowledge into practice. We'll have a dedicated customer service team supporting customers who have smart meters.

Notes to editors:

• E.ON is one of the UK's leading power and gas companies - generating and distributing electricity, and retailing power and gas - and is part of the E.ON group, one of the world's largest investor-owned power and gas companies. We employ around 15,000 people in the UK and more than 85,000 worldwide;
• E.ON's retail business is a leading energy supplier in the UK with around 5  million electricity and gas customers, covering domestic, SME and industrial;

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Rebecca Mara on 02476 183679