The Strategic Panel published its interim metering strategy today, urging water companies to accelerate the rollout of smart meters to non-household customers.
The interim strategy has been issued to water companies as they begin finalising their Water Resource Management Plans and investment plans for Asset Management Period 8 (AMP8).
The strategy emphasises the important role the non-household (NHH) market - which uses a third of the country’s water - plays in meeting the growing demand for water and how the nature of the market makes it ideal for water efficiency measures.
According to the Panel, having access to accurate, timely, detailed consumption data will be critical in meeting the future demand challenges and achieving Defra’s target of reducing overall consumption in the NHH market by 9 per cent by 2038. And that means investing in smart meters.
The Panel also stressed the importance of water companies rolling out smart meters at a similar speed to avoid a data ‘slow lane’ and ‘fast lane’ developing in which the quality of data and therefore services retailers can offer customers varies significantly from region to region.
The strategy recommends companies roll out smart metering to all NHH customers in AMP8, i.e. that companies with large-scale plans to roll out smart meters to domestic customers should include NHH customers at the same time.
Companies unable to do so should prioritise ensuring all medium (25-50mm) and large (50mm or more) meters are smart in AMP8. In doing so, targeting just 13 per cent of the meters in the market will mean that nearly three quarters (72 per cent) of water consumption is smart metered.
The strategy also includes links to related research and templates that companies can use to support their WRMP plans and PR24 submissions.
Commenting on the strategy, Panel Chair, Trisha McAuley, said: “Many companies published their draft WRMPs before Defra confirmed its consumption reduction target.
“As companies revisit their plans, the message from the Strategic Panel is clear: your final plans must include specific plans for smart meters in the NHH market and those plans need to be ambitious.
“We appreciate that wholesalers have many competing pressures in AMP8, but it is essential for the NHH market that we move as quickly and consistently towards smart metering as we can.”
The interim strategy, which is available here, will be used as the basis for a detailed strategy, which will be developed over the next 12 months.
Image: Thames Water
