Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 6
6
Accepted
Unclear decision-making for the smart meters programme's future and closure
Conclusion
The smart meters programme has been going for more than a decade and it is not clear how the Department takes important decisions relating to its future, including how it will decide when to bring the Programme to a close. The government first announced its intention to mandate suppliers to install smart meters in 2008, and energy suppliers have been rolling out smart meters since
Government Response Summary
The government agrees and commits to sharing cost and benefit information for the smart metering rollout with Parliament annually. They have also defined the criteria for program closure and will share transition plans once matured.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. monitor and act on any changes to costs and benefits of the smart metering rollout. The programme’s 2019 cost benefit analysis is a comprehensive assessment of the costs and benefits associated with the rollout of smart metering across GB. The department agrees with the recommendation to share this cost and benefit information with Parliament on an annual basis to provide additional visibility of progress in critical cost and benefit areas for the rollout. All key costs and benefits are scrutinised regularly and used to inform the department's annual business planning, as well as planning for the enduring operating state of the programme. The Department has determined that it will be able to bring the programme to a close when the major risks have been managed, critical programme activities have transferred to their enduring operating state, and DESNZ is confident that the benefits will be successfully delivered. The plans for this transition will be shared with the Committee when they have matured, as previously agreed.