Public Accounts Committee warns that £10.6bn programme may be too costly and may result in customers footing the bill for technology that is already be out of date by the time it is installed
Government plans to install £215 “smart” energy meters in every home will cut energy bills by just 2pc – and only if customers opt to use less, the Public Accounts Committee has warned.
Ministers want smart meters, which take automatic gas and electricity usage readings and send them back to energy companies, installed in every household in Britain by 2020. A national roll-out is scheduled to begin late next year.
But the Public Accounts Committee warns on Wednesday that the £10.6bn programme may be too costly and may result in customers footing the bill for technology that may already be out of date by the time it is installed.
Ministers say the meters will help customers save money by giving them real-time updates on how much they are using, encouraging them to use less.