Could govt cancel smart meter rollout? - 02/11/2011
Government plans to fit smart meters to every home and small business premises in the UK, which may make it easier to compare electricity prices, are in doubt after concerns were raised in a parliamentary hearing this week.
The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee was told households are likely to have to pay an extra £6 a year to fund the rollout, while they were warned poorer individuals may not be aware of the scheme as they are less engaged with energy suppliers.
A spokesman for consumer group Which? told MPs: "There's a real risk here that they will also be the least likely to benefit from the smart meter rollout."
Permanent secretary at the Department for Energy and Climate Moira Wallace said lessons must be learned from previous failed government IT projects that ran late and over budget.
She added the government could still "pull the plug" on the plans if reviews turned up serious problems.
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