All homeowners could compare energy usage with Tory smart meter pledge - 07/10/2009
Homeowners looking to switch gas and electricity companies may be interested to hear the Conservatives' pledge to install smart meters in UK homes.
If they win power at the next general election, the Conservatives said they will make sure homeowners have smart meters fitted so they can monitor their energy usage more closely and pursue cheap energy rates, reports Computer Weekly.
The cost of replacing existing domestic energy meters with smart meters is estimated at around £10 billion, according to figures from the Department of Energy.
According to the website, shadow energy and climate change secretary Greg Clark told the Conservative Party conference in Manchester: "We will upgrade our 50-year-old national grid into a smart grid for the 21st century. We will replace electricity and gas meters with smart meters."
The Energy Retail Association, which represents the UK's energy suppliers, welcomed the announcement, according to the website.
Prime minister Gordon Brown's government has announced plans to roll-out smart meters by 2020 and specific details are expected in the next few months.
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