EDF to pay £350,000 for missing smart meter target
EDF has been told to pay £350,000 for missing its smart meter target by three weeks.
The energy firm missed its 2017 target for installing smart meters, which it must meet under the Government's plans to roll smart meters out to all homes and small businesses by the end of 2020.
Energy regulator Ofgem declined to say what EDF's target was, as it's "comercially sensitive", but confirmed it was for the number of smart meters installed, not simply requests to install them.
As a customer you're under no obligation to have a smart meter installed, and it's worth noting that many of the meters currently being installed will lose most of their functionality and essentially become a standard meter if you go on to switch supplier - so you may want to wait for the improved version to be rolled out.
See our guide for more information on how they work and how to decide if they're good for you.
What does EDF say?
Jim Poole, director of customer operations, said: "EDF Energy is working hard to meet its smart meter programme objectives, delivering the benefits of smart meters to our customers, and we are disappointed that we were three weeks late in reaching our 2017 target.
"During 2017 we doubled our smart meter installation rates and employed more people to install smart meters. We recovered the shortfall quickly in 2018 and are on target for this year.
"We have worked with Ofgem to resolve this matter quickly, and have agreed to make a payment to a fund for vulnerable customers."
The £350,000 EDF has been ordered to pay will go into a fund for vulnerable customers, which is administered by the Energy Savings Trust.