At a recent metering and field roundtable, we brought together executives from across suppliers, metering providers and field service organisations to discuss the challenges and opportunities shaping the industry.
The discussion explored how priorities are changing as the smart rollout matures, where organisations are seeing the greatest operational and commercial pressure and what could define success in the next phase of the market.
We’ll be exploring the topic in more detail in our metering webinar on Wednesday 24 June, but ahead of that - a summary of the areas that generated the most discussion.
Meter performance drives commercial success
We’re entering the final phase of smart meter rollout. Organisations are now turning from meter deployment and to operation and performance. Meter health, data quality and operational processes are the key variables that will drive commercial outcomes.
This is because Market-wide Half Hourly Settlement (MHHS) means every meter that isn't working properly is a settlement risk. Attendees explained commercial exposure could exceed £500m across the industry, numbers with which we concur.
Furthermore, we predict GSOP penalties, for meters still not working after 90 days, could cost an additional £100m. And the comms hub replacement programme is still an unknown cost and logistical challenge for everyone.
A new approach to engagement
~30% of properties don’t yet have a smart meter, and are over-indexed with customers who seem hard to engage. Most attendees agreed existing tactics are becoming ineffective, with some suggesting whether an industry-wide mandatory customer message could help improve engagement, while others questioned whether a DNO-led rollout would be a more credible and impactful approach.
Collaboration is no longer optional
A lot of the discussion was about challenges no single party can solve alone, and there was therefore agreement that collaboration will be key to future industry success. Achieving this will require smoothing out fragmented processes, reducing costs, improving performance and building customers’ trust. Better communication, data, accountability and capacity sharing could all help.
Shared capacity models could help deploy the right skills for the most appropriate jobs, and it was also cited how a single trusted data source could provide benefits.
Attendees also highlighted the importance of shared accountability across the value chain, with manufacturers, technology providers, network operators and suppliers all playing a role in improving outcomes.
Several participants noted that upcoming programmes, including DCC2 transition and comms hub replacement, create an opportunity not only to improve performance, but also to strengthen communication, knowledge sharing and industry coordination.
Continue the conversation
This article is intended as a short summary of the discussion rather than a detailed exploration of the topics raised. Over the coming months, we'll cover these themes in more depth through our insight series, drawing on perspectives from across the industry.
You can also join our upcoming webinar, From rollout to performance: What's next for metering, and what will define success?, where leaders from across the sector will discuss how organisations are balancing smart rollout, meter health, comms hub replacement and emerging obligations, as well as what will differentiate high-performing organisations in the years ahead.
Register now to join the discussion or receive the recording after the event. Confirmed panel members include Grant Qualey (Operations Director at Calisen), Adam Downing (Head of Metering at SSE Energy Solutions) and leaders from our BFY metering team.
