Re: Smart?
Interesting. Manufacturing cost should be low, as there’s not much more than a pcb and display in a modern meter.
Absolutely correct. But don't forget the fact that these all need to be calibrated to NMRO standards, we need the paperwork to follow through on everything, there are a whole range of different models (no standardisation!), the logistics for installation are expensive, one-time-only organisations, the roll out will be inherently inefficient, and that's before the additional reasons I can't elaborate for commercial reasons for significant cost increases through to 2020+.
If government were were doing the job properly, they'd obligate the DNOs (not suppliers) to do smart metering but only on an asset renewal basis, and they'd set a single national specification, consult to kingdom come before locking the spec in (software) stone, and then award a single national meter contract to a manufacturer.
But as usual they're spending your money, and in this case it isn't even officially tax-funded, so DECC really couldn't give a shit, and they've gone for the most misbegotten mess in many decades.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
