Network

NETWORK / 27 / DECEMBER 2016/JANUARY 2017 SMART METERING smart insights, renewable in- sights, meter asset tracking and switching insights. For instance, the data is able to reveal that a signi cant proportion of installations fail simply because the operatives are unable to gain access to the property, highlighting the need for a rigorous customer engage- ment and service programme by third parties. Other reasons for failure include issues with DNO equip- ment, which must be recti ed by the network operatives them- selves. Gauging both the level of callout rate that can be expected and the likely location density of issues will help DNOs plan their approach and use their workforces e• ectively. Data provided by Electralink reveals that so far installa- tion has been focused on the midlands and north of England, with penetration levels reach- ing as high as 17.4% (271,044 installations). However, northern Scotland has barely been touched, with an installa- tion level of just 5.8%, lagging behind all other distribution network zones (known as GSP areas) by at least 120,000 instal- lations. This would suggest that for marketers of smart home products and services, unless the installation rate is suddenly and signi cantly ramped up in northern Scotland, campaigns for this new sector ,which is reliant on smart meters, may do better to target their advertising elsewhere initially. DNO issues do not make up a signi cant proportion of the total reasons for failure – consisting of just 3.4%, but when they do occur they can be costly in terms of delay and result in callouts. The data from the DTS shows that DNO issues are not evenly spread across the country, instead they appear to cluster in certain areas. By far the biggest reason for failure is exposed live conduc- tors – totalling 30,958. But this a considerably bigger problem in some areas than others. One GSP area has a rate of be- tween 1.479%-1.579% between urban and rural areas, while in another the level drops to just GSP group Smart meters Percentage installed _A 408,024 11.7% _B 377,864 14.7% _C 229,923 11.3% _D 200,648 13.8% _E 369,405 15.4% _F 271,044 17.4% _G 389,283 16.7% _H 297,180 10.2% _J 282,423 12.9% _K 134,399 12.5% _L 167,399 11.2% _M 349,712 15.7% _N 211,294 10.7% _P 41,359 5.8% Grand Total 3729961 13.1% S m a r t m e t e r s i n s t a l l e d a c r o s s t h e U K t o d a t e continued on p28 continued from page 24 U S E R O L L O U T T O P R O M O T E C A R B O N M O N O X I D E S A F E T Y Barry Sheerman MP, chair of the All-party Parliamentary Carbon Monoxide Group. The smart meter rollout is a fantastic opportunity to bring cutting edge technology into the heart of people's homes, and the nature of the rollout creates the perfect opportu- nity for householders to be given appropriate informa- tion on carbon monoxide (CO) risk in the home. The Smart Meter Code of Practice states that installers must inform householders about the dangers of CO and the need for frequent appli- ance servicing by qualifi ed engineers. This guidance must, however, translate into action. Furthermore, install- ers must not only inform householders regarding the risks, but they also must be given the required tools to enable them to identify CO wherever it is present. Only if these measures adopted will installers be empowered to take the steps necessary to protect both themselves and householders from the silent killer. It is crucial that smart meter installers seize the opportunity to inform householders about CO risks, as there is a severe lack of awareness across the coun- try on this issue. Chris Bielby, chair of the Gas Industry Safety Group, pointed out at a panel discussion convened by the APPCOG in July this year that only 50% of boilers in the UK are serviced by gas-safe operatives. This means the remaining appliances are ei- ther serviced by illegal fi tters or are not being serviced at all . Additionally, while smoke alarms have become a stand- ard safety feature in many homes, many households still do not own CO alarms: research by Dr Andy Shaw at Liverpool John Moores University has demonstrated that in some parts of Mersey- side, only 9% of homes have CO alarms, compared with 78% of homes having smoke alarms. Smart meter engi- neers are the ideal messen- gers to inform householders on the importance of having appliances regularly serviced and owning a CO alarm. Installers must also be equipped with personal CO alarms, because with up to 1.1 million illegal gas fi ttings being carried out in the UK every year, according to research by the Gas Safe Register, approximately 1 in every 26 homes installers enter could harbour contami- nated environment that might prove deadly. With personal CO monitors, installers will be able to identify at-risk homes, take appropriate action, and also protect themselves in the line of duty. This echoes recommenda- tions that the upcoming report Healthcare Perspec- tives: Carbon Monoxide - produced by my colleagues in the Carbon Monoxide All Fuels Action Forum Medical & Healthcare sub-group - will make: that all emergency service personnel should be equipped with personal CO alarms, so that they can determine the presence of CO in all environments they enter. It is vital that the provision of CO detection equipment is made standard practice for professionals who visit homes during the course of their work, so that risks can be identifi ed and swiftly acted upon. Smart meter installers should be no exception to this.

• Cover