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UTILITY WEEK | 10TH - 16TH MARCH 2017 | 3 This week 4 | Seven days 6 | Utility Week Live 2017 What visitors can expect from the leading utility exhibition and conference in May 10 | Topic: smart systems Smart systems are about much more than smart meters and accurate, timely bills 17 Policy & Regulation 17 | News Call for energy code governance overhaul 18 | Opinion Network companies are the most transparent in the industry 19 | Analysis Will the UK maintain a role in the EU ETS after Brexit? 21 Finance & Investment 21 | News Triad reforms could drive plant closures 22 Operations & Assets 22 | High viz The Grade II listed Oval gas holder 23 | Pipe up Chris Bielby, chair, GISG 25 Customers 25 | News Severn Trent delays formal retail exit 26 | Analysis Switching numbers do not give a complete picture of the market 28 Markets & Trading 28 | Market view The opportunity that water market opening offers energy companies 30 Community 31 | Disconnector GAS 6 | Utility Week Live 2017 What visitors can expect from the leading utility exhibition and conference in May 22 | High viz The Grade II listed Oval gas holder WATER 25 | News Severn Trent delays formal retail exit ELECTRICITY 17 | News Call for energy code governance overhaul 19 | Analysis Will the UK maintain a role in the EU ETS after Brexit? 21 | News Triad reforms could drive plant closures ENERGY 10 | Topic: smart systems Smart systems are about much more than smart meters and accurate, timely bills 18 | Opinion Network companies are the most transparent in the industry 26 | Analysis Switching numbers do not give a complete picture of the market 28 | Market view The opportunity that water market opening offers energy companies WNS: The UK Smart Meter Rollout http://bit.ly/2espIJ3 Storm clouds gather over smart meter rollout Many saw the danger signs long ago, but now alarm bells are ringing loudly around the national rollout of smart meters. This year we have seen concerns raised about the debilitating costs of the programme for suppliers who are already under the cosh to deliver a range of other mandated programmes. Meanwhile, the national media continue to tub thump about the cost of the programme to consumers and the uncertainty around the benefits they should expect. Now, Citizens Advice has revealed that the customer experience of smart meters is being hit by some disturbing problems (see news, p4). The energy industry's statutory consumer champion has flagged a sharp increase in the volume of smart meter-related complaints, and published a report highlighting specific concerns about the treatment of vulnerable customers during the rollout. Some of the most prominent problems relate to shock back billing for customers moving from estimated meter reads and suppliers leaving vulnerable customers stranded, having condemned their gas appliances. At the moment, these issues are low volume – but they are very high impact. If they are not nipped in the bud, they will poison the rollout of a technology that ought to help customers reduce their bills, open the door to smart tariffs and demand-side engagement and reduce the need for investment in new energy generation capa- city through harnessing energy efficiency. As the rollout frenzy continues to build, the risk that smart meter problems will escalate is high. Although suppliers know that customers ought to be at the heart of the programme, their ability to organise themselves in a way that reflects this is limited. Over the coming years, they will find themselves under increasing pressure to meet government deployment targets, and more strain will be put on their ability to invest in the training and human resources needed to ensure a good customer experi- ence throughout their smart meter adoption journey, not just at installation. The storm clouds are gathering. Prudent adjustments are needed to this programme to increase its emphasis on delivering a good result and reduce its obsessive and resource-intensive box-ticking. Jane Gray, Deputy Editor janegray@fav-house.com Leader Jane Gray CGI: Energy Flexibility Transforming The Power System By 2030 http://bit.ly/2bR3zXB Knowledge worth Keeping Visit the DownloaDs section of Utility week's website http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/ downloads