Electricity supplierRWE npowerhas begun a six-month trial
of a smart metering service that enables pre-pay customers to top
up credit and check balances using mobile phones or the
internet.
"We are particularly looking at this technology for the benefit
it can bring to pre-payment customers, giving them much more
flexibility in the way they purchase their credit," said Jane
Franklin, commercial metering manager at RWE npower.
The trial is one of several smart metering pilots in the UK, as
energy suppliers gear up for an anticipated move over the next 10
years to devices that provide consumers with real-time information
on their energy consumption.
"RWE npower, along with other domestic suppliers, is hugely
supportive of a universal roll-out as we recognise the benefits
that smart metering can bring to the consumer, in terms of their
energy management, and to the country in our ability to look at the
carbon agenda and carbon savings," said Franklin.
RWE npower is conducting the pilot of its 24-hour Instant Energy
smart metering central pre-payment service in partnership with
meter maintenance company Onstream and IT services firm
LogicaCMG.