Not sure about getting a smart meter?
Are smart meters safe?
Let’s put those fears to rest and tell you that yes, they’re safe. Smart meters are as safe as traditional meters when they’ve been installed by a licensed professional such as our smart technicians.
There’s no scientific evidence that smart meters pose a risk or danger to your health or the health of your family. They’re covered by UK and EU product safety legislation and have undergone rigorous safety testing before being installed in homes and businesses.
Do smart meters use radio waves?
Yes, smart meters use radio waves to allow remote readings to be taken from gas and electricity meters. It’s the same technology as your mobile phone and research has shown that these radio waves do not pose a risk to health.
Do smart meters emit radiation?
The meters do release radiation, however it’s lower than many other devices in your home such as your mobile phone or your WiFi hub. Public Health England (PHE) says that there is no evidence of risk to you. They checked this by doing research in 3 phases:
Phase 1: Measuring exposure to radio waves from a selection of smart meter devices under laboratory conditions.
Phase 2: Calculation and mapping of the radio wave energy absorption in the body due to the signals from smart meter devices located close to the body.
Phase 3: Assessment of exposure in a sample of homes to determine exposures under realistic operating conditions.
The research found that the radiation from the meters was well below the guidelines set by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP).
Alongside this, Smart Energy GB looked at items in the home that give off radiation and found that smart meters are as safe as your toothbrush.
Is my data secure with a smart meter?
Smart meters only capture and store data about your energy use, and you have the authority on how often they do this.
The energy usage data you choose to share with an energy supplier is handled securely, in full compliance with data protection legislation and our privacy policy.
Information about your energy will help us understand how much energy everyone's using across the UK which we can use to only buy the energy we need and thus reduce carbon emissions.
Your data can also be used to show you your energy usage and you can decide whether you want a monthly, daily or half hourly view. Half hourly gives the most accurate view, giving you a chance to make energy savings.
You can update your preferences any time through your online account or by getting in touch with us.
Do smart meters spy on people?
No. Your meter can’t hear or see anything, it only measures the amount of electricity and gas you’re using and then sends it to us using wireless technology.
Your meter can’t spy on anyone or can it breach someone’s sensitive data. As we’ve mentioned, we do everything we can to make your data as secure as possible.
Making smart meter installations safer.
To help keep everyone safe, we’ve made some changes to how we, as your energy supplier, install smart meters.
We’ve introduced a no-contact process, which includes appropriate PPE and checking that it's safe for our technician to enter on the day of the appointment. You'll also need to let us know if you're self-isolating.
Your smart meter installation will take approximately an hour per meter, and we'll make sure that we're keeping you safe at every step.
What standards do we work to?
We install smart meters in accordance with the Smart Metering Installation Code of Practice, which is the industry standard for smart meters. If you would like more information, visit recportal.co.uk/smicop.
Get more information on what happens during a smart meter installation.
What are the benefits of smart meters?
We’ve talked about why people are worried about smart meters, but what about the benefits of them?
Well by going smart, you can say goodbye to meter readings and keep track of how much energy you’re using. With your in-home display (IHD) you can see how much you’re using at any time in pounds and pence, giving you the chance to make savings.
Plus every meter we install helps us to create a smarter energy grid which means we can be more precise about the energy everyone needs and thus reduce CO2 emissions.