So
£200+ for the new meter per household. Which will tell us what? A realtime value of how much energy we're using?
Why not just give each house a dozen of those timed plug socket things, buy them in big enough bulk they'd be pittance.
"You know your TV / PC / consoles all use power even when they're switched off?" plug in a socket timer, set it to turn off the games console and TV monday - friday from midnight until 5pm. Congrats, you just saved more power than the £200+ smart meter would cost. You just have the annoyance of setting up the time and date on the console every time you play.
Personally I'd do the same with my oven / microwave, but neither work until the time has been set and that's just too much hassle.
Instead of getting the dirt cheap £3 timers they could get the slightly more expensive connected timers, about £10 each, a dozen of those £120, you can still get info for the smart meter from almost every socket, while still setting up timers etc.
Either way I already know what uses most power in my flat.
PC / monitor > Console / TV / freezer / fridge / oven. (I don't use the microwave so didn't count it) the smart meter will tell me nothing, nor will it change my habits.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
