Daron Walker,

Director of Smart Meters and Systems,

Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy,

1 Victoria Street,

London

SW1H 0ET

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Dear Daron

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RE: SMIP – RESPONSE TO THE CONSULTATION ON THE FINAL SMETS1 AND ADVANCED METER EXCEPTION END DATES, AND DRAFT LEGAL TEXT

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The Association of Independent Meter and Data Agents (AIMDA) is a trade organisation that represents the largest and independent non-domestic consumer metering and data collection businesses in the UK1. Our members supply meters and data services both directly to business consumers and also to non-domestic energy suppliers in support of their own customers’requirements.

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As a group of businesses who are heavily invested in delivering advanced and smart metering installations in the non-domestic sector, we are dismayed at your decision of 4th October 2018 to set the advanced metering exemption end date at 5th December 2018.

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It is clear that, as of today, the non-domestic sector is not ready to make the transition to SMETS2 installations. BEIS has decided on a SMETS2 delivery model that places the energy supplier at the heart of the installation process. This is unlike the advanced metering market, where our member businesses can operate independently of energy supplier readiness. It is clear that the non-domestic suppliers are not ready to make this transition, despite our own individual readiness. It is also clear that SMETS2 metering availability is poor, with much of the available stock already allocated to the domestic sector, and multi-phase products plainly unavailable.

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This will cause difficulties and short-term damage to our businesses and put the livelihoods of people working for us at risk, which is not something that a government department that advocates business should be doing. This is an unnecessary and misguided decision for our market sector and should be reconsidered immediately.

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If you require any further information or wish to discuss this response please contact Steve Brown on 07753 581443 or steve.brown@imserv.com.

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Yours sincerely,

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AIMDA members - IMServ Europe Limited, Energy Assets Limited, Siemens Managed Services, SMS Plc, Stark Software International Ltd, WPD Smart Metering Ltd, and TMA Data Management Ltd.

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Unrestricted

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1 Steve Brown

Vice-Chair – AIMDA

IMServ Europe Ltd

Siemens Managed Services

SMS plc

Energy Assets Ltd
Stark Software International Ltd

WPD Smart Metering
TMA Data Management Ltd