Smart Metering Implementation Programme

Infrastructure and Construction

Record date: 31 March 2026

Whole-life cost: £20.2bn
Published schedule: 02/12/2009 – 31/12/2030
NISTA delivery confidence: Not disclosed
Senior responsible owner: Daron Walker

What the project is for

The Smart Metering Implementation Programme is replacing existing traditional gas and electricity meters across Great Britain with smart meters. Smart meters deliver near-real time information to consumers on their energy consumption, and helps them to control energy use, save energy and reduce bills. They also enable technologies such as electric vehicles, heat pumps, batteries and solar panels to be efficiently and cost-effectively integrated to a flexible energy system that supports the cost-effective delivery of government’s Clean Power 2030 and Net Zero commitments. The Government is committed to ensuring that all households and small businesses can benefit from smart meters as soon as possible. Regulatory drivers are in place to drive industry investment in the delivery and operation of smart metering at scale.

Departmental delivery commentary

Compared to financial year 24/25 Q4, the SRO Delivery Confidence Assessment (DCA) rating at 25/26 Q4 remained at AMBER. This is primarily due to the following factors: Smart metering continues to deliver benefits to consumers, such as engagement on energy consumption, accurate energy bills and improved customer service, and is key to the 2030 Clean Power Mission. There were 41 million smart and advanced meters operating across Great Britain at the end of 2025 and 71% of all meters are now smart or advanced. A new regulatory framework is now in place to drive industry to maintain high levels of operational performance whilst effectively completing the rollout by 2030. There is continued collaboration with stakeholders including energy suppliers and the Data Communications Company to drive further improvements in engagement, appointment fulfilment and operation of meters, and ensuring technology roadmaps for the next decade are suitably developed and addressed. Improvements to the network continue to be made including deployment of 4G Communications Hubs at scale and launch of the Virtual Wide Area Network solution that allows consumers to access smart metering services through their broadband (with consent).

Schedule

Compared to financial year 24/25-Q4, the project's end-date at 25/26-Q4 remained the same as last year at 31/12/2030. This is primarily due to the following factors: SMIP continues to make good progress with the successful delivery of the smart meter rollout in delivering its strategic outcomes. Progress continues with circa.90k+ gross installs per week and a continued increasing proportion of meters installed (71% as of end 2025) and operating as they should (92.3%). The new regulatory framework to 2030 will continue to deliver industry investment at scale and drive high levels of operational performance and smart coverage, which are key to the 2030 Clean Power Mission.

Cost

The programme’s departmentally agreed Whole Life Cost at 25/26-Q4 (measured in £m) is 20177. The total whole life cost figures are presented in undiscounted nominal terms. The figure differs from the total cost figure in the Smart Metering Implementation Programme’s 2019 CBA, which is expressed in 2011 prices discounted to 2019 in line with HM Treasury appraisal guidance. This reflects the latest economic appraisal of the costs of the programme, including (but not limited to) costs from new assets, installation visits and setting up and operating the new communications infrastructure.

Benefits

Compared to financial year 24/25-Q4, the programme’s departmentally agreed Benefits at 25/26-Q4 (measured in £m) remained the same as last year at 34130. This is primarily due to the following factors: The total whole life benefits figures are presented in undiscounted nominal terms, for comparability with other programmes. The figure differs from the total benefit figure in the Smart Metering Implementation Programme’s 2019 CBA, which is expressed in 2011 prices discounted to 2019 in line with HM Treasury appraisal guidance. This reflects the latest economic appraisal of the benefits of the programme, including (but not limited to) benefits from reduced energy consumption, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, reduced site visits by suppliers, improved network management, and improved customer switching.