Ofgem orders Avro Energy to become a DCC user
Press release
- Publication date
- Company
- Avro Energy Limited
- Industry sector
- Supply and Retail Market
Ofgem is consulting on issuing Avro Energy with a final order due to it being in breach of the requirement to become a Data Communications Company (DCC) user.
The final order would ban the supplier from taking on new customers if it has not become a DCC user by the end of May, and the ban would remain in place until it has done so.
All suppliers were required to become DCC users by 25 November 2017 to help drive the installation of next generation SMETS2 meters, as part of their obligation to take all reasonable steps to roll out smart meters to all their domestic and small business customers by the end of 2020.
Avro Energy failed to become a DCC user by the deadline and is still not a user.
Customers with a DCC-connected smart meter who switch to Avro Energy will lose the functionality of their smart meter, and existing customers with smart meters will remain without smart functionality for longer than necessary. These smart meters will operate as traditional meters with customers needing to provide manual meter readings and unable to access the full benefits of smart meters.
This can cause consumer detriment and could undermine consumer confidence in the smart meter programme and the switching process.
Avro Energy submitted a plan to become compliant by 25 July 2019, but to avoid the risk of harm to consumers, Ofgem is proposing to issue the final order to Avro Energy to become a DCC user by 25 July 2019.
Notes to editors
- The final order will be consulted on for 21 days before it may be issued to Avro Energy.
- The proposed customer ban is timed to coincide with the initial phase of enrolment of the first generation of smart meters (SMETS1 meters) to the DCC communications network.
- Avro Energy is in contravention of Standard Licence Condition (SLC) 48.8 (electricity) and SLC 42.8 (gas), to become a DCC user by 25 November 2017 as directed by BEIS on 25 November 2016.
Further information
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