As part of the National Climate Action Plan ESB Networks will replace 2.4 million electricity meters with next generation smart meters in every home, farm and business across Ireland by the end of 2024.
The introduction of this new technology will bring benefits to customers, the environment and the economy. Portlaoise and surroundings areas in Laois are amongst the first areas for the rollout of these smart electricity meters by ESB Networks.
Smart meters provide customers with better information which will enable them to reduce their energy usage, carbon footprint and will, over time, significantly reduce the need for estimated bills.
Smart meters will also enable the move to a low-carbon electricity network, the development of smart grids, local renewable generation and microgeneration and support the electrification of heat and transport.
From 2021, it is also planned that electricity supply companies will provide new products and services to customers with smart meters and in the future, functionality within the meter will also allow ESB Networks to find faults quicker and manage the meters more efficiently.
ESB Networks has started contacting customers in these areas in order to give plenty of notice to arrange appointment times to have their electricity meter replaced.
The areas in Laois which will get meters upgraded between now and the end of December 2019, include:
- Portlaoise
- Portarlington
- Mountmellick
- Abbeyleix
- Mountrath
- Durrow
- Stradbally
Other areas such as Castledermot, Athy, Kilcullen and Baltinglass are also part of this first phase of installation, as well as towns in Cork. The Smart Meter Upgrade Programme in these areas will involve a total of 20,000 premises and will mainly focus on locations with older meters.
The National Smart Metering Programme will be delivered on a phased basis by ESB Networks in co-operation with the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU), Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI)and with all electricity supply companies.
It is planned to deliver 250,000 meters by the end of 2020 and approximately 500,000 meters in each of the four subsequent years.
The meter upgrade work will be carried out by ESB Networks network technicians or an electrical contractor working on behalf of the company. The work will take up to 45 minutes to complete and will involve a temporary interruption to electricity supply. All installers will always carry photo ID.
For more information on ESB Networks Smart Meter Upgrade Programme, please check out www.esbnetworks.ie/smartmeter.
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