Calisen and LCP Delta: Switching up smart meters to serve the nation better could save up to £1.9bn every year

Highlights from the report:

-  Dynamically balancing supply and demand: Smart meters can better match supply with demand – this presents huge value when renewables such as wind are abundant and reduces overall constraint costs (around £1.8bn for 2025 according to NESO).  They also allow consumer-led flexibility by providing near real-time data, which gives people the opportunity to shift when they use power. Smart meters enable services such as the Windy Day Fund, Power Up or Turn Up, which seek to distribute excess energy to customers, and the Demand Flexibility Service (DFS) which can reward households for reducing demand – a potential value of £560m in lower customer bills annually.
-  Voltage controls: Smart meter-enabled voltage control improves energy efficiency and grid resilience by providing visibility of voltage levels beyond substations. Trials show smart meter data can help identify and even predict voltage issues. Separate trials have shown smart meters can also be used to adjust voltage across a distribution network – a potential value of over £900m in lower customer bills annually.
-  Operational savings from full smart meter roll out: According to DESNZ, smart meters met their business case savings in 2019 in terms of reducing costs to industry such as site visits, customer calls and debt handling.  With domestic supply profits in the low single digits and capital adequacy concerns, reducing metering costs helps energy companies invest in product innovation and better customer service – full smart meter roll out has a potential value of £420m in industry savings a year.
-  Vulnerable customers: Recent pilots by distribution network operators (DNOs) have demonstrated smart meters' ability to help identify vulnerable customers through consumption data patterns.  Better identification of vulnerable customers has a broad range of benefits including better health from warmer homes in winter and more efficient support for customers on the Priority Services Register.  There are also reduced costs in serving customers during power cuts and emergency situations – potential saving across the current system of £250m.

Realising the fuller benefits of the smart system also underlines why the Government's bold target to reach 100% uptake is such an important commitment.  More meters working more of the time is also critical – latest DESNZ figures show over 7% of smart meters are non-communicating.  However, advances in data and analytics mean industry can more effectively tackle non-communicating meters to ensure the system is fully functioning and giving consumers and the grid better visibility to make the most of precious resources.

Commenting on the research, Catherine O'Kelly, CEO of Calisen, said:

"Smart meters are now part of everyday life for the majority of people in the UK.  Cheaper flexible tariffs and the transition to low carbon technologies like solar, batteries and EVs are driving increasing uptake as consumers see more tangible benefits to this clever bit of kit. 

"The first stage of the smart meter rollout brought convenience and savings to consumers and industry alike.  A maturing smart meter system opens up even more possibilities that could save Britain billions and bolster our grid as we move to cleaner power sources.  The research paints a picture of an important piece of national infrastructure, connecting near real time data and flexible demand side management for the benefit of us all. Importantly, we know from the 4 million home visits a year the Calisen field force makes, smart meters present an opportunity to improve the lives of vulnerable customers – ensuring better identification of those in need and opening up a pathway to support."

Tom Veli, Partner at LCP Delta, added:

"The UK was one of the first countries to adopt smart metering to bring in a whole range of demand side benefits – reducing manual reads in homes and making it easier for consumers to switch supplier. While the rollout has been slower than hoped, a more comprehensive smart meter system now presents value creating opportunities for the nation at a time when energy bills are causing real pain. Our report considers a range of options across data and analytics such as improving meter health and outage detection but really focusses in on areas where there are substantial tangible gains to be made if industry and policy makers are prepared to work together. Beyond this, there is so much more we can do with our smart metering system.  It is an underutilised piece of grid infrastructure and now is the time to flip the switch from reactive to proactive."

The report was launched at a cross-public and private sector event in Westminster, hosted by Calisen and LCP Delta, as part of London Climate Action Week.

Notes to editors

About the research

'Switching up the smart system:  How the smart system can transform energy resilience'

Calisen commissioned LCP Delta to investigate ways in which the UK's smart meter system could be harnessed to support the energy transition in new ways.  Experts at LCP Delta have produced the report in two sections.  The first report analyses grid resilience in the UK and around the world to show how systems seek to build strength across four areas: technical, operational, societal and systems.  This report also identifies new ways data and analytics could be used to improve the existing system.  The second report homes in on specific and practical opportunities, with potential values.  Each is actionable by industry, with some Government policy support required.

About Calisen

Calisen Group Holdings Limited ("Calisen") has been operating in the modernisation of metering systems for over a decade, originating in Manchester and Wigan in the UK. Calisen has grown substantially in this time and is now the leading owner and operator of essential energy infrastructure assets, with 16m meters, including around 40% of all smart meters in UK homes. Calisen's purpose is to contribute to the transition of the country's energy and water systems from analogue to intelligent technology, making them more efficient, more resilient and giving people the power to connect to market innovations like flexible tariffs and home generation like solar.

The Group employs approximately 1,500 people from its offices in Manchester, Market Harborough, London, Wigan, and Portsmouth. Calisen also announced the launch of its first international business in Germany in November 2025.

For further information, please visit www.calisen.com 

About LCP Delta

LCP Delta™ is a trading name of Delta Energy & Environment Limited and Lane Clark & Peacock LLP (LCP). LCP Delta™ combines the expertise of LCP Energy and Delta-EE to provide a single partner across the whole energy value chain. We are a team of passionate people using data, primary research, insights, analysis and models, embracing advanced technology and innovation to accelerate the energy transition globally. Find out more here.

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