Roll-out of smart electricity meters in Germany faces new delays

The installation of smart electricity meters in German households is set to take longer than planned, reports business daily Handelsblatt. The country’s Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) withdrew its official go-ahead for the roll-out from 2020 to pre-empt a possible loss in a lawsuit by municipal utilities and others who rejected a requirement to equip ten percent of their measuring points with smart meters within three years. This deadline is now invalid as a result of the BSI’s withdrawal. Some consumer protection agencies also welcomed the development as smart meters could mean extra costs for power consumers.

The increasing digitalisation of the power system is seen as a prerequisite for the smooth integration of renewable power sources, which due to their intermittent production patterns require more intervention and load management than conventional power plants. Smart power meters -- which can help to better balance supply and demand, and are supposed to be installed in every company and household -- have repeatedly led to concerns that the energy transition comes with new challenges for IT security.