Smart Meter werden teurer: Verbraucherzentrale warnt vor neuen Hürden from

Smart Meters to Become More Expensive: Consumer Center Warns of New Obstacles

Introduction

The German Consumer Center warns of new hurdles for consumers due to the upcoming price increase for smart meters. The planned increase is intended to compensate for the costs of the expansion of the intelligent measuring devices, but critics fear that it will primarily burden low-income households and hinder the energy transition.

Reasons for the Price Increase

The costs for the installation and operation of smart meters are shared between network operators and consumers. So far, consumers have paid a one-time fee of around 100 euros for the installation of a smart meter. In the future, there will be an additional monthly fee of around 2 to 3 euros.

The network operators justify the price increase with the high costs of expanding the smart meter infrastructure. By 2032, all electricity meters in Germany are to be replaced by smart meters. The expansion is intended to enable a more efficient and flexible use of the power grid and to promote the integration of renewable energies.

Criticism of the Price Increase

Consumer advocates criticize the planned price increase as unfair and counterproductive. They argue that low-income households will be disproportionately burdened by the additional costs. In addition, they fear that the price increase will hinder the acceptance of smart meters among consumers.

The German Consumer Center demands that the costs of the smart meter expansion be borne by the network operators and not by the consumers. In addition, they call for a social compensation scheme to support low-income households with the additional costs.

Conclusion

The planned price increase for smart meters is a controversial issue. While the network operators justify the increase with the costs of expanding the smart meter infrastructure, consumer advocates criticize it as unfair and counterproductive. It remains to be seen whether the price increase will actually be implemented and how it will affect the acceptance of smart meters among consumers.