As Northern Ireland’s energy system shifts toward a smarter and more flexible future, a legislative feature that once sat quietly in the background is moving to the foreground: metering responsibility. The Utility Regulator has recently set out a decision interpreting existing legislation as placing responsibility on electricity suppliers to procure meters. This would represent a departure from how the Northern Ireland market has operated for more than three decades, during which time it became the common practise for meters to be delivered through an efficient, network-led model.
The timing of this policy focus may appear surprising given the wider context of Northern Ireland’s energy sector. A 2025 Northern Ireland Audit Office report[1] concluded that progress toward key Energy Strategy targets is lagging significantly, despite approximately £107 million of public expenditure since 2020. The report highlighted notable implementation weaknesses, including:
- Unclear alignment between planned actions and strategic targets
- Limited detail on delivery timelines, planned activity and measurable outcomes
- No defined interim milestones to track progress
Furthermore, persistent high levels of dispatch down remain central to industry discussion in Northern Ireland, highlighting enduring system and network constraints that restrict the use of available clean energy. This has prompted SONI to publish a Dispatch Down Action Plan aimed at addressing these issues.
At the same time, the Utility Regulator’s Draft Forward Work Programme for 2026 outlines a welcome and ambitious programme of work across smart high level design, consumer protection, and retail market reform. In this context, altering long-standing metering responsibility arrangements appears misaligned with the scale of delivery still required across the NI energy sector. The risk of added cost, complexity, and implementation delay that arises with this further reinforces the need to prioritise practical and timely delivery of the forward work programme.
Contrasting metering models across neighbouring markets
Different metering governance choices have placed neighbouring jurisdictions on divergent pathways for the development of smart energy products and services. In Great Britain, government policy has placed responsibility for smart meter rollout on energy suppliers, obligating them to install meters under licence conditions. This supplier-led model is considered unusual compared with most European countries, where distribution system operators traditionally own and deploy metering infrastructure.[2] Recent findings from the UK National Audit Office[3] highlight the delivery challenges associated with this approach. While progress has been made, rollout has been slower than planned and deadlines have been repeatedly extended. Key issues outlined include:
- ongoing disagreements between government and suppliers
- shortages in installation workforce capacity
- higher-than-expected installation costs flowing through to consumer bills
- delayed realisation of forecast programme benefits
- only around 57% of meters operating as smart, with delivery confidence previously rated “amber”
By contrast, the Republic of Ireland has maintained a network-led metering framework, with ESB Networks acting as the single responsible entity for smart meter deployment. This approach aligns with the wider European trend toward regulated distribution system operator responsibility and has supported a more coordinated, efficient and standardised rollout.[4]
- Ireland’s National Smart Metering Programme has reached significant scale, with over two million smart meters installed, covering more than 80% of households.
- The rollout enables customers to access detailed consumption information and reduces reliance on estimated billing.
- It also provides the digital foundation for the next phase of market development, including time-of-use tariffs, demand flexibility, and data-enabled energy services.[5]
As it stands, Northern Ireland’s de-facto network-led metering model aligns with the Republic of Ireland and the wider European approach. Naturally, any decision to change the responsible party for meter procurement therefore prompts a fundamental question: is structural change in metering responsibility clearly evidenced to deliver lower costs, more efficient delivery, and better outcomes for consumers?
Setting the direction for smart energy in Northern Ireland
Different policy conversations are emerging in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland in relation to smart metering, shaped fundamentally by the initial allocation of rollout responsibility. The Department for the Economy and the Utility Regulator must now consider what type of conversation Northern Ireland wants to have in relation to smart metering and services. EAI has presented a robust case, alongside clear solutions, for maintaining the status quo and looks forward to continued constructive engagement on this issue, as well as on the wider programme of work being progressed by the Department for the Economy and the Utility Regulator.
[1] Northern Ireland Energy Strategy | Northern Ireland Audit Office
[2] Rolling out smart meters – NAO report
[3] Update on the rollout of smart meters – NAO press release
[4] Rolling out smart meters – NAO report
[5] Over two million smart meters installed nationwide as part of the National Smart Metering Programme