UK homes near pylons to get £2,500 off electricity bills over 10 years
People living near new pylons across Great Britain are set to receive up to £2,500 off their bills over 10 years, as the government launches a consultation on proposals included in the new Planning and Infrastructure Bill.
The plans could see eligible households save up to £250 off their electricity bill a year, receiving a £125 discount every six months.
Around twice as much new transmission network infrastructure will be needed by 2030 as has been built in the past decade. Rural communities across Great Britain could benefit most of all from the bill discounts as the government speeds up upgrades to the nation’s outdated electricity network.
This comes alongside confirmation that millions of households will be supported to take control of their energy usage and bring down their bills under new plans to transform the consumer smart meter experience.
Tough new obligations will be placed on energy suppliers to improve every stage of the smart meter process, under plans being put forward tomorrow. The reforms, set to be introduced next year, include new and improved compensation for long installation and repair wait times.
The proposals set out by Ofgem include requirements to cut waiting times for installation appointments and fix meters that have stopped working in smart mode within 90 days, or provide consumers with automatic compensation.
A new guide to smart metering will support families to gain a better understanding of their rights, by clearly setting out in one place everything households can expect from suppliers when they get a smart meter. This will be developed into a new Consumer Charter for smart metering in due course.
This is in addition to connectivity improvements across Scotland and the north of England, including the roll out of 4G cellular communication services, which will enable millions of households to feel the benefits of getting a smart meter installed.
“As we build the infrastructure, we need to deliver homegrown, affordable energy, and communities must be given a stake,” said Minister for Energy Consumers Miatta Fahnbulleh.
“That is why we are teaming up with communities hosting new pylons to ensure they receive direct, tangible benefits. We are on the side of those who want Britain to get back to what it does best: building for the future, driving innovation and putting communities first.”
