News Archives - Page 4 of 37 - Association of Meter Operators

REC Portal Relaunch

Posted on 24th July 2026 by AMO Gemserv

The Retail Energy Code Company (RECCo) is progressing the relaunch of the REC Portal, a key digital platform used by industry participants to access Retail Energy Code documentation, services, change management information, consultations, and stakeholder engagement materials. The relaunch is intended to modernise the user experience, improve accessibility, and create a more intuitive platform that better supports market participants in carrying out their REC-related activities.

The new portal is being developed with direct stakeholder involvement. RECCo has invited users to test the platform ahead of launch using real-life business scenarios, enabling feedback to be incorporated before full deployment. This approach is designed to ensure that the final solution reflects user needs and delivers practical improvements to day-to-day interactions with REC services.

Key expected benefits include:

Improved navigation and usability – making it easier to locate code documents, consultations, release information, forms, and guidance.
Enhanced stakeholder experience – providing a modern interface that supports more efficient engagement with REC processes and information.
Greater accessibility of industry information – helping parties access updates, bulletins, governance materials, and programme information more effectively.
Support for future market developments – creating a scalable platform capable of supporting evolving REC services and regulatory initiatives.

For organisations operating within the retail energy market, the relaunch represents an opportunity to shape the future user experience while preparing for a more streamlined and efficient method of accessing REC resources and participating in industry governance activities. Stakeholder testing and feedback are therefore critical to ensuring the new portal delivers tangible operational benefits across the sector.

Neutral Current Diversion Demonstration – A Safety Reminder for AMO Members

Posted on 17th July 2026 by AMO Gemserv

AMO members may find the recent Neutral Current Diversion Demonstration a valuable reminder of the risks associated with diverted neutral currents and broken PEN (Protective Earth and Neutral) conductors within PME networks. The demonstration uses a practical test rig to show how electrical current can continue to flow through unintended paths when a neutral conductor is compromised, creating potentially dangerous situations for both operatives and consumers.

The video illustrates how neighbouring properties can become electrically connected through shared metallic services and bonding arrangements. When a service neutral is interrupted, current may seek alternative return paths through gas pipes, water pipes and other metallic infrastructure, resulting in what is known as Neutral Current Diversion (NCD). The demonstration highlights that a property may continue to appear energised even when a neutral connection has been broken, potentially giving a false impression that the installation is safe to work on.

For metering professionals, the key message is that traditional isolation and proving procedures may not always identify the presence of diverted neutral currents. The demonstration reinforces the importance of following established safety processes, understanding the characteristics of PME systems, and remaining alert to circumstances where current may be flowing through extraneous conductive parts.

The wider industry continues to highlight NCD as an important safety issue. Research coordinated through industry bodies has shown that when a PEN conductor is lost or deteriorates, current can be diverted through shared metallic services, creating risks including overheating of bonding conductors, damage to equipment, elevated touch voltages, and in extreme circumstances fire or explosion.

The demonstration is particularly relevant to AMO members undertaking meter exchanges, service alterations, investigations and other work at customers’ premises. It provides a visual explanation of why operatives should never assume that disconnected conductors are free from current and why robust testing procedures remain critical when working on or around electrical installations.

Key Takeaways for AMO Members

Neutral Current Diversion can occur when a PEN conductor is broken or compromised.
Current may continue to flow through gas pipes, water pipes and other metallic pathways.
A property can remain energised through alternative current paths even when the intended neutral connection has been disconnected.
Operatives should remain vigilant and follow approved testing and isolation procedures at all times.
Understanding the risks associated with PME systems and broken PEN conductors is essential for protecting both field staff and consumers.

AMO encourages members to watch the demonstration and share the key learning points with operational teams through safety briefings, toolbox talks and wider awareness initiatives. While Neutral Current Diversion (NCD) has traditionally been associated with metering activities, the risks are increasingly relevant across the installation and maintenance of low-carbon technologies, including electric vehicle charge points, solar PV systems, heat pumps and battery storage solutions. The video provides an important reminder that understanding and recognising NCD hazards can help prevent serious incidents, support safer working practices and raise awareness across the wider energy and low-carbon sectors—not just within metering.

Video: Neutral Current Diversion Demonstration

Warm Homes Skills Programme (DESNZ)

Posted on 6th May 2026 by AMO Gemserv

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has published the successful projects for the Warm Homes Skills Programme, a key initiative to strengthen workforce capability across the UK’s retrofit and energy efficiency sector and support the delivery of lower energy bills.

Running until July 2026, the programme will deliver up to 9,000 subsidised training opportunities for installers and retrofit professionals. It aims to address critical skills shortages that have limited the pace and quality of retrofit delivery, while creating clearer pathways into the sector for new entrants and opportunities for upskilling existing professionals.

In Phase 1, up to £8 million has been awarded to a range of training providers across England through a competitive process. These organisations include further education colleges, private training providers and industry-led bodies, delivering accredited courses aligned to national standards via a mix of classroom-based and online learning.

The funded training focuses on four core areas that reflect key gaps within the retrofit supply chain. These include retrofit assessment and coordination to support compliance with industry standards; fabric insulation and solar panel installation to improve building performance; entry-level awareness courses to encourage new entrants into the sector; and specialist training for professionals working on non-domestic buildings.

Overall, the programme represents a targeted investment in developing a skilled and competent workforce capable of delivering high-quality retrofit at scale. By increasing supply chain capacity and improving delivery standards, it is expected to support the wider rollout of energy efficiency measures, contributing to reduced energy consumption, lower household energy bills, and progress towards the UK’s net zero ambitions.

Warm Home Discount (Scotland) Regulations 2026

Posted on 6th May 2026 by AMO Gemserv

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has introduced the Warm Home Discount (Scotland) Regulations 2026, which came into force on 1 May 2026 and will run until 31 March 2031. ome Discount Scheme in Scotland, a key government policy aimed at reducing fuel poverty by requiring licensed energy suppliers to provide financial support to vulnerable households.

Under the scheme, larger energy suppliers (those with more than 1,000 domestic customers) are mandated to participate, while smaller suppliers may opt in voluntarily.

Participating suppliers must deliver annual support to eligible households, including a £150 rebate applied directly to energy bills for qualifying domestic electricity and gas customers.

The scheme maintains a dual approach to eligibility through:

A core group, typically identified via data matching for automatic rebates; and
A broader group, where eligible low‑income households may apply via their supplier.

Overall, the continuation of the scheme provides long-term certainty for suppliers and consumers, while reinforcing government efforts to support households most at risk of fuel poverty in Scotland through targeted bill reductions.

Government Action to Reduce the Impact of Gas Prices on Electricity

Posted on 23rd April 2026 by Martin Brailsford

The Government has announced a package of measures to reduce the influence of volatile gas prices on electricity prices in Great Britain, with the stated aim of protecting households and businesses from future energy price shocks. While the measures are primarily focused on electricity generation and wholesale pricing, they have important downstream implications for energy consumers, suppliers, and the wider system in which meter operators play a critical role.

At present, gas continues to set the wholesale electricity price around 60% of the time, despite renewables and nuclear providing a growing share of generation. As a result, fluctuations in international gas markets directly impact electricity bills, even where the underlying cost of generation has not changed. This results in bill volatility that consumers often struggle to understand, and which feeds through supplier pricing, billing complexity, and consumer trust—issues that directly affect AMO members operating at the customer interface.

To address this, the Government is strengthening the Electricity Generator Levy (EGL), increasing the marginal tax rate on excess revenues from 45% to 55% from July 2026 for non‑CfD renewable and nuclear generators. This is intended to ensure that windfall profits arising during periods of high gas prices are more effectively recycled to support households and businesses facing higher energy costs, rather than remaining within the generation sector.

In parallel, the Government plans to introduce a new voluntary Wholesale Contract for Difference (CfD) for legacy renewable generators, with the first auction expected in 2027. This mechanism aims to move a greater proportion of electricity generation onto long‑term, fixed‑price contracts, reducing exposure to gas‑driven wholesale price volatility. Around 30% of Britain’s electricity supply is currently estimated to remain exposed to gas‑set prices, and these reforms are intended to materially reduce that exposure over time.

For AMO members, these measures are significant in several respects. Greater price stability at the wholesale level should support more predictable retail pricing and billing structures, potentially easing consumer confusion and complaint volumes during energy price shocks. Over time, reduced price volatility may also lower pressure on emergency policy interventions and short‑term customer support mechanisms, supporting a more stable operating environment for suppliers and metering providers.

More broadly, the reforms align with the Government’s clean energy mission to accelerate the transition to low‑carbon power, strengthen energy security, and ensure consumers see the benefits of cheaper renewable generation reflected in their energy bills. AMO will continue to monitor the detailed design and implementation of these measures to assess their practical impact on metering operations, consumer outcomes, and the wider energy market framework.

Decisive action to break influence of gas on electricity prices – GOV.UK

IGEM/IG/1 Edition 2 – Supplement 1 (Edition 2): Non‑domestic Training Specification

Posted on 20th April 2026 by Martin Brailsford

IGEM has published IGEM/IG/1 Edition 2 – Supplement 1 (Edition 2), setting out updated training requirements for those working within the non‑domestic gas utilisation sector. The specification aligns with the Health and Safety at Work Act and the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations and is intended to provide a consistent, industry‑approved framework for developing and evidencing competence.

The updated specification applies to new entrants, those extending their scope of work, and individuals seeking optional re‑certification. It introduces a structured pathway beginning with generic core competence, followed by progression into sector‑specific specialisms, including metering, heating, catering, laundry, and process or plant installations.

Training requirements cover both off‑site learning—including technical knowledge, legal duties, and performance criteria—and supervised on‑site work experience, with minimum guided learning hours defined for each pathway. Learners are required to gather on‑site evidence before progressing to ACS assessment and Gas Safe registration, ensuring practical competence is achieved prior to independent working.

This edition strengthens generic core competence requirements and introduces several key updates of relevance to AMO members. Tightness testing and purging to IGEM/UP/1A is now mandatory for all learners, with an optional route to include IGE/UP/1. A limited‑scope pipework installer pathway has also been introduced, supporting proportionate training for specific work activities while maintaining safety standards.

The specification has been facilitated by IGEM and Energy & Utility Skills and approved through IGEM’s technical governance framework, with extensive industry involvement across employers, certification bodies, and training providers. It is intended to support safe, compliant delivery of non‑domestic gas work across all relevant sectors, including gas metering.

AMO members involved in non‑domestic metering, training, or workforce development may wish to review the specification to understand its potential implications for competence frameworks, training provision, and future skills requirements.

The document is available as a free download from the IGEM website.

Smart Metering: From Installations to Infrastructure

Posted on 17th April 2026 by Martin Brailsford

Smart metering is no longer simply a rollout programme. It is evolving into a long‑term national service, central to how the UK’s energy system operates, how consumers interact with their energy use, and how the transition to a smarter, more flexible grid is delivered.

The UK’s smart metering programme has entered a new phase. From 2026, national policy moves decisively beyond large‑scale installation targets and places greater emphasis on the long‑term operation, maintenance, and performance of smart gas and electricity meters as part of the country’s critical energy infrastructure. This reflects the reality that smart meters are now embedded across much of the housing stock and must be managed as enduring assets rather than short‑term delivery outputs.

With most households already equipped with smart meters, the post‑2025 framework shifts attention toward reliability, security, and consumer experience. The priority is ensuring that meters continue to operate effectively throughout their lifespan, provide accurate data, and support consumers to engage confidently with their energy use. Alongside this, the policy supports a more stable and sustainable approach to installations, upgrades, replacements, and fault resolution—avoiding the disruption, inefficiency, and workforce instability associated with stop‑start delivery models.

A key milestone in this transition is the end of the previous installation targets in December 2025. These targets are followed by updated regulatory obligations confirmed in early 2026, which introduce a more flexible, outcomes‑focused approach. From this point onwards, energy suppliers and delivery partners are required to take “all reasonable steps” to complete remaining installations, maintain system performance, and address issues such as meters not operating in smart mode, rather than meeting fixed annual quotas.

Looking ahead to 2030, the government’s objective is for the vast majority of homes to have a functioning smart meter, supporting accurate billing, flexible energy use, and a more resilient and responsive energy system. Success in this next phase will be measured less by installation numbers and more by quality, trust, resilience, and long‑term value for consumers and the energy system as a whole.

Smart metering policy framework post 2025 – GOV.UK

Nominations Now Open for AMO Committee and Forum Leadership Roles

Posted on 9th March 2026 by Martin Brailsford

The Association of Meter Operators (AMO) is pleased to announce that nominations are now open for positions on the AMO Committee, as well as for Forum Chair and Vice Chair roles.

These positions are central to the effective governance of the Association and provide members with the opportunity to help shape AMO priorities, influence industry discussions, and contribute to the continued development of metering across Great Britain.

AMO Committee Nominations

The AMO invites nominations from Large, Medium, and Small MEM member organisations for the following Committee roles:

AMO Chair
AMO Vice Chair
Budgetary Officer
Committee Members

The AMO Committee plays a vital role in providing strategic direction, oversight, and leadership for the Association, ensuring that it continues to represent the interests of its members and the wider industry effectively.

Forum Chair and Vice Chair Opportunities

In addition to Committee roles, the AMO is seeking members to take on leadership positions across its key industry forums:

Electricity Metering Forum (EMF)
Gas Metering Forum (GMF)
Half Hourly Electricity Metering Forum (HHEMF)
Net Zero Forum
Health and Safety Forum

Forum Chairs, supported by Vice Chairs, are instrumental in guiding discussions, shaping work programmes, and delivering the objectives of each forum across key industry topics. These roles provide an excellent opportunity for members to contribute their expertise, collaborate with peers, and help influence industry outcomes.

How to Nominate

Members may nominate themselves or a colleague (with their prior agreement). All nominations should be submitted to the amo@gemserv.com by 20 March 2026.

The final vote on Committee appointments and Forum leadership roles will take place at the AMO AGM 2026, to be held in Leamington Spa.

Further details on the roles and responsibilities are available on request, and the AMO team would be pleased to discuss any of the positions with interested members.

Launching the AMO Health & Safety Forum

Posted on 27th February 2026 by Martin Brailsford

Strengthening safety leadership across the metering sector

The Association of Meter Operators (AMO) is proud to announce the launch of its new Health & Safety Forum — a dedicated platform for collaboration, learning, and leadership on safety and welfare across the energy metering sector.

As the industry continues to evolve, so too do the risks, responsibilities, and expectations placed on organisations and individuals. The AMO Health & Safety Forum has been established to ensure members have the space, support, and collective insight needed to stay ahead of these challenges and continue driving safer outcomes for everyone involved.

Inaugural meeting – 12 March, Birmingham

The first meeting of the Health & Safety Forum will take place on 12 March, kindly hosted at Talan’s Birmingham office. This inaugural session marks the beginning of an important new chapter for the AMO’s work on health, safety, and wellbeing.

A forum built around real-world challenges

The Health & Safety Forum will focus on a broad and relevant range of safety and welfare topics, reflecting both current priorities and emerging risks across the energy system. Areas of focus will include:

Safety leadership and culture – strengthening leadership behaviours and embedding positive safety cultures
Regulatory engagement – supporting clear, consistent dialogue with regulators and policymakers
Standards, guidance, and consistency – promoting aligned approaches and best practice across the sector
Data, insight, and learning – sharing intelligence, trends, and lessons learned
Workforce competence and capability – supporting safe, skilled, and confident operational teams
Public and consumer safety – protecting customers and maintaining trust
Collaboration across the energy system – working together across organisational boundaries
Future risk and transition readiness – preparing for change, innovation, and the Net Zero transition

By addressing safety holistically — from leadership and systems to people and public impact — the forum will help members move beyond compliance and towards continuous improvement.

Bringing the right voices into the room

Members are strongly encouraged to invite colleagues from operational management and Health & Safety teams to attend the forum. Bringing together operational and H&S perspectives will help ensure discussions are practical, grounded in frontline experience, and focused on solutions that work in the real world.

The forum is designed to be inclusive, constructive, and collaborative — a place where challenges can be shared openly and learning can be accelerated across the membership.

Working together for safer outcomes

Through shared insight, open discussion, and collective leadership, the AMO Health & Safety Forum will play a key role in identifying emerging risks, promoting best practice, and supporting safer outcomes for the workforce, customers, and the wider energy system.

This forum reinforces the AMO’s commitment to health, safety, and wellbeing as fundamental pillars of a strong, responsible, and future‑ready metering sector.

Please RSVP to the AMO team to confirm your attendance.
We look forward to welcoming members and colleagues to the first meeting and to shaping the forum together.

Ofgem Confirms Successor Licensee for Smart Meter Communication Licence

Posted on 11th February 2026 by Martin Brailsford

9 February 2026 — Ofgem has announced a major milestone in the future governance and operation of Britain’s smart metering infrastructure, confirming the selection of a new Smart Meter Communication Licensee (SMCL) following a year‑long competitive tender process.

The regulator has appointed DCC2 Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Smart Energy Code Company (SECCo), as the Successor Licensee that will hold the new Smart Meter Communication Licence when it comes into effect in March 2026.

A New Governance Era for Smart Metering

The appointment of DCC2 marks a significant step in the transition to a reformed governance and regulatory framework for the national smart metering system. According to Ofgem, DCC2 will operate on a not‑for‑profit, purpose‑driven basis and will be responsible for implementing key reforms arising from the DCC review programme. These include:

Transition to majority independent governance,
Introduction of an ex‑ante cost control model, and
Production of a long‑term business strategy and technology roadmap.

These changes aim to ensure that the smart metering communications network continues to deliver value for consumers, strengthens regulatory oversight, and enhances long‑term system resilience.

A Competitive Selection Process

The decision follows a structured tender process launched after Ofgem’s Expression of Interest in March 2025. Key stages included:

March 2025 – Expression of interest and initial questionnaire
July 2025 – Publication of evaluation criteria
8 September – 6 October 2025 – Open qualification stage
5 November 2025 – 12 January 2026 – Closed proposal phase for qualified bidders
9 February 2026 – Final selection of the successor licensee

Ofgem confirmed the process was conducted in line with the Smart Meter Communication Licence Tender Regulations (SI 2012/2414).

Industry Reaction

In response to the announcement, Smart DCC—the current operator of the national smart meter communications infrastructure—welcomed Ofgem’s decision. The organisation highlighted that the selection of SECCo’s subsidiary does not alter DCC’s operational responsibility for running the national smart meter network during the transition. Instead, both organisations will begin joint preparations for a handover expected to complete in November 2026.

DCC CEO Chris Lovatt described the announcement as “an important step in the process towards our new regulatory framework,” noting that the transition is designed to ensure continuity of service, independent governance, and maximum consumer value.

Looking Ahead

Ofgem plans to publish the final version of the new SMCL and bring it into legal effect in March 2026, marking the official start of the transition to DCC2 as licensee.

This decision represents a major evolution in the UK’s smart metering landscape—one that aims to strengthen accountability, reduce costs, and ensure that energy data communications continue to support a modern, flexible, and consumer‑focused energy system.

Smart Meter Communication Licensee: decision | Ofgem