On Tuesday 5th Sep 2023 the Government cleared the way towards forcing British citizens to have smart meters installed in their homes and for individual electrical appliances including; fridges, dishwashers and washers to be fitted with smart functions. The key to smart functionality being that these appliances can be operated externally “in response to load signals”[1]. These provisions were included in the monster 445-page Energy Bill, which despite (or because of) its enormous significance went largely unreported in the mainstream media. There are many objectionable parts to the Bill, but we wanted here to focus on the significance of smart meters and the fact that people’s “demand” for electricity will now become subservient to the network’s ability to supply unreliable wind power.
A Conservative MP, Craig Mackinley, correctly described the bill as being “truly horrific”. He unsuccessfully attempted to introduce an amendment which would remove the washing list of aims in the Bill in order to make it clear that the Secretary of State’s sole duty is to ensure that consumers receive the lowest cost of energy. Without this amendment, the Bill allows the State to pursue net zero goals, even at the expense of higher energy costs and unreliable energy supply.
Some commentators have highlighted that the Bill also creates criminal liabilities for failing to produce an energy performance certificate with a prison sentence of up to 12 months[2]. As outrageous as this is, we focus here on the issue of smart meters.
The Government’s true intentions have to be assembled piecemeal from various policy statements, Ofgem plans, The Climate Change Act 2008 and other sources, we believe the following is a fair summary of the key aims;
- The State, via Ofgem, intends to impose smart meters on EVERY electricity consumer by the end of 2025[3].
- The State intends that ALL electrical appliances sold in the U.K. will eventually be energy smart appliances.
We see many people claiming that they will simply refuse to instal smart meters, however the State has other plans for us. Ofgem has a specific target that electricity suppliers will ensure that ALL of their customers will have smart meters by the end of 2025. Furthermore, under existing legislation (Electricity Act 1989), electricity suppliers have the right to require their customers to fit an approved meter, failure to do this can result in disconnection. Checkmate.
In terms of the individual appliances, The Bill specifies a list of electrical appliances which can be classified as smart, a key condition for being considered smart is that the appliance can be controlled externally[4]. The system operator decides when, or if, you can wash your smalls. The State has made it clear that the long term aim is to “mandate that electric heating appliances and charge points must have smart functionality”[5]. It is reasonable to assume that at some point in the future only smart function appliances will be available for sale in the United Kingdom.
Imposing top-down solutions is a major step towards centralised state planning and totalitarian control, reminiscent of Soviet Gosplan methods. The Government appears to be out of control and has assumed functions which allow it to coerce you into medical interventions, nudge you into healthy lifestyles and now to determine when, or even if, you can use your own electrical appliances.
This process only stops when people have had enough, the feeble Parliamentary opposition of only 19 votes against this draconian legislation shows that the people’s elected “representatives” are happy to remove basic liberties. They, of course, did this repeatedly during COVID with disastrous results. Parliament cannot be relied upon to stop state overreach.
Alex Kriel is by training a physicist and was one of the first people to highlight the flawed nature of the Imperial COVID model[7], he is a founder of the Thinking Coalition which comprises a group of citizens who are concerned about Government overreach.
References
- Energy Bill Chapter 2 – section 235
- Energy Bill Part 10 – section 246
- https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/energy-policy-and-regulation/policy-and-regulatory-programmes/smart-meter-transition-and-data-communications-company-dcc
- Energy Bill – Chapter 2 Section 235 3 (c)
- https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1122943/Policy_Statement_Energy_Smart_Appliances_and_Load_Control.pdf
- https://twitter.com/ThinkingSlow1/status/1699544295441637811?s=20
- https://twitter.com/ThinkingSlow1/status/1257578069797339137?s=20
