One more step towards the generalization of the Linky counter?
The reading of electricity meters will become payable from January 1 for customers who are not equipped with the sometimes controversial device and who have not sent Enedis a self-reading during the last 12 months, indicated the manager of the electricity distribution network.
These customers "will be charged reading fees relating to the specific management of the reading of old generation meters", i.e. 8.48 euros every 2 months, said Enedis.
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What a Linky meter can and cannot do
This invoicing concerns customers who "are not equipped with a Linky meter and who have not sent a self-reading during the last 12 months" and this "despite sending several written communications and calls".
These costs “are of course stopped in the event of the installation of a Linky meter”, specified Enedis.
This so-called communicating meter allows in particular the remote reading of consumption practically in real time, without the presence of the customer.
One mandatory self-report per year
When customers do not wish to be equipped with a Linky meter, "it is up to them to provide us with a self-reading at least once a year", in accordance with a deliberation of the Energy Regulation Commission (CRE) taken this year, explains Enedis.
And in this case, no respite fee applies.
The massive deployment of Linky meters was completed at the end of 2021 with 90% of households equipped.
Since then, Enedis has continued to install these meters for all customers who wish: thus 1 million meters were installed in 2022, specifies the manager.
To date, 36.4 million households are equipped.
The electricity meter nevertheless had a turbulent reception when it was deployed, in many households fearing errors in the automatic reading, which would lead to overly high bills.
Especially since a few hiccups have been noted.
There are also fears related to the collection of personal data from customers.