# Non-profit operator takes charge of Great Britain’s smart meter network

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/control-of-britains-39m-smart-meters-passes-to-non-profit-startup/
- Published: 2026-11-02T18:13:35+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-02T18:53:10+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/nov/02/control-of-britains-39m-smart-meters-passes-to-non-profit-startup
- Topics: Art, Business, Celebrity, Companies, Culture, Entertainment, UK, World

## Key points

- Smart meter network control is moving from Capita to a non-profit operator.
- Three in 10 households still lack a smart meter.
- Completing the rollout could require another £1.7bn.

## Summary

Control of Great Britain’s smart meter data network is passing from Capita subsidiary Smart DCC to a non-profit operator. The change ends a 13-year licence marked by delays and rising costs, and shifts the network to a public-interest model intended to improve transparency and focus on consumers.

The new operator will be a wholly owned subsidiary of the Smart Energy Code Company, overseen by an independent board that includes former Citizens Advice chief executive Dame Gillian Guy. More than 39.2 million meters across 23 million homes and small businesses are connected, while three in 10 households still lack a smart meter and a further £1.7bn may be needed to complete the rollout. Capita says the network has 99.6% availability; Ofgem expects the new licence holder to build on its existing infrastructure.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.