E.On has become the first energy company in Germany to reach the milestone of one million installed smart meters, and has set itself the ambitious target of rolling out 500,000 a year from now on.

The one millionth intelligent metering system was installed by the regional E.On subsidiary LEW Verteilnetz (www.lew-verteilnetz.de) for a user near Augsburg.

With an average rollout rate of around 30 per cent by the end of 2025, E.On is among the frontrunners in the mandatory rollout. Overall, almost every second smart meter in Germany is installed in E.On grid areas, even though E.On is responsible for only every fourth metering point. In the coming years, around 500,000 additional intelligent metering systems are to be rolled out annually.

“E.On delivers, even under challenging regulatory, technical and economic conditions,” said Thomas König, board member at E.On (www.eon.com). “One million installed smart meters are a clear mandate for the future. We will continue to drive the rollout forward, focusing on areas where smart meters create the greatest value: heat pumps, charging infrastructure, battery storage systems, photovoltaic installations and other flexible consumers. At the same time, it is clear that the smart meter rollout in Germany urgently needs to be simplified and accelerated, for the benefit of the grid and our customers.”

Smart meters are a core element of the energy transition. The intelligent devices provide grid operators with real-time insights into the condition of the distribution network, thereby laying the foundation for efficient control and greater reliability for a stable energy supply. Customers – both prosumers and consumers – can become active participants in the energy transition through smart meters, for example by benefiting from flexible electricity tariffs.

Compared with other countries, there is considerable ground to make up: with a share of just 3.8 per cent, Germany has the lowest proportion of intelligent metering systems in Europe and is well below the European average of over 60 per cent.

For example, in Sweden – where E.On has also played a role in driving the smart meter rollout – the second-generation smart meter rollout has already been completed almost nationwide.

Only a successful rollout will unlock the full potential for grid stability, customer benefits and the successful implementation of the energy transition, according to an E.On statement. “E.On is actively committed to this,” said the statement.