Kilcullen in initial smart meters rollout

Kilcullen is to be one of the early towns to get the new ESB smart electricity meters, which are scheduled to be installed starting next month, writes Brian Byrne.

This follows the announcement by the company last July that two areas, centred in Cork and the Midlands, will get the initial 20,000 units to be installed by the end of 2019.

The balance of a planned 250,000 installations of replacement meters will be installed by the end of 2020, and then a further 500,000 units a year will be put in place in each of the following four years.

In addition to Kilcullen, the other Midlands towns to get an early rollout are Portlaoise, Portarlington, Mountmellick, Abbeyleix, Mountrath, Durrow, Stradbally, Castledermot, Athy, and Baltinglass. Kilcullen is likely to be second from last for the 2019 work to be done if the list is sequential.

According to the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, trials conducted in Irish homes have shown that smart meters helped customers use less electricity and cheaper electricity. They will also eliminate estimated bills, provide customers with better information on their energy usage and enable them reduce their carbon footprint.

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