BONN (dpa-AFX) - The Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) intends to impose fines on 77 electricity grid operators to compel the installation of smart meters. The Bonn-based authority announced that these companies failed to meet the legally mandated 20 percent quota for the so-called smart meter rollout. Enforcement proceedings have now been initiated.
The installation of smart meters plays a central role in the digitalization of the electricity system, explained Agency President Klaus Müller. "We have observed that many companies are not meeting the statutory expansion targets." In an initial step, proceedings are being launched against companies that have not yet begun the rollout. The objective of these measures is to ensure compliance with expansion targets through the imposition of coercive fines.
The Network Agency announced further supervisory proceedings. "This primarily affects small and medium-sized enterprises," a spokesperson explained. "These companies have generally not yet equipped the required 20 percent of mandatory installation cases with intelligent metering systems."
Smart meters provide high-precision measurement
Smart meters consist of a digital meter and a communication unit. They measure a household's electricity consumption every 15 minutes and transmit the data to grid operators and energy suppliers. With such intelligent metering systems, households can see exactly how much electricity they consumed at what time of day. If consumers have signed up for a specific electricity tariff, they can, for instance, schedule the operation of a washing machine or the charging of an electric vehicle during periods of high solar and wind energy production, when electricity is cheaper. Simultaneously, grid operators can use the data to better manage their networks.
Smart meters are also a prerequisite for consumers to utilize dynamic electricity tariffs. In such tariffs, the price is based on the exchange electricity price and therefore fluctuates constantly. The Consumer Advice Center points out that consumers bear the risk of highly volatile electricity prices. "For standard residential electricity customers, these tariffs are generally not recommended," according to an information page. However, the consumer advocates noted that these tariffs could offer added value for households with high and time-flexible consumption, such as those with electric cars, heat pumps, or battery storage systems.
Only 5.5 percent of electricity meters in Germany are smart meters
To date, grid operators have only been obliged to retrofit private customers under certain conditions, such as when a heat pump or a larger solar power system has been connected to the household. Consequently, Germany lags far behind in the European rollout: while the smart meter quota in many countries is already at 80 percent or higher, it stood at only 5.5 percent in Germany at the end of 2025 - representing just under 3.1 million devices./tob/DP/stk
