Supplier Shell Energy and smart energy infrastructure company SMS have extended their exclusivity agreement for the installation of smart meters.
SMS initially served as Shell’s Meter Asset Provider (MAP) from 2016, and has since become its fully-integrated smart meter installer and operator.
The new exclusivity deal was initially agreed in October 2018, and will now extend until December 2025. This will coincide with the government’s smart meter rollout deadline, and include provision of asset funding for the meters.
Shell Energy took on an additional 22,000 domestic energy customers from shuttered supplier Goto Energy in October, as well as having taken on customers from Colorado and Daligas as suppliers continue to exit the market amidst high power prices.
“Shell has significantly grown its market share in the UK retail energy supply in recent months,” said Tony Keeling, CEO, Shell Energy. “The extension of our partnership with SMS is key to us safely continuing to deliver the smart meter roll-out programme – a critical enabler to digitalise and decarbonise the UK energy system.”
Keeling took over as CEO from Ed Kamm at the beginning of December.
SMS has installed over 1.4 million smart meters in the UK, and earlier this year announced c.900,000 of new meter contract wins. This increased its contracted order pipeline for UK energy suppliers to 2.75 million, as of June 2021.
In June, it also became the first meter installer, manager and operator to offer Aclara’s complete portfolio of SMETS2 gas and electric smart meters to the UK utilities market.
“The extension of the exclusivity agreement is a testament to the strength of our long-term relationship with Shell Energy, underpinned by our well established end-to-end integrated model,” added Alan Foy, CEO of SMS.
In February, SMS committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2030, targeting on-site renewable generation, battery storage and electric vehicles (EVs).
