Electric utility company Électricité de France (EDF) has announced support packages for British consumers, one of which involves using smart prepayment meters to assist with energy efficiency as the bills crisis worsens.
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The utility is contacting over 100,000 of its most vulnerable customers to outline the available support packages.
This includes using smart prepayment meters that allow customers to gain real-time insights into energy usage and how to create savings. EDF has claimed that this will enable savings of up to £100 ($118) on energy bills.
The utility, however, has stated that such actions and packages in isolation are not enough. Broader government-funded energy efficiency programmes will be vital to help reduce household energy bills permanently.
Philippe Commaret, managing director for customers at EDF, commented on the relief packages: “We are aware these new measures won’t solve these issues but hope that they can provide the vital support needed for the most vulnerable.
“This is why we see it as our responsibility to reach out to customers to ensure that those that need help most are aware of all of the options and packages available to them. Our free Energy Hub, for example, could provide a customer with the guidance they need to start their journey towards cutting down their bills.”
The support packages come in as inflation hits record levels in the country at 9.4%. EDF’s research further shows that online searches for “how to reduce your energy bills” have risen by 467% in the past six months.
This corresponds with the worsening bills crisis in the UK. As covered in Smart Energy Finances Weekly, Cornwall Insights forecasts the price cap increasing to over £4200 in January, there is increasing uncertainty in the country as consumers begin the face the prospect of unaffordable energy costs.
