Crazy smart meter prices: Tibber and Rabot Energy warn grid operators

Following the Federal Association of Consumer Organizations, the electricity providers Tibber and Rabot Energy are now also taking action against metering point operators who charge high prices for the optional installation of a smart meter at the customer's request. Tibber has issued a warning to Bayernwerk Netz GmbH, which is charging up to 889 euros for installation on request. Rabot Energy has issued a warning to LEW Verteilnetz GmbH, which in one case charged EUR 825.53 for an early smart meter installation. This was announced by Tibber and Rabot on Monday.

Many metering point operators had deliberately charged “disproportionately high prices for the installation of a smart meter at the customer's request and thus deliberately slowed down the rollout”, said Tibber's Head of Germany Merlin Lauenburg. Jan Rabe, CEO of Rabot Energy, commented: “These excessive prices prevent access to smart and dynamic electricity tariffs and contradict the goal of an affordable, digital energy transition.”

The background to the dispute is the rules formulated in the Metering Point Operation Act for the so-called right to smart meters. Since the beginning of the year, consumers have had the right to demand the installation of a networked electricity meter from their local metering point operator for the first time. According to the law, operators are allowed to charge a reasonable fee for this. Reasonableness is currently “presumed” if it does not exceed EUR 30; in the future, this amount is to be EUR 100 according to a draft law passed by the Bundestag.

LEW Verteilnetz GmbH stated on request that it had not issued the declaration of discontinuance demanded by Rabot Charge GmbH and had rejected the allegations. Metering point operators could charge a reasonable fee for the optional installation. “It appropriately reflects the actual costs for the service to be offered.” As soon as the amendment to the Metering Point Operation Act comes into force, the amount of the one-off fees will be reviewed and adjusted, said an LEW spokesperson.

Consumer advocates also take action against moon prices

Many metering point operators currently charge a multiple of the 30 euros mentioned in the law. Depending on electricity consumption, Westnetz charges up to 973 euros, Mitteldeutsche Netzgesellschaft up to 883 euros and Schleswig-Holstein Netz up to 927 euros. However, many other grid operators only charge 30 euros, such as Enercity from Hanover or Stadtwerke München.

The German Federation of Consumer Organizations (vzbv) has also reacted to the high installation prices. A vzbv spokesperson told c't that “several injunction proceedings have been initiated against metering point operators to examine the appropriateness of the charges demanded in the respective price sheets provided”. (cwo)