Ministry of Energy: Soon it will be possible to get a discount on electricity even without a smart meter

Merav Krystal 13.02.24 14:26

Hebrew article taken and translated from https://www.ynet.co.il

Most consumers do not leave the electric company in favor of the new suppliers and miss the possibility of a discount on the bill. The reason: the transition requires replacing the analog meter with a smart meter that costs NIS 227. The Ministry of Energy, the Electricity Authority, Nega and the Electric Company are promoting a hearing that will allow a transition even with an old meter starting in the summer. Minister Eli Cohen: “This is a historic revolution. For the first time each household will be able to choose an electricity supplier at a discount”

Consumers are not flocking to the new electricity suppliers that offer a discount on the electricity bill, and the Ministry of Energy and the Electricity Authority think that the reason for this is a transit barrier in the form of the smart meter that must be installed for an easy transition between companies. As a result, the Ministry, the Authority and Nega (the government company for the management of the electricity system) announced today (Tuesday) a hearing that will begin on February 21, the purpose of which is to oblige the players in the market to also read an analog meter and thus truly open the market to competition.

“This is a historic revolution. It’s like the cellular revolution,” Energy Minister Eli Cohen told Ynet. “This is the first time that each of the 3 million households in Israel will be able to choose their electricity supplier at a discount of 5% to 20%: a discount of hundreds of shekels every year every year. There are 46 companies that have won supply licenses and 18 operate. This is a market of NIS 35 billion and there is room for discounts. This will also make consumers more efficient in consumption. In case of malfunctions: the service itself will continue to be with the electric company.”

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