The initial promises were tempting: better control of consumption, lower bills and an easier energy transition. However, six years after the start of the massive deployment, the assessment drawn up by the Court of Auditors has the effect of a cold shower.
A colossal investment borne by consumers
The deployment of Linky meters represents a colossal investment of 5.7 billion euros. This astronomical sum did not come out of Enedis coffers, but directly from the pockets of consumers. The mechanism is simple, but perverse: the entire cost is passed on to the bill via the tariff for the use of public electricity networks (TURPE). The latter represents around a third of the total household electricity bill.
For each meter installed, the French spend on average 130 euros. A significant investment which should theoretically be offset by the savings made thanks to the new functionalities of the device. The reality is very different: consumers find themselves financing a project for which they do not see the benefits.
Almost non-existent energy savings
The observation is clear: the energy savings made thanks to the Linky meter barely reach 1% on average. A derisory figure which contrasts violently with Enedis’ initial promises. The company had praised the merits of its smart meter, supposed to allow consumers to better control their consumption thanks to real-time monitoring.
Danielle Rouault, retired, testifies to this disillusionment: “I don’t see how it’s possible for me to save money, given that a device that consumes 2 kWh will always consume the same with the Linky or another meter”. Like her, many French people struggle to take advantage of the advanced features of the meter. The fault is a lack of information and an unintuitive interface which discourages users.
A surprise beneficiary who is obviously not the consumer
While consumers are desperate to get a return on their investment, Enedis is doing well. The company is making substantial savings thanks to the elimination of physical readings and the reduction of maintenance costs. These gains, estimated at several hundred million euros per year, are however not passed on to consumers’ bills.
The situation is all the more problematic as the Linky meter has a limited lifespan: 15 to 20 years compared to 60 years for old electromechanical models. This planned obsolescence implies more frequent renewal of the fleet, generating additional costs for users and a significant environmental impact.
The ecological balance sheet of the project also raises serious questions. The massive replacement of old meters has generated a significant amount of waste, some of which contains toxic components requiring special treatment. Manufacturing the new meters also required the use of considerable resources, including rare metals and electronic components.
Despite these black spots, the report from the Court of Auditors highlights some advantages: the reduction of fraud, the reduction of invoicing errors and the possibility of carrying out certain operations remotely. Profits which seem very meager compared to the investment made by consumers.
- The deployment of Linky meters cost 5.7 billion euros, entirely financed by consumers
- Energy savings reach only 1% on average, far from initial promises
- Enedis makes significant savings thanks to the system, without passing them on to user bills.
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