More than 223,000 households across the UK are at risk of having their heating remotely restricted under a controversial Labour government plan, aimed at preventing blackouts as the country pushes towards net zero.
Remote control of heat pumps
Under the Smart Secure Electricity Systems scheme proposed by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, electricity suppliers such as Octopus Energy and British Gas will be able to turn down heat pump central heating via the internet. The measure is designed to help balance the electricity grid during periods of high demand, particularly in winter.
The scheme would affect an estimated quarter of a million heat pump households, with thousands facing the possibility of rationed warmth. Critics have condemned the plan as an overreach of government power.
Political backlash
Sir Iain Duncan Smith, former Conservative Party leader, said: “The Government says the purpose is to balance the electricity grid but it’s like living in a totalitarian state. The Government has no permission for this, its energy policy has become an ideology.”
Kathryn Porter, an energy consultant at Watt-Logic, added: “These proposals are particularly worrying in the context of recent hand-wringing over air conditioning: providing remote control over heat pumps would allow third parties to prevent cooling altogether while potentially restricting heating on cold winter days.” She said the plans “have people serving the grid rather than the other way round”.
Government defence
A DESNZ spokesman defended the proposals, stating: “Smart heat pumps from reputable manufacturers already have robust security protocols in place, so the cybersecurity risk is low. We have consulted on new rules which go even further, so every heat pump sold in the UK meets the strongest security standards.”
Speculation also surrounds Mr Miliband's future, with suggestions he could become Foreign Secretary under Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
