Smart meter offer
Be careful with this letter
July 13, 2026 – 11:53Reading time: 2 min.
A pensioner reads a letter: “Check smart meter offers.” (Source: bymuratdeniz/getty-images-bilder)
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The company promises big savings by installing smart electricity meters. However, there is a catch to the proposal.
At present, attention is drawn to a letter from DMG Deutsche Messwesen GmbH from Lower Saxony. Other regions of North Rhine-Westphalia were previously affected. In the letter, the company touts a reduction in energy costs of up to €131 per year if households use it. Smart meter installed. But to achieve such savings, certain conditions must be met. The Lower Saxony Consumer Center therefore advises consumers to check the offer carefully.
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Savings only under certain conditions
In its letter, Deutsche Messwesen GmbH refers to the Energy Industry Act. This includes lower network fees. However, this only applies to those households that, in addition to a smart meter, have so-called consumption monitoring devices. These include one Heat pumpone Wall box or Battery storage from 4.2 kilowatts of power.
Reason: If the network is congested, network operators may temporarily reduce the performance of these devices. Thus, they can be controlled remotely using a remote control. In return, consumers receive a discount Network card. Even if regulation was not necessary or carried out.
“Installing a smart meter does not automatically save money on its own,” explains René Zietlow-Sahl, an energy law expert at the Lower Saxony Consumer Center. “Who doesn’t have one Heat pump If you still have a wall box or similar technology, you should take extra care to check what specific benefits this offering will bring to your family.”
On its website, DMG explains that actual savings vary by individual. Power consumption,current tariff and existing equipment. Additional savings opportunities – e.g. dynamic electricity tariffs – “are individual and cannot be quantified across all areas,” according to the company.
Operating costs are higher than the base supplier
In a letter to consumers, Deutsche Messwesen GmbH also says it will cover the costs of installing a smart meter. Then the operation will cost 99 euros per year. Compared to the main responsible operator of the metering point – usually the local utility company – However, the annual operating costs are a maximum of 50 euros, if consumption is between 10,000 and 20,000 kilowatt-hours. This price cap is required by law. For most private households, going through an existing provider is likely to be significantly cheaper, consumer advocates conclude.
No pressure to change
Deutsche Messwesen GmbH is the end-customer brand of Metrify Smart Metering GmbH. This is not the fundamentally responsible operator of the measuring point. Because the company operates competitively, consumers are not required to accept the offer. The previous measuring point statement should not be changed due to the letter. If you don’t yet have a smart meter but would like to, you should compare the various installation and operation offers and choose the solution that is most cost-effective for you.
If you’re not sure whether to buy a smart meter, you can also contact consumer advice centers for free energy legal advice.