News JVTech No, the Linky meter is not mandatory, Enedis admits, but sets a condition
Published on 01/11/2023 at 12:40
It has become a debate since its arrival in 2015, the Linky counter would, according to some, become mandatory. In reality Enedis admits that it will not be, on the other hand it will be necessary to get your hands on the wallet.
The mandatory Linky meter: yes and no
A real chaotic battle is waged to install the Linky meter in as many homes as possible. Since 2015 we hear improbable stories so-called repairers who happen to be companies mandated to install meters and with quotas.
The big misunderstanding is that the law requires Enedis to modernize the meters. Since the only new counter is the Linky, it is therefore an obligation. Except that at the same time the customer may not give access to his accommodation to change his old meter so that it can be replaced. On the other hand, it is illegal to block access to an electricity meter if it is accessible from a common room or from outside.
On its website, Enedis writes: “The replacement of old meters by Linky meters is provided for by law. It is carried out by Enedis throughout the territory.”
Except that we discover according to the newspaper Politis, that Enedis is doing an about-face on this assertion:
You can legally keep your ordinary meter, without having to pay anything or in exchange for a modest billing of 5 euros per month, Enedis finally admits that the Linky is not compulsory
This information should be taken with a grain of salt, no official statement from Enedis has been published by the energy manager.
A war against the Linky meter
In an AFP dispatch at the end of December, the press release suggested that from January 1, 2023 people with an old meter would be illegal if they had not changed their meter.
In reality, it is Enedis which must change the meters. The customer can therefore refuse, but this has consequences. There are two possibilities: either you are not eligible for the new counters, then the problem is solved and nothing happens. On the other hand, you must regularly take the meter reading yourself. The second hypothesis is that you are eligible, but refuse its installation. In this case Enedis will invoice you 61 euros per year, i.e. about 5 euros per month and you will have to do your reading yourself. Difficult to understand why the extra billing given that there is no new meter and you have to take the reading. This is the counterpart.
Why refuse the Linky meter?
In the end one can wonder what would be the reasons for the refusal of the Linky. However, it is a more economical meter and allows you to save energy. In times of potential scarcity, savings are essential.
The problem comes from its connected aspect which can be both intrusive and remotely controlled. At the time, Enedis assured that he would not decrease the power remotely. However, with the September 2022 directive, Enedis will be entitled to reduce the power and reduce the temperature of a hot water tank, for example.
We can also ask ourselves the question of the privacy and security of our personal consumer data. The meter can read hour by hour. With regular data and an algorithm, a lot can be learned about household life. If the data is very secure, however, everything is hackable.
In the end, it is a powerful tool for reducing consumption on a large scale, especially in times of shortage, but this is at the risk of individual freedom.
