Policy background Extension of powers
The Energy Act 2008 and the Electricity and Gas Acts provide the Secretary of State with a number of powers in relation to smart metering including powers to:
	make activities relating to smart metering licensable;
	modify licence conditions and industry codes; and
	veto any proposal by the Authority to consent to the transfer of the DCC Licence.
	The Government has used the first of these powers to make the provision of the smart meter communication service licensable, and the second to develop the regulatory framework. The regulatory framework continues to develop to facilitate the realisation of a full DCC service to cover all premises and smart meter types. The third power has not yet been used but is provided in order to maintain regulatory stability and Government oversight of smart metering.
	These powers are currently due to expire on 1 November 2018. This Act provides for these powers to continue to be available to the Secretary of State until 1 November 2023 so he or she has the ability to intervene where required to drive the timely completion of the rollout of smart meters by the end of 2020, to protect consumers and to ensure benefits enabled by the rollout are being fully realised.