Opus Energy has become the first power company to offer customers free smart meters, through a £3m deal with supplier Bglobal.

A batch of 5,000 real-time networked meters is being installed now and Opus expects the rollout to be swift.

Bglobal will handle the delivery of smart meters as well as remote data collection and meter operations for Opus business customers, who will have access to real-time information on their energy consumption.

An earlier trial showed customers the benefits of smart meters, said Charlie Crossley Cooke, managing director of Opus Energy.

“Following on from a successful pilot initiative, customers are most impressed with the accuracy of their bills," he said.

"This is an essential step for customers wanting to reduce their costs through energy saving initiatives."