Pressure is mounting on the government to mandate the installation of networked electricity meters.

The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform has until the end of January to respond to calls for the roll out of real-time, networked smart meters to improve billing accuracy and allow customers to track their electricity use.

The Energy White Paper published in May included the expectation that smart meters will be rolled out to the domestic market by 2010.

But without a mandate, electricity suppliers cannot make the business case for the infrastructure investment, according to the Energy Retail Association.

“We have six companies lined up,” said head of communications Nicola Bowles.

“The government just has to provide an unambiguous commitment to smart meters and we will get going.”

Once the policy is established, suppliers can work on a standard specification to ensure interoperability between firms.

Smart metering will not happen if it is left to the market, said Jonathan Stearn, head of campaigns at Energywatch.

“The government should set out a clear timetable,” he said.

“Elsewhere, governments and regulators have taken the lead.”

A spokesman for Npower said: “Smart meters are a key element in ensuring that the government’s environmental targets are achieved.”