Energy Suppliers news from 2023
99 stories, newest first
- December 2023
SSEN offers £30 per person per day compensation during Storm Gerrit outages
SSEN Distribution has confirmed that customers left without power for more than 12 hours by Storm Gerrit can claim £30 per person per day for food and drink, as around 16,000 properties remained off supply.
SSEN partners with YES Energy Solutions to offer free energy saving advice line
SSEN customers in the north of Scotland and central southern England can use the YES Advice Line for free energy efficiency advice, funding applications and benefit checks.
Deadline for suppliers to enrol or replace first-generation smart meters
Energy suppliers must enrol first-generation smart meters onto the national communications network, or replace them with second-generation meters, by the end of 2023.
Octopus acquired Shell Energy
Octopus Energy completed its acquisition of Shell Energy's UK household supply business on 1 December 2023, ending Shell's presence in the domestic market and shifting its customers to Octopus.
Octopus Energy completes takeover of Shell Energy Retail
Ofgem has published supplier level satisfaction findings showing Octopus Energy at 84 per cent overall satisfaction, with Shell Energy Retail recorded separately because the survey predates its takeover.
Octopus overtakes British Gas as largest electricity supplier
Octopus Energy became the UK's largest electricity supplier in late 2023, overtaking British Gas after completing its purchase of Shell Energy's household customers.
ScottishPower launches in-app advanced credit requests for smart PPMs
ScottishPower introduced a feature in December 2023 letting customers request advanced credit for smart prepayment meters through its app, an example of supplier good practice cited by Energy UK.
Warm Home Discount scheme extended to smaller energy suppliers
The customer threshold for compulsory participation in the Warm Home Discount has been cut from 50,000 to 1,000, bringing smaller energy suppliers into the scheme from this winter.
- November 2023
Citizens Advice published its response to the Ofgem consultation on an additional debt allowance
Citizens Advice has told Ofgem that its consultation on an extra debt allowance in the retail price cap does not show that current funding for debt-related costs is inadequate.
Consumer Scotland publishes briefing on winter energy bill support options ahead of the Autumn Statement
Consumer Scotland has published a briefing on options for targeted winter energy bill support, arguing for help through the prepayment meter Energy Price Guarantee and setting out drawbacks of the Warm Home Discount in Scotland.
EDF completes acquisition of heat pump installer CB Heating
EDF has completed its acquisition of air source heat pump installer CB Heating, following a 2022 strategic investment, saying it will cut customer journey times and train more installers.
Good Energy launches Power Pause demand flexibility scheme
Good Energy has joined National Grid's Demand Flexibility Service for winter 2023, inviting eligible smart meter customers to register for its Power Pause scheme and earn bill credit for cutting peak-time electricity use.
Ofgem prepayment installation rules become licence conditions
Ofgem's Code of Practice on involuntary prepayment meter installation became a mandatory supply licence condition on 8 November 2023, extending protections to more households and covering remote smart meter switches.
Ofgem to decide restarts supplier by supplier
Ofgem has confirmed it will decide supplier by supplier when new licence conditions on involuntary prepayment meter installations have been met and firms are ready to restart.
ScottishPower launches Power Saver app with equiwatt
ScottishPower partnered with equiwatt to launch the Power Saver app in November 2023, an app that rewards households for shifting electricity use away from peak times.
Strengthened PPM rules come into force
Ofgem's strengthened rules on involuntary prepayment meter installations took effect in November 2023, with suppliers required to pass independent audits before restarting activity in January 2024.
- October 2023
Utilita Power Payback service starts
Utilita told customers its Power Payback service would begin on 30 October 2023, paying them for cutting electricity use during notified events.
Ofgem accepts remedial actions offered by CES and CESS
Ofgem has accepted remedial actions from Community Energy Scheme UK and Community Energy Scheme Stoke over sales practices, contracts and billing, and has now closed its investigation.
Octopus Energy launches Octoplus rewards scheme
Octopus Energy has launched Octoplus, a rewards scheme that lets eligible smart meter customers earn Octopoints through demand flexibility and account activity and redeem them for credit.
Citizens Advice responds to DESNZ consultation on Boiler Upgrade Scheme amendments
Citizens Advice has told the government it welcomes the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant uplift but opposes cuts to grants for some households and wants the scheme's overall budget clarified.
SGN launches energy efficiency tool with Energy Saving Trust
SGN has launched an energy efficiency tool developed with the Energy Saving Trust that gives households a personalised action plan and could save an average of £110 a year on bills.
Winter 2023 Voluntary Debt Commitment published by Energy UK
Energy UK, Citizens Advice and Ofgem have published a Winter 2023 Voluntary Debt Commitment, signed by fourteen domestic suppliers, setting out extra support for customers in payment difficulty from October 2023 to March 2024.
Citizens Advice publishes Heat GB network costs research
Citizens Advice research by LCP Delta finds electrification has the lowest network costs in 10 of 12 Great British archetypes, with hydrogen cheapest in the remaining two.
Good Energy launches Solar Savings smart export tariff
Good Energy has launched Solar Savings, a smart export tariff paying 15p per kWh and 20p per kWh for Wessex ECOEnergy solar customers, up from a 10p pilot rate.
Non-MCS export application fee paid to Octopus
A Perth householder paid Octopus Energy £250 in October 2023 to have a non-MCS solar installation assessed for export payments, then waited six months for a reply.
Ofgem confirms new debt engagement and repayment plan requirements
Ofgem has confirmed new licence rules requiring energy suppliers to offer debt repayment plans at the earliest opportunity and to base them on what a household can actually afford to pay.
Quarterly change to Flexi variable costs from 1 October 2023
ScottishPower has published the Flexi variable cost values that apply from 1 October 2023, showing quarterly changes to network, environmental and smart meter charges across its regional tables.
Scottish Power granted 124 forced entry warrants by Berkshire Magistrates Court
Scottish Power obtained 124 forced entry warrants from Berkshire Magistrates Court to install prepayment meters, with campaigners saying only 20 were examined in detail and asking a Commons committee to take urgent evidence.
Voluntary code of conduct on forced PPM installations due to come into force
A voluntary code of conduct governing the forced installation of prepayment meters is due to come into force on 1 October 2023, with campaigners saying it does not go far enough.
- September 2023
British Gas reopens Energy Support Fund for new applications
British Gas has reopened its Energy Support Fund for new applications from 2 October 2023, offering grants of up to £1,500 within a £100 million support package.
Fuel Bank Foundation publishes advice on avoiding and reporting energy scams
The Fuel Bank Foundation has published guidance on spotting, avoiding and reporting energy scams, saying energy-related fraud rose sharply over the previous 12 months as criminals exploited the cost-of-living crisis.
Ofgem gains power to direct suppliers to ringfence customer credit balances
Ofgem has confirmed that since 20 September 2023 it can direct an energy supplier holding too little cash against customer credit balances to ringfence funds, and has begun publishing quarterly data on those balances.
Ofgem publishes decision on Involuntary PPM rules
Ofgem has confirmed new licence rules on involuntary prepayment meters, widening the group that must never be given one to households with children under two and those occupied only by adults over 75.
Which? and Octopus Energy launch solar panel and heat pump discount offer
Which? members can claim a 5% discount on solar panel or air-source heat pump installations booked through Octopus Energy, under an offer running until 15 December 2023.
CES and CESS amend bill formats
Ofgem has closed its investigation into Community Energy Scheme UK and Community Energy Scheme Stoke after the firms completed agreed changes to bills, contracts and exit rights.
Octopus Energy launched its Energy Helpers programme
Energy UK's 2023 Vulnerability Commitment report records that Octopus Energy's Energy Helpers programme completed 218,000 home visits, as the voluntary scheme grew to 13 signatories covering over 90% of the domestic market.
- August 2023
Citizens Advice publishes Winter Warning report calling for targeted energy bill support
Citizens Advice has published a Winter Warning report arguing that millions of households face a winter as bad as or worse than last year and calling for targeted energy bill support.
Citizens Advice warns of record energy debt help requests before winter
Citizens Advice reports record demand for energy debt help before winter, with 7.8 million people borrowing to pay energy bills in the first half of 2023 and a forecast 26% rise in debt cases by year end.
Consumer Scotland publishes response to Ofgem statutory consultation on involuntary prepayment meters
Consumer Scotland has told Ofgem it supports putting the involuntary prepayment meter code into supply licences and keeping over 85s in the do not install category, but wants under 5s moved there too.
Consumer Scotland responds to Ofgem statutory consultation on consumer standards
Consumer Scotland has told Ofgem it broadly backs the regulator's proposed consumer standards for energy suppliers, while calling for outcomes-based compliance, minimum standards for agency lines and recognised customer service accreditation.
Emergency credit increased from £1 to £3
Power NI raised the emergency credit available on its Keypad prepayment meters in Northern Ireland from £1 to £3 on 1 August 2023, giving households a larger buffer before supply is cut off.
Inaugural Tariff Watch report published
The Warm This Winter coalition has published the first Tariff Watch report, estimating that household energy suppliers could make £1.74bn in profits over the next 12 months from customers' bills.
- July 2023
Citizens Advice responds to Ofgem statutory consultation on involuntary prepayment meters
Citizens Advice has welcomed Ofgem's statutory consultation on involuntary prepayment meters and asked the regulator to widen the Do Not Install category to cover under-fives and some serious health conditions.
Citizens Advice published its response to Ofgem's statutory consultation on the supplier profit margin allowance
Citizens Advice has opposed Ofgem's plan to raise the profit margin allowance inside the retail price cap, saying the proposal is not justified by evidence and would not serve consumers.
Which? responds to Ofgem's expectations for energy suppliers on financial resilience and consumer support
Which? has welcomed Ofgem's new expectations for energy suppliers on financial resilience and customer support, while warning that bills remain almost double pre-crisis levels.
Centrica trading division reported £1.4 billion profit
Centrica's energy marketing and trading division made £1.4 billion in profit during the year, it was reported in July 2023, as the company's wider role in UK gas supply drew scrutiny.
Government reduces Energy Price Guarantee extra support to zero
The government cut the extra support paid through the Energy Price Guarantee to zero on 1 July 2023, ending a 3.77p per unit discount for Power NI customers and adding an estimated 14p a day to bills.
Ofgem opens workstream to review suppliers' wholesale costs for default tariff customers
Ofgem has opened a workstream to review whether suppliers' wholesale costs for default tariff customers between October 2022 and September 2023 differed from the allowances built into the price cap.
- June 2023
Ofgem launches statutory consultation on involuntary prepayment meters
Ofgem has opened a statutory consultation to make prepayment meter protections mandatory in suppliers' licence conditions, and has proposed a £13 allowance in the prepayment price cap for bad debt recovery.
Statutory consultation on Involuntary PPM opens
Ofgem opened a statutory consultation on 28 June 2023 on plans to write its Involuntary Prepayment Meter Code of Practice into supply licence conditions and guidance.
Directions No. 2 issued for domestic gas and electricity suppliers
The Secretary of State has issued Directions No. 2 for domestic gas and electricity suppliers in Northern Ireland, revoking the December directions that restricted when tariff changes could be made.
Citizens Advice publishes research on benefits of retrofitting 13 million inefficient homes
Citizens Advice has published research estimating almost £40 billion in cumulative benefits from upgrading 13 million inefficient homes in Great Britain to EPC C by 2030.
MCS launches Scheme Redevelopment Consultation
MCS has welcomed Simply Certification as its newest contractor certification body and confirmed it is consulting on proposals to transform how the scheme operates.
Citizens Advice published a discussion paper on locational pricing
Citizens Advice has published a discussion paper on locational pricing, weighing whether varying wholesale electricity prices by location could benefit consumers or expose households to new risks.
Fuse Energy launches as first new supplier after the energy crisis
Fuse Energy launched in 2023 as the first new supplier to enter the UK market after the energy crisis, founded by former Revolut executives and now rated in Which? rankings for the first time.
Octopus completes acquisition of Bulb
Octopus Energy completed its acquisition of Bulb in June 2023, following the supplier's 2021 insolvency and a period in special administration, according to Ofgem's Smart Export Guarantee annual report.
Ofgem consults on Code to prevent involuntary PPM installations for vulnerable consumers
Ofgem has opened a statutory consultation on making its Involuntary Prepayment Meter Code of Practice binding licence conditions, with the aim of having the protections in place for winter 2023/24.
Ofgem consults on new SLC requirements for involuntary PPM installations
Ofgem has opened a statutory consultation on licence changes that would put its Involuntary Prepayment Meter Code of Practice into the supply licence, with responses due by 26 July 2023.
Shell announces exit from UK domestic energy market
Shell announced in summer 2023 that it would sell its UK domestic energy business to Octopus and leave the household supply market, a process completed on 1 December 2023.
- May 2023
Teneo reports estimated Octopus repayment of £2.8 billion
Teneo, the special administrator for Bulb Energy, reported on 25 May 2023 that Octopus Energy is estimated to owe the government £2.8 billion after buying the failed supplier.
Citizens Advice responds to Ofgem consultation on Severe Weather Compensation amendments
Citizens Advice has backed Ofgem's proposed changes to severe weather compensation rules for power cuts, but says the draft should go further on who is protected and how payments are made.
Energy firms holding £280m of unclaimed Energy Bills Support Scheme payments
More than four million Energy Bills Support Scheme payments worth almost £280 million were still to be made or redeemed for October 2022 to February 2023, figures reported in the Mail on Sunday show.
- April 2023
Citizens Advice published its application to intervene in the RIIO-ED2 appeal
Citizens Advice has applied to intervene in a Competition and Markets Authority appeal by Northern Powergrid over the RIIO-ED2 energy licence modification, arguing the appeal would raise consumer bills without improving service.
New energy supplier obligation to start from April 2023
Energy suppliers will be obliged from April 2023 to help customers cut bills under legislation announced in the Growth Plan, worth £1 billion over three years.
Quarterly change to Flexi variable costs from 1 April 2023
ScottishPower has published the Flexi variable cost breakdown applying from 1 April 2023, showing a sharp fall in electricity distribution standing charges and a new transmission standing charge.
- March 2023
Government wholesale cost support for Bulb ends
Government funding of Bulb's wholesale energy costs under its Special Administration Regime ended on 31 March 2023, with the taxpayer bill estimated at £3.02 billion.
Which? publishes response to BEIS carbon content transparency consultation
Which? has told BEIS that green and renewable tariffs need standardised definitions, mandated sourcing information and a framework that covers electric vehicle charging and green gas.
Power NI announces underlying unit price decrease offset by reduced EPG support
Power NI has cut its underlying residential electricity unit price by 6.61p per unit, but a larger reduction in Energy Price Guarantee support means bills rise 14 per cent from 1 April 2023.
Citizens Advice publishes report recommending new energy bill support framework
Citizens Advice has published a report calling for the current system of energy bill support to be replaced by a state-determined social tariff funded by general taxation, with a new framework in place by spring 2024.
Which? publishes annual energy supplier ratings with Octopus Energy top and average customer scores falling
Which? has published its annual energy supplier survey, with Octopus Energy top on 78 per cent and the average customer score falling to 54 per cent from 59 per cent a year earlier.
Which? responds to delayed Energy Bill Support Scheme payments for some Shell customers
Which? has said some Shell Energy customers will have part of their Energy Bill Support Scheme payments delayed until the Spring, and called on the supplier to act quickly.
OVO Energy launches Kaluza-powered Charge Anytime EV charging plan
OVO Energy has launched Charge Anytime, a smart charging add-on giving eligible customers a flat 10p per kWh rate for electric vehicle charging, separate from their household electricity.
EDF raised SEG Export Variable rate from 1.5p to 3p per kWh
EDF raised the rate on its no-strings SEG Export Variable tariff from 1.5p to 3p per kWh in March 2023, a rate that has since stayed unchanged while average export prices moved higher.
Judicial review judgment on Bulb sale published
The High Court judgment on the Bulb Energy special administration sale process was published at the end of March 2023, with the transaction completed on 20 December 2022.
Only three suppliers exited the market in SY13
Ofgem's annual Feed-in Tariffs report shows supplier exits fell from 27 in Scheme Year 12 to three in Scheme Year 13, as market stability returned and scheme costs rose to £1.73 billion.
Smart Pay Energy withdrew from the SEG during Year 3
Ofgem's SEG annual report records that Smart Pay Energy left the scheme part way through Year 3 against policy, and will be added to the Supplier Performance Report.
The Times reveals forced prepayment installations by British Gas subcontractor
The Times reported that a British Gas subcontractor used brutal methods to force-fit prepayment meters in vulnerable customers' homes, prompting suppliers to halt the practice.
- February 2023
Call for evidence on prepayment rules launched
Ofgem opened a call for evidence on prepayment meter rules on 21 February 2023, the first step in a process that ended with new licence conditions taking effect on 8 November 2023.
Citizens Advice responds to Ofgem's outline of next steps on forced prepayment meter installations
Citizens Advice has welcomed Ofgem repeating its call for suppliers to check whether customers should be moved off prepayment meters, warning that the regulator and government must act if progress stalls.
Ofgem outlines next steps on forced prepayment meter installations
Ofgem has set out the terms of its British Gas investigation and the scope of a market-wide prepayment meter review, and asked suppliers to reverse incorrect installations during the current pause.
ScottishPower launched SMART GEN and SMART GEN + tariffs
ScottishPower launched SMART GEN and SMART GEN + export tariffs on 16 February 2023, with Ofgem later recording SMART GEN as the highest unbundled Smart Export Guarantee rate of SEG Year 3.
Which? makes supplier practices assessment public and counts it in overall scores
Which? has published its behind-the-scenes assessment of energy supplier practices for the first time and folded the results into each company's overall score for 2023.
E.On rated severe weaknesses and issued Provisional Order
Ofgem has rated E.On as having severe weaknesses in customer service and issued a Provisional Order requiring it to cut call wait times and abandoned call rates and report weekly.
Ofgem announces industry-wide investigation into prepayment meter installations
Ofgem has opened an industry-wide investigation into the rapid growth in prepayment meter installations and warned suppliers that forced installations are unacceptable, following reports of debt agents entering homes.
Ofgem completes Market Compliance Review of suppliers' customer service and complaints handling
Ofgem has rated seventeen energy suppliers on customer service and complaints handling, placing none in its top category and issuing a Provisional Order to E.On over severe weaknesses.
British Gas launches heat pump installation price offer
British Gas has said it will cap the starting price of heat pump installation at £2,999, a figure that excludes the heat pump itself and will not apply to every home.
Energy firms agree voluntary pause on forced PPM installations
Energy suppliers agreed a voluntary pause on forced prepayment meter installations in early 2023, after reporting on British Gas, but campaigners said the commitment did not go far enough.
Ofgem agrees moratorium on involuntary PPM installations
Ofgem agreed a moratorium with suppliers in February 2023 pausing involuntary prepayment meter installations and remote smart meter mode switches, after evidence that existing rules may not have been followed.
Ofgem issues Provisional Order banning British Gas from forced PPM installations
Ofgem has issued a Provisional Order temporarily banning British Gas from forced prepayment meter installations and remote mode switches, and opened an urgent investigation into the supplier.
Ofgem publishes ECO3 Final Determination Report
Ofgem's final report on the Energy Company Obligation 3 confirms suppliers exceeded the scheme's £8.25bn bill-saving target, while Co-operative Energy met only 36.4% of its own obligation.
Times investigation exposes forced prepayment meter practices of major suppliers including British Gas
An undercover Times investigation published on 1 February 2023 exposed forced prepayment meter practices at major suppliers including British Gas, triggering a voluntary industry pause and an ongoing Ofgem investigation.
- January 2023
Ofgem prepayment meter compliance review concluded
Ofgem has concluded its prepayment meter compliance review, with compensation due to customers of eight suppliers who had meters wrongly installed between 1 January 2022 and 31 January 2023.
Ofgem to review supplier decisions to move customers to prepayment
Ofgem will review whether energy suppliers took enough care before moving customers onto prepayment meters, as the government demands firms stop forced switches.
Citizens Advice responds to the BEIS ECO+ consultation
Citizens Advice has told the government its ECO+ energy efficiency scheme, with a £1bn budget over three years and a 410,000 household target, could be far more ambitious.
Bulb special administration adviser costs reach £49.9 million
Special administration costs for Bulb, including its administrators, their legal advisers and Lazard, reached £49.9 million by the end of January 2023 and are expected to reach around £60 million.
E.ON Next and Shell Energy join the Vulnerability Commitment
E.ON Next and Shell Energy joined the Energy UK Vulnerability Commitment at the start of 2023, taking it to 13 signatories covering more than 90% of the UK domestic retail market.
Ofgem introduced stringent new rules for prepayment meter installations
Ofgem brought in stringent new rules for prepayment meter installation in 2023, after suppliers failed to follow the rules on forced installation, a later government review confirms.
Ofgem opens investigation into British Gas over PPM practices
Ofgem has opened an investigation into British Gas and a Market Compliance Review into prepayment meter practices, alongside a consultation on strengthening protections for involuntary prepayment meter installations.
So Energy and Hometree partnership begins with Home Cover launch
So Energy and Hometree Finance launched a solar payment plan letting homeowners in England and Wales spread installation costs from £75 a month over five to twenty-five years.