Energy Suppliers News: page 8
- January 2024
Eight suppliers cleared to restart involuntary prepayment meter installations
Eight energy suppliers met Ofgem's criteria to restart involuntary prepayment meter installations from January 2024, after the practice was suspended in February 2023.
First suppliers restart involuntary PPM activity
Ofgem has confirmed that the first energy suppliers restarted involuntary prepayment meter installations in January 2024, after independent audits verified they met strengthened rules introduced in November 2023.
Good Energy launches Export Only tariff
Good Energy launched Export Only in January 2024, a 4p per kWh export tariff open to any household with a smart meter and a certified renewable installation, without requiring a Good Energy import deal.
- 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.