Charity Plymouth Energy Community (PEC) has opened a walk-in energy advice hub in the Genesis Building on Union Street, Plymouth, for people seeking support on energy-related issues1. The opening was announced by Wales & West Utilities, the gas emergency and pipeline service that provided the funding, on 28 July 20251.
The hub is open on Monday and Wednesday from 10am to 4pm and on Friday from 10am to 3pm, and booking is not required1. Staff provide advice on energy bills, debt and suppliers, and impartial guidance on retrofitting homes1. PEC also advises on household risks such as carbon monoxide and on energy efficiency measures1. The charity is known for its community-owned solar schemes across the city1.
The hub was funded by money from Wales & West Utilities through its Vulnerability and Carbon Monoxide Allowance (VCMA) fund1. The amount of the funding has not been reported1. PEC Advice Lead Clare Mains said the hub was something the charity had wanted to do for a long time, describing it as a natural extension of work supporting residents since 20131. The space was fitted out with secondhand or reclaimed items, including chairs and lampshades1. PEC said local people and businesses supported the fit-out, including B&Q, which helped source half a door1.
"We're so pleased to open the energy advice hub as it's something we've wanted to do for a long time. We know that getting help can often feel overwhelming and time-consuming, so we've created a space where people can pop in, have a cup of tea and a chat face-to-face about anything energy-related, from bills to adapting the home to make it more energy efficient."
Sophie Shorney, VCMA Manager at Wales & West Utilities, said the funding allowed PEC to create a space in the heart of the city so more people could access energy information, and that the fund lets the company work in partnership with organisations to help people with their bills1.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | Genesis Building, Union Street, Plymouth |
| Opening days and hours | Monday and Wednesday, 10am to 4pm; Friday, 10am to 3pm |
| Booking | Not required |
| Funder | Wales & West Utilities, through its VCMA fund |
| Advice offered | Bills, debt, suppliers, retrofitting, carbon monoxide, energy efficiency |
Why it matters for households
The hub gives Plymouth households a face-to-face route to advice on bills, debt and supplier problems, rather than dealing with them remotely1. It also covers retrofitting and energy efficiency measures, the physical changes that reduce how much energy a home needs and so reduce its exposure to price movements1. For a household weighing up community energy schemes against installing its own solar, or looking at how local projects work, the advice is impartial, according to PEC1. PEC's own community-owned solar schemes mean the charity sits on both sides of that question locally1. The funding route is also notable: a gas network operator directing allowance money into local advice provision, an example of the funding available for community energy projects and of the grants and schemes landscape more broadly.
What happens next
No further dates have been announced. PEC continues to offer support by phone on 01752 477117, through its website and at drop-in sessions in Wellbeing Hubs across the city1.
Sources1 cited
- Plymouth Advice Hub Opens | Wales & West Utilities, wwutilities.co.uk