Powering Homes News: page 64
- November 2023
Ofgem price cap set at £1,834 for winter 2023/24
Ofgem's price cap for a typical direct debit household stands at £1,834 a year until 31 December 2023, with the next level set from 1 January 2024.
Energy Bills and the Price CapStatisticsRules and Regulation
SSEN restores power to almost 25,000 customers after Storm Ciarán
SSEN restored power to almost 25,000 customers in central southern England after Storm Ciarán, with around 2,000 still off supply at noon on 2 November 2023 and the network at Yellow Alert.
Beta launch of Get a Heat Pump website
Nesta launched a beta version of the Get a Heat Pump website in November 2023 to test the tool with real users, and later worked with The MCS Foundation to develop it further.
Campaigners call on Chancellor for Emergency Energy Tariff and Help To Repay scheme
Health, poverty, housing and environmental organisations and academics have written to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt urging an Emergency Energy Tariff and a Help To Repay scheme for households in energy debt.
Changes to solar permitted development rights introduced
The government changed solar permitted development rights in November 2023, following a February 2023 consultation, as part of a wider package on adapting historic homes for energy efficiency.
Coalition writes to Secretary of State urging leadership on prepayment meters scandal
The End Fuel Poverty Coalition has written to Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho urging a legislative ban on forced prepayment meters, an extension of Ofgem's ban to April 2024 and heightened monitoring of Scottish Power.
Rules and RegulationSmart MetersEnergy Bills and the Price Cap
Cold Weather Payment scheme for 2023 to 2024 opens
The Cold Weather Payment scheme for 2023 to 2024 opened in November 2023, paying £25 for each seven-day period of very cold weather in England and Wales until 31 March 2024.
New design standard for domestic connections comes into effect in Northern Ireland
NIE Networks has brought in a new design standard for domestic connections in Northern Ireland from 1 November 2023, allowing new connections to support higher capacity for heat pumps and electric vehicle chargers.
Emergency Energy Tariff proposals presented to Government
Proposals for an Emergency Energy Tariff, using the Energy Price Guarantee mechanism, were presented to Government to ease the energy bills crisis in winter 2023/24.
Energy UK publishes analysis on cost of heat market inertia
Energy UK analysis published on 1 November 2023 finds that a two-year delay to heat pump rollout would mean 2.9 million fewer heat pumps by 2030 and £3 billion more gas imports between 2026 and 2030.
F-rated products being removed from market under new EU regulations
Hisense has confirmed that F-rated appliances are being withdrawn from the market under new EU rules, with its RB327N4WW1 fridge freezer to be replaced by an E-rated model.
Forced prepayment meter moratorium lifted for compliant suppliers
The moratorium on forced prepayment meter installations, introduced in February 2023, was lifted from November 2023 for suppliers that met Ofgem's restart criteria.
Rules and RegulationEnergy Bills and the Price CapSmart Meters
Good Energy Default tariff rates change for non Direct Debit customers
Good Energy has ended the Direct Debit discount for non Direct Debit customers on its Default tariff from 1 November 2023, raising rates for those paying by other methods.
Government declines Emergency Energy Tariff and help to repay schemes in Autumn Statement
The Chancellor's Autumn Statement declined charity proposals for an Emergency Energy Tariff and ruled out a help to repay scheme, as Ofgem confirmed a 5% January price cap rise.
Energy Bills and the Price CapRules and RegulationGrants and Schemes
Green Heat Finance Taskforce report published
The Green Heat Finance Taskforce published its first report in November 2023, setting out finance products intended to spread the upfront cost of heat and energy efficiency work in Scottish buildings.
Hypervolt app v5 released in November 2023
Hypervolt has begun releasing version 5.1 of its charger app, an update that follows the version 5 release in November 2023 and adds direct report downloads and in-app troubleshooting.
Independent review of ASHP noise emissions published
An independent review of air source heat pump noise emissions, published by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero in November 2023, proposed changes to the domestic permitted development right that were later taken forward in a 2025 planning order for England.
Low Carbon Hub publishes low-cost, no-cost energy saving leaflet
Low Carbon Hub has published a free downloadable leaflet of low-cost and no-cost energy saving measures for households, dated November 2023, covering draught-proofing, insulation, appliance use and heating controls.
National Grid prepares for Storm Ciarán in South West England and South Wales
National Grid has put standby staff, extra contact centre operatives and helicopters on readiness ahead of Storm Ciarán, which is forecast to bring gusts of up to 85mph to exposed coasts of South West England and South Wales.
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.
Ofgem launched a 'call for input' on standing charges
Ofgem opened a call for input on standing charges in November 2023, asking for views on the daily fees and possible alternatives, with responses accepted until January 2024.
Ofgem publishes Call For Input on consumer consent
Ofgem has published a Call For Input on consumer consent for energy data sharing, setting out three design options and citing 87% respondent support for intervention.
Ofgem publishes statutory consultation on levelling standing charges
Ofgem has published a statutory consultation proposing to level standing charges between prepayment and direct debit customers, cutting bills for prepayment households by around £50 a year.
Passiv UK launches Greener Grid Payments for heat pump customers
Passiv UK has launched Greener Grid Payments, an automated service that pays its heat pump control customers for cutting power at peak times under the National Grid ESO Demand Flexibility Service.
Petroineos announces closure of Grangemouth oil refinery
Petroineos announced in November 2023 that it would close the Grangemouth oil refinery, and the company completed the closure in 2025, according to the Climate Change Committee.
Powercast launches to all ev.energy users in UK Power Networks region
Powercast, a power cut notification service built by ev.energy with UK Power Networks, became available to all ev.energy users in London, the South East and East of England in November 2023.
New prepayment meter rules extend protections for vulnerable people
Ofgem, Energy UK and the government set out new rules suppliers should follow from November 2023, adding checks before any involuntary prepayment meter installation.
Rules and RegulationEnergy Bills and the Price CapSmart Meters
Scottish government delays fossil fuel boiler phase-out by at least three years
The Scottish government has postponed the start of its phase-out of fossil fuel boilers by at least three years, announcing the change alongside a consultation on a new heating bill.
Rules and RegulationScotland, Wales and Northern IrelandBoilers and Heating
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.