Powering Homes news, page 86
- February 2023
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.
SSEN restores supplies to over 41,000 properties after Storm Otto with around 2,500 still off supply
SSEN restored power to more than 41,000 properties by 10am on 18 February after Storm Otto, with around 2,500 still off supply and 750 staff deployed across Aberdeenshire.
Jackery launches Solar Generator 1500 Pro in the UK
Jackery has put its Solar Generator 1500 Pro on sale in the UK, pairing a 1,512 Wh Explorer 1500 Pro power station with a 200W SolarSaga panel at £1,499 or £2,099 as a bundle.
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? survey finds 23% of smart meter owners had problems in the last year
A Which? survey of 9,417 smart meter owners found 23% had at least one problem in the past year, with suppliers failing to receive readings the most common complaint.
Which? reports 1.42 million energy support vouchers unclaimed
Government data published on 14 February 2023 shows 1.42 million Energy Bills Support Scheme vouchers issued to prepayment meter customers in October and November 2022 were never redeemed.
Citizens Advice responds to DESNZ announcement on forced prepayment meter installations
Citizens Advice has welcomed a government announcement on forced prepayment meter installations but says suppliers must review whether prepayment is safe and that protection should cover remote switching of smart meters.
Rules and RegulationSmart MetersEnergy Bills and the Price Cap
Energy Security Secretary claims all suppliers committed to ending forced prepayment meter installations
Grant Shapps has claimed all energy suppliers have committed to ending forced prepayment meter installations in vulnerable customers' homes, a move the fuel poverty charity National Energy Action calls right but insufficient.
Rules and RegulationEnergy Bills and the Price CapSmart Meters
NRLA backs Money Saving Boiler Challenge as 2.5m renters may be missing out on energy savings
The National Residential Landlords Association has partnered with Nesta's Money Saving Boiler Challenge, as research suggests more than 2.5 million private rented households may be missing out on savings of around £112 a year.
Mitsubishi Electric launches expanded commercial and residential heat pump range
Mitsubishi Electric has added two commercial heat pumps to its renewable heating range and says it now offers the widest line-up of commercial and residential heat pumps on the UK market.
SSEN moves to Weather Warning status in the north of Scotland
SSEN Distribution has moved to Weather Warning status in northern Scotland ahead of severe gales forecast from Wednesday afternoon, with extra resources sent to key locations.
SSEN reports 16,000 properties off supply due to Storm Otto
SSEN restored power to more than 27,000 properties after Storm Otto but around 16,000 remained off supply at 4.30pm, with some rural customers facing more than 48 hours without electricity.
Storm Otto impacts SSEN high voltage network in north of Scotland
Storm Otto brought 85mph gusts to northern Scotland from around 4am on 7 February 2023, cutting power to 30,000 properties on SSEN's high voltage network and leaving some rural homes off supply for more than 48 hours.
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.
£200 Alternative Fuel Payments to off-gas-grid households begin
Households across Great Britain that do not use mains gas for heating began receiving £200 Alternative Fuel Payments automatically as credits on their electricity bills from 6 February 2023.
Cadent publishes cost comparison of heat pump and hydrogen heating
Cadent has published a cost comparison arguing that decarbonising home heating is not a straight choice between heat pumps and hydrogen, and that hydrogen could be cheaper for some homes.
Sir Robert Neill MP calls for inquiry into pre-payment meter scandal in House of Commons
Sir Robert Neill MP has told the House of Commons that the pre-payment meter scandal shows a flawed court process and requires an inquiry into those representing suppliers and Ofgem.
ECO4 Delivery Guidance version 1.1 published
Ofgem published version 1.1 of its ECO4 Delivery Guidance on 3 February 2023, adding and amending rules on eligibility, ECO4 Flex, projects, measures, scoring and administration.
Fuel poverty charity calls for ban on forced prepayment meter installations
National Energy Action has called for a temporary ban on forced prepayment meter installations after reports that suppliers used warrants to enter customers' homes and fit the devices.
Approved Document L Volume 2 (2021 edition incorporating 2023 amendments) becomes valid
The 2021 edition of Approved Document L Volume 2, incorporating 2023 amendments, became valid on 2 February 2023, setting the compliance guidance for energy efficiency in buildings other than dwellings in England.
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.
BISOL Duplex M10 and BISOL Laminate M10 announced for availability
BISOL has said the first batch of its M10 Duplex modules in full-black 400 to 420 Wp format, with a frameless Laminate version, will be available in February 2023.
New boiler efficiency standards took effect in Scotland
Boiler efficiency standards in Scotland rose from February 2023, requiring 92% efficiency for condensing standard or combination gas boilers and lower minimums for oil models.
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.
Campaign launched to keep Energy Price Guarantee at £2,500
Charities, energy trade body Energy UK and more than 70 organisations have backed Martin Lewis's call to postpone the rise in the Energy Price Guarantee from £2,500 to £3,000 on 1 April 2023.
CCC publishes research on domestic EPC metric reform
The Climate Change Committee published research and recommendations on reforming domestic Energy Performance Certificates across Scotland and the rest of the UK in February 2023.
Insulation and GlazingRules and RegulationScotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
CCC warns lack of leadership is preventing essential UK climate adaptation investment
The Climate Change Committee says a lack of government leadership is holding back essential investment to prepare the UK for climate change, with around £10bn a year potentially needed.
Climate Change Committee calls for reform of domestic EPCs
The Climate Change Committee said in February 2023 that Energy Performance Certificates are poorly suited to setting standards and targets for cutting emissions from homes, and proposed four replacement metrics.