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Energy retail

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Government calls for shared multi-sector PSR
The government has announced it is exploring options to introduce a single, multi-sector Priority Service Register (PSR) to help vulnerable utility consumers. Under plans announced as part of the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement on Wednesday (22 November) energy, water and telecoms companies would share data so those most in need only need to disclose information about their vulnerability once, regardless of where they live.  
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Smart meter deadline in 2025 is ‘not helpful’
The deadline for energy suppliers to complete the smart meter rollout by the end of 2025 has been described as “not helpful” by a deputy director of the industry’s trade body. Energy UK’s deputy director of retail policy, Daniel Portis, was speaking to Utility Week following the news that six retailers have agreed to pay out almost £11 million after failing to hit their installation targets last year.
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Ofgem confirms January price cap increase
Rising wholesale energy costs will lead to a 5% price cap increase for consumers in January, Ofgem has confirmed. In its latest quarterly cap update the energy regulator has also unveiled plans to level standing charges for prepayment meter (PPM) customers to end the so-called PPM premium.
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Latest in Energy retail

Octopus completes purchase of Shell Energy Retail
Octopus Energy Group has completed its purchase of Shell’s domestic energy supply businesses in the UK and Germany. The company said the addition of their 1.3 million household energy customers will bring its UK tally to 6.6 million.
News
Energy retailers to join shared PSR in Q1 2024
A truly joined-up priority services register for water and energy companies is to finally become a reality in the first quarter of 2024 as retailers start sharing their data on vulnerable customers, Utility Week understands. In a milestone moment for the sector, energy suppliers will switch from a process of explicitly asking customers for consent to share their data to one in which the substantial public interest clause is used to comply with data protection laws.
News
Utilita sees 800% jump in support credit payments
Prepayment meter (PPM) specialist energy supplier Utilita has told Utility Week that it has seen an almost 800% increase in the amount of additional support credit (ASC) it provides to customers over the past three years. Commenting on the stats Utilita’s non-executive chair Derek Lickorish said the data highlights that "households are running on empty, their financial resilience destroyed".
News
Ofgem to probe supplier treatment of microbusinesses
Ofgem has launched an investigation into Maxen Power Supply, focussing on the fair treatment of businesses and the rates they are charged. The regulator said it will consider the “supplier’s compliance with rules around treating microbusinesses fairly, organisational capability, whether deemed rates are unduly onerous and customer transfer blocking”.
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Scottish Power launches flexibility app
Scottish Power has partnered with Equiwatt to help its customers to participate in the Electricity System Operator’s Demand Flexibility Service this winter. The Equiwatt smartphone app rewards customers for reducing their electricity consumption during ‘powerDOWN’ events with points that can be redeemed for high-street shopping vouchers or donated to charity. It has now been adapted to create a separate version specifically for Scottish Power's customers.  
News
Shell’s B2B arm hit with seven-figure fine for overcharging
Ofgem has issued a £1.6 million fine to Shell’s B2B energy arm for “serious overcharging of business customers”. The regulator found that Shell-owned Hudson Energy Supply UK (HES) - now Shell Energy UK - breached 10 licence conditions by outsourcing elements of its day-to-day customer operations without appropriate supervision. Issues found included “serious unjustified overcharging” of customers, as well as failure to return credit refunds owed.  
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Demand Flexibility Service to go live for first time this winter
National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) has announced that a live Demand Flexibility Service (DFS) event will take place for the first time this winter. The ESO said that it plans to use the service to mitigate “tighter than normal” electricity supply margins and is seeking to reduce demand by 550MW between 5pm and 6.30pm on Wednesday (29 November) evening.
News
What the water sector can learn from the smart energy meter rollout
While it often comes under fire for its slow progress and lack of consumer interest, there is a lot the water sector can learn from the smart energy meter rollout according to Baringa director Will Lewis. Writing for Utility Week, Lewis outlines the challenges faced by the water sector in its own smart rollout and how it can overcome them.
Opinion
Centrica in ‘fire and rehire’ court battle
GMB and Centrica are once again locked in a dispute over the latter’s major restructure plans, with the union claiming the energy company offered payments to thousands of engineers so they would accept worse terms and conditions. A hearing at Reading Employment Tribunal is on behalf of 3,000 British Gas engineers who GMB claims were offered inducements prior to the bitter fire and rehire dispute. 
News
Calls for small business standing charge freeze
Small firms should have their energy standing charges frozen this winter and have access to a 14-day contract cooling off period, a trade body has urged. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has released its latest Small Business Index which shows that utilities are a cost driver for a majority of small firms, with more than 57% citing utilities as the main cause for rising business costs in Q3 this year, down slightly from 62% the previous quarter.
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Octopus makes first acquisition from £3bn wind fund
Octopus Energy has acquired a 12.5% stake in the Walney Extension windfarm site in the Irish Sea. It is the first deal made through its dedicated £3bn wind fund to grow its portfolio of renewably generated energy
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