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Scottish Power, Bulb and Shell Energy have all told Utility Week they will not be following industry peers in furloughing staff. EDF has said that while it continues to monitor the situation, it has not put any employees on leave.
4 years ago
Igloo Energy has announced a 30 per cent cut to its gas prices as coronavirus continues to impact global wholesale prices. However, industry observers do not expect other suppliers to follow suit.
Ovo Energy has unveiled a series of measures to extend credit and temporary payment reductions to its most vulnerable customers. The supplier added it was working with other retailers and Ofgem to find a solution to longer-term financial hardship. Meanwhile Thames Water has revealed it is working with more than 170 care homes and hospitals across its region to bolster resilience plans during the coronavirus pandemic.
Utility Week has seen a letter from Energy Ombudsman chief executive Matthew Vickers advising energy suppliers on new complaints handling measures, which will allow them an additional month to submit evidence. Going forward the service will also prioritise the most urgent cases.
Matthew Vickers, chief executive of the Energy Ombudsman, has said any government intervention in the energy supply market would be better directed at consumers rather than the retailers themselves. However, another industry expert took a differing view while stressing that suppliers would simply have to accept a dip in revenue from business customers.
A freedom of information request has revealed the extent of nuisance communications by energy suppliers. Communications company Quadient warned that with more consumers will now be trapped at home due to the coronavirus pandemic, there is a huge obligation for companies to act responsibly.
The Performance Assurance Board for the Balancing and Settlement Code has decided to amend its compliance checks in response to the Coronavirus pandemic. The code administrator Elexon has also addressed concerns over the accuracy of the customer profiles used to estimate electricity demand, saying it is still assessing the impact of the lockdown on behaviour but does not believe any changes should be made at the moment.