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Energy retail

Editor's picks

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.  
News
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.
News
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

October best month for smart installations in 2023
New data has revealed that more smart meters were installed in October than during any other month so far in 2023. October’s figures are 14% higher than September and just under 5% higher than October last year.
News
Making the case for a ‘social discount’
As the cost-of-living crisis plunges more people into energy poverty, calls for a fully formed social tariff continue to grow. Writing for Utility Week, Utilita CEO Bill Bullen gives his take on support options and puts forward the case for a ‘social discount’ to help vulnerable customers.
Opinion
Utility Warehouse co-CEO steps down
Stuart Burnett will become Utility Warehouse’s sole chief executive next summer, with co-chief Andrew Lindsay intending to step down from his role after 16 years with the company. Utility Week spoke to Burnett about the change at the top, after the multi-utility provider announced strong half year results which show an adjusted pre-tax profit increase of more than 35%.
News
Boss of failed energy supplier hit with six-year business ban
A former director of the failed energy firm Extra Energy Supply, which was under investigation by Ofgem when it collapsed in 2018, has been banned from running a business for six years. The Insolvency Service said 48-year-old Mordechay Maurice Ben-Moshe had breached his duty as a director of the company by failing to ensure its compliance with regulations. At the time of its failure, the supplier had 130,000 customers and owed £28.5 million to the Renewables Obligation and Feed-in Tariff schemes.
News
Energy minister resisted PPM ban days before practice paused
A government minister and energy retailers pushed back against calls to introduce a mandatory ban on the forced installation of prepayment meters (PPM) just days before revelations at British Gas came to light, Utility Week can reveal. Meeting minutes obtained via a Freedom of Information request show that energy minister Graham Stuart was particularly concerned that introducing a mandatory moratorium on forced PPM installations would result in an increase in customers refusing to pay their bills.
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Demand reduction measured in last winter’s DFS is ‘too optimistic’
The Electricity System Operator’s methodology for determining demand reductions from customers participating in last winter’s Demand Flexibility Service was “too optimistic”. According to analysis of the results of Octopus Energy’s Saving Sessions by its research facility, Centre for Net Zero, demand reductions from the supplier’s customers were “overestimated” by 13%.
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The nightmare before winter: Under the micro-scope
With many microbusiness energy customers feeling “overlooked, and misunderstood” when it comes to financial support from government, Valda Energy boss Steve James writes for Utility Week about the impact the cost of living crisis is having on these consumers.
Opinion
Utilita calls for networks to bear standing charge burden
Standing charges paid to networks by energy suppliers should be replaced with a unit rate charge to help consumers, the boss of Utilita has suggested. Bill Bullen was speaking to Utility Week in the wake of Ofgem's recent call for input on the matter.
News
So Energy CEO steps down
The chief executive of So Energy is stepping down after two years in the role. Monica Collings took on the position in August 2021 after Irish power supplier ESB acquired a more than 75% stake in the disruptor brand, bringing the two companies together.
News
Energy is ‘becoming a luxury’ for millions
Energy is “becoming a luxury” for millions of UK households and the government’s response to the crisis has been “woefully inadequate”, a national fuel poverty charity has warned. Fuel Bank Foundation, which provides emergency financial support to prepayment meter (PPM) customers, as well as those who use alternative fuels, has published its latest report which highlights the extreme lengths some are going to as a result of fuel poverty. It has made a number of recommendations it wants to see implemented including, among other things, increasing benefits in line with inflation and implementing a national energy efficiency programme.
News
Private rental sector ‘ill-prepared’ for net zero
British Gas has called on the government to introduce kitemarked loans and tax relief for energy efficiency measures in the private rental sector, which it says is “ill-prepared” for net zero. In a new report, Greening the Private Rental Sector, the Centrica-backed supplier highlights what it sees as the focus of home decarbonisation and insulation schemes on low income homeowners and the social rented sector, while the private rental sector “has been left out of policy discussion and research”.
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