At a policy committee meeting earlier this week, lead councillor for strategic environment, planning and transport Tony Page was asked whether the council is considering joining other local authorities in a bid to democratise energy supply and reduce bills.
Page said: “Reading has been in conversation with a number of other southern local authorities to consider the possibility of working together to establish a joint arrangement to supply energy locally.
“A number of local authorities in the UK have taken forward initiatives to supply energy to their residents.”
Page added that to become fully licensed to sell power without working with an energy company would be a difficult and expensive process.
Nottingham City Council successfully set up Robin Hood Energy last year with a full supply licence, and earlier this year Bristol City Council set up the second municipal energy company, Bristol Energy, which supplies the whole of the UK.
Reading Borough Council was one of the founding councils of APSE Energy, a collaboration of local authorities that seeks to bring about the municipalisation of energy and through this has discussed the possibility of a support relationship with Robin Hood Energy.
Page said: “Given the complexity, upcoming changes and current restrictions on local authorities to operate independently of the existing energy companies, careful consideration needs to be made of the right approach.”
Reading Borough Council will continue to discuss options for local energy supply with other southern authorities.