Smaller energy suppliers now account for almost 15 per cent of the UK electricity market, according to new figures released by the government.
The latest energy trends report, which was published yesterday by the Department for Energy and Industrial Strategy, shows the market share has increased from 2.7 per cent in 2010 to 14.2 per cent in 2016.
Over the same time period the aggregated market share of the largest nine energy suppliers has fallen 96 per cent in 2010 to 85.8 per cent last year.
The report also shows the top nine major power producers in the UK’s share of generation has decreased from 87 per cent in 2012 to 75 per cent in 2016.
While the number of major electricity suppliers in the UK has increased from 16 in 1989 to 35 last year.
According to the report, there were 20 suppliers to the domestic sector in 2016.
There were 18 commercial electricity suppliers in 2004/5, but this fell to 15 in 2010. Since then, the number of suppliers to the commercial market has increased and stood at 26 in 2016.
And the number of industrial energy suppliers has increased from 20 in 20210 to 26 in 2016.