Britain’s second largest energy supplier has confirmed it will not increase standard household energy prices this winter, capping them at their current level to give customers “peace of mind”.
The freeze follows price increases in October from independent suppliers GB Energy Supply and Ecotricity of 30 per cent and 5.7 per cent respectively. The suppliers blame the rises on growing wholesale costs and GB Energy Supply warned that “many small suppliers” will have to make similar price changes.
SSE managing director of retail Will Morris said: “We understand that the prospect of increasing bills during the colder months is a real concern for customers, particularly as they start to turn up the heating. So today we’re giving them peace of mind that no matter what happens we will not increase our standard household energy prices during the winter, until at least next April.
“This follows our unique two and a half year price freeze in March 2014, since which time we’ve also cut prices three times for our standard customers as we work to keep prices as low as possible for as long as possible.”
Earlier this month SSE’s financial results revealed a 13 per cent drop in profits which it blamed on the weather, falling customer numbers, and smart meter rollout costs. The supplier has also committed to improve services needed for competitors to connect customers to its distribution network after Ofgem closed the investigation into whether the supplier infringed competition law.