Symbio Energy ordered to pay £450,000 into FIT scheme

Ofgem has issued Symbio Energy with a provisional order compelling the supplier to pay almost £450,000 into the Feed-in Tariff (FIT) scheme.

The Watford-based supplier recently told Ofgem it will make its levelisation payment for the first quarter of year 12 of the scheme on 3 September – three weeks after the 11 August deadline. The regulator said this is not acceptable and ordered Symbio Energy to pay the outstanding amount “forthwith”.

Administered by Ofgem, the FIT scheme provides payments to owners of small-scale renewable energy generators and is funded through compulsory levies on suppliers.

Ofgem is additionally consulting on a final order requiring Symbio to respond to a request for information on the supplier’s cash flow forecasts.

The request follows its failure to make previous deadlines for payments for both the FIT and Renewables Obligation (RO) schemes. Ofgem stressed this kind of request for information is common and routine for it to issue.

If Symbio fails to comply, it could end up having its licence revoked and Ofgem may open a formal investigation into the potential non-compliance, which could result in the supplier paying a penalty.

In January this year, Ofgem launched an investigation into Symbio over its failure to meet RO and FIT payment deadlines.

The disruptor brand was listed as owing more than £500,000 in RO payments last year, having missed the deadline to present Renewables Obligation Certificates by 1 September and failing to pay into the buy-out fund by 31 August. It further failed to meet the 31 October late payment deadline.

Following the investigation, the regulator proposed to fine Symbio £100,000. This was confirmed by Ofgem in May, with it rejecting protestations by the supplier that the penalty was disproportionate.

In April, Trustpilot announced it too was investigating Symbio over the nature of its responses to customers leaving negative feedback.

The consumer review website also issued a “cease and desist” notice to the retailer.