Gas retail

Citizens Advice calls for ‘essential services taskforce’

Citizens Advice is pushing for the creation of an ‘essential services taskforce’ to simplify and improve the support received by vulnerable customers. In its ‘Getting support to those who need it’ report the consumer charity outlines a number of challenges faced by vulnerable customers, namely the complicated process of supplying multiple service providers with their relevant data.

Smart meter installs increase year-on-year for first time since lockdown

Consumer trust ‘is essential to energy transition’

Building consumer trust in the energy sector, as well as using technology to drive forward change, will be key components of the energy transition, industry observers have stressed. Speaking during a panel discussion at the annual Energy UK conference, industry leaders discussed the future of energy retail markets following the pandemic.

Are we sleepwalking into a two-tier energy market?

Today’s energy customers have a plethora of choice in energy tariffs and access to green technologies. Yet concerns have been raised about the prospect of some consumers being left behind, and a two-tier market emerging in which tech-savvy prosumers benefit from a smarter system while poorer customers miss out. Adam John reports.

Warm Home Discount to be extended by one year

Scottish Power takes on Tonik Energy customers

Scottish Power has been appointed by Ofgem to take on the 130,000 domestic customers of failed power supplier Tonik Energy. Utility Week previously revealed that Scottish Power was in contention for Tonik’s customers.

Covid should ‘supercharge’ smart PPM rollout

Centrica postpones ‘fire and rehire’ proposals

Groundhog Day for the energy sector

Just days after Ofgem revealed the supplier owed £8.7 million in renewables obligations (RO) and feed-in-tariff payments, Tonik Energy was no more - by far the largest supplier to exit the market in 2020. But, the tale of a business failure days after the RO bills are announced is becoming a familiar one. Utility Week examines how it all went wrong - and who will pick up the pieces.

Rise in wholesale costs sees challengers increase tariffs

Pure Planet has announced a price increase due to the rise in wholesale costs as countries around the world emerge from the first phase of the coronavirus lockdown. Pure Planet co-founder Chris Alliot said in addition to the rise in wholesale prices, non-commodity costs, which make up a large part of energy bills, have also been going up.

Centrica to ‘leap-frog competition’ with British Gas Evolve

Tonik Energy becomes third supplier of 2020 to cease trading

Smart meter deal to solve procurement issues for challengers

Landis+Gyr has renewed its partnership with Calvin Capital in a deal it says will reduce the challenges faced by smaller energy suppliers in procuring smart meters. Under the new deal Landis+Gyr will provide SMETS2 smart meters to challenger energy brands which use Calvin Capital as their meter asset provider (MAP).

EDF MD: Why I was wrong about the pandemic

Six months into the pandemic and EDF Energy has had plenty of time to understand its impact on both its business and consumers. Managing director Philippe Commaret catches up with Utility Week and explains how his fears about the impact on the smart meter rollout have dissipated, how energy consumption patterns bode well for home workers and how a new service is helping customers with a smart meter better understand their usage.

Seven suppliers owe £34m in missed RO and FIT payments

Seven energy suppliers owe the regulator £34 million in Renewables Obligation (RO) and Feed-in Tariff (FIT) scheme payments. Figures released by Ofgem show Robin Hood Energy owes in excess of £12 million, while Tonik Energy has failed to pay £8.6 million.