Wind

Competition referral can only do good

“When you ain’t got nothing, you ain’t got nothing to lose.” The wisdom of Bob Dylan could fairly be applied to the energy supply sector this week, with Ofgem expected to fire the starting gun on a Competition and Markets Authority referral on Thursday, after Utility Week went to press. Perhaps the only surprise here was the degree to which sections of the market cranked up the publicity machine in opposition to a referral at the beginning of the week. Why bother? Public perception of energy suppliers is at an all-time low, the energy secretary is personally intervening with sledgehammer hints about breaking up the biggest supplier, and the regulator is set for the chop.

11 years ago