Solarplicity is ‘exiting the utilities services business’

Solarplicity has confirmed it is “exiting the utilities services business”, just days after the transfer of thousands of its customers to Toto Energy.

The company said it is “restructuring” to focus on its core operations in renewable energy.

A Solarplicity spokesperson told Utility Week: “We can confirm that Solarplicity is exiting the Utility Services and SPTMY business and restructuring the company to focus on our core operations in renewable energy.

“First and foremost we are a renewable technology business striving to fight fuel poverty and make renewable energy available to everyone.

“We will be announcing exciting new developments for our business as well as for our retail energy customers in the coming days.”

Last week, Solarplicity Utility Services was revealed to be in administration, with Price Bailey LLP appointed as administrator on 30 July.

Solarplicity Supply, meanwhile, is currently subject to a provisional order from Ofgem which was confirmed on 6 August.

Utility Week has asked Solarplicity to clarify whether the latest announcement means its retail arm is ceasing to trade. The company declined to comment further but added it was considering all its options.

As well as taking on a majority of Solarplicity’s customers, Brighton-based Toto also said it will become the preferred supplier of grid energy for the company’s community energy scheme.

Last week, a number of Solarplicity’s related companies were revealed to be in administration while a winding up application was expected be lodged against Solarplicity Supply.

Ofgem announced last month that the supplier had again failed to pay money owed to feed-in-tariff (FIT) generators and was in danger of having the provisional order confirmed.

In a statement released on 10 July, the regulator said that while Solarplicity did meet the requirement to make outstanding payments by 16 May, it had recently failed to make other FIT payments.

Specifically it noted that the supplier wrote to “at least” nine FIT generators stating that payments due on 28 June would be delayed. On 3 July it contacted Ofgem and advised it would not be making those payments.

Meanwhile, the accounts for Solarplicity have been listed as “overdue” on the Companies House website since February, something which prompted speculation the company may be in financial difficulty.

In response to the claims, Solarplicity said there was no specific reason for the delay.

A spokesperson said: “The statements are currently sitting with the auditors to sign off.

“They have not suggested any changes to what Solarplicity originally submitted.

“As such, we expect to be able to be in a position to sign off these accounts very soon.”

In February, the company was slapped with a banning order for customer service failings. Ofgem decided not to confirm after the supplier significantly improved its customer service arrangements.

Tough trading conditions have seen three other suppliers exit the market already this year – Economy Energy, Our Power and Brilliant Energy.