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Tempus Energy insists CMA report will not increase competition

Independent supplier Tempus Energy has slammed the probe into the energy market by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), insisting it will not increase competition or incentivise customers to switch.

The investigation was launched by the CMA following a recommendation from Ofgem to assess competition and customer engagement within the market in 2014.

Speaking at a conference in London, Tempus Energy director and general counsel Sophie Yule said: “It shouldn’t be down to the big six to tell customers to switch away from them, there should be active competition and the role of the regulators is to strip away all of the barriers to enable newcomers to come forward.

“It should be the newcomers nipping at the heels of the big six to make them decide that they want to look at prices and incentivise customers to shop around, so has the CMA helped in this respect? We don’t think so.”

The independent supplier – which entered the market after the CMA’s investigation was launched – accused the report of focusing on the “thin crust of the retail market”, ignoring the capacity, balancing and wholesale markets.

Suppliers are currently in consultation with the CMA on its provisional findings and the final report is expected in June 2016.