British Gas and Npower announce price rises

adminBusiness Electricity, Business Gas, International, Utilities Market Regulation, Wholesale Utilities Markets

Three of the Big Six have now announced winter price increases of between 8 and 11 per cent. Npower and British Gas have joined SSE and Co-op on the list of energy companies that have already announced price hikes this winter. Both suppliers blamed the hikes on higher prices on the global energy markets, higher costs of transmission, and increases … Read More

Is public opinion on shale gas changing?

adminBusiness Gas, Utilities Market Regulation, Wholesale Utilities Markets

Shale gas is an environmental and political hot potato. This article studies how the country’s feelings towards shale gas have evolved. It’s probably the hottest topic in energy at the moment – ‘fracking’ for shale gas. As with any new source of energy, it has drawn protests from hard left groups at exploratory drilling sites and the HQ of energy … Read More

Labour slams Big Six profits

adminBusiness Electricity, Business Gas, Utilities Market Regulation

Figures released by the Labour party last week show that the largest energy suppliers have notched up £3.3 billion in profits since the Conservative-led Coalition came into power. The combined profits of E.ON, EDF Energy, ScottishPower, British Gas, Scottish & Southern and Npower have gone up 73% in the last three years, according to Shadow Energy And Climate Change Secretary … Read More

Fracking ‘could be fast tracked’

adminBusiness Gas, Utilities Market Regulation, Wholesale Utilities Markets

The Growth and Infrastructure Bill, currently going through the House of Lords could give shale gas the go-ahead faster than expected. Shale Gas is the reason many parts of the U.S. are seeing their economy boom. Energy prices have halved in some areas, as their planning and drilling regulations have allowed shale exploration to progress to commercial extraction and sale … Read More

E.ON completes the round of winter price hikes

adminBusiness Electricity, Business Gas

The energy giant pledged not to raise prices in 2012, but is raising them only 18 days into 2013. From the 18th January, E.ON’s household tariffs will be increased by 8.7% on both electricity and gas, it was announced. The German-owned energy supplier made a ‘price promise’ to not raise prices in 2012, but is raising them only weeks after … Read More