Latest news with #energyprovider
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sark Electricity sale could see it community-owned
Sark's electricity company is set to be bought by energy provider Island Power and moved into community ownership. Current owner Alan Witney-Price said he had asked for offers of at least £2.4m for Sark Electricity and had received offers from four parties including Chief Pleas. In March, Chief Pleas said it intended to pursue compulsory purchase if necessary to bring the business under government ownership. However, Mr Witney-Price said Island Power would see ownership move to the island's residents with a management team to help deliver the change - the change from private to community ownership needs to be approved by Chief Pleas. More news stories for Guernsey Listen to the latest news for Guernsey Mr Witney-Price said the deal was in line with the agreement previously reached with Island Power in November, which had lapsed in April after Chief Pleas said it intended to carry out a compulsory purchase. He said: "After nearly two decades of conflict under multiple owners the time has come for an approach that expressly benefits the population." Mr Witney-Price continued: "Sadly, the conflict and acrimony from some in Chief Pleas has simply been impossible to resolve. "Even this week, Chief Pleas once again refused permission for a wayleave across the Coupe. "By refusing this vital permission to allow key new infrastructure, Chief Pleas denies Sark the opportunity to grow and to thrive. "Chief Pleas have made it abundantly clear that my investment is not welcome here and I simply must accept that fact." He added: "Ultimately, while I am genuinely disappointed to be exiting in this forced manner, I thoroughly love Sark and this, I believe, is genuinely in the island's best interest." The business transfer is due to take place on 3 July. Chief Pleas said it would respond to the announcement and Mr Witney-Price's comments during the week. Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to Chief Pleas requests cash for Sark Electricity bid Electricity prices in Sark set to increase by 2p Power price rises 'would force business closures' Regulator warns Sark electricity price could treble Sark government to buy island electricity company Why are the lights going out on Sark? Island Power Sark Chief Pleas Sark Electricity
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Sark Electricity set to become community owned in sale
Sark's electricity company is set to be bought by energy provider Island Power and moved into community owner Alan Witney-Price said he had asked for offers of at least £2.4m for Sark Electricity and had received offers from four parties including Chief March, Chief Pleas said it intended to pursue compulsory purchase if necessary to bring the business under government Mr Witney-Price said Island Power would see ownership move to the island's residents with a management team to help deliver the change - the change from private to community ownership needs to be approved by Chief Pleas. Mr Witney-Price said the deal was in line with the agreement previously reached with Island Power in November, which had lapsed in April after Chief Pleas said it intended to carry out a compulsory said: "After nearly two decades of conflict under multiple owners the time has come for an approach that expressly benefits the population."Mr Witney-Price continued: "Sadly, the conflict and acrimony from some in Chief Pleas has simply been impossible to resolve. "Even this week, Chief Pleas once again refused permission for a wayleave across the Coupe."By refusing this vital permission to allow key new infrastructure, Chief Pleas denies Sark the opportunity to grow and to thrive."Chief Pleas have made it abundantly clear that my investment is not welcome here and I simply must accept that fact."He added: "Ultimately, while I am genuinely disappointed to be exiting in this forced manner, I thoroughly love Sark and this, I believe, is genuinely in the island's best interest."The business transfer is due to take place on 3 Pleas said it would respond to the announcement and Mr Witney-Price's comments during the week.
The Sun
24-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
British Gas customers urged to follow 11am to 4pm rule this weekend to get half-price electricity
A MAJOR energy supplier will give customers two days of half price electricity this weekend. British Gas offers half-price electricity through its PeakSave scheme on Sundays between 11am-4pm. 1 The scheme rewards customers for shifting their electricity usage to times when there's less demand. To sign up customers need to be a British Gas customers, have a smart meter and then register online for the PeakSave scheme. But this bank holiday, the energy supplier to over seven million households is giving customers an extra day to save on costs. That means the scheme will also run as usual on Sunday May 25, as well as on Monday, May 25. If you are already signed up for the scheme you do not need to anything extra to cash in on the savings. That means cut price bills for anyone doing the washing, cooking, or charging devices during the discount window. Catherine O'Kelly, managing director of British Gas, said: "We're proud to have supported a million customers through our PeakSave scheme, helping them make simple yet impactful changes to how they use energy. "By shifting energy usage to lower-demand periods, households can not only reduce their bills but also support a more flexible, greener energy future. "This extended Bank Holiday offer is our way of saying thank you, and encouraging even more people to take part.' If you are a British Gas customer you should also look out for its Green Flex offers throughout the year. It feels colder than the arctic in my home but I've found the best hack to keep warm without pushing my energy bill up These events offer two hours of half-price electricity when it's windy or sunny and lots of renewable energy is available. And if you are not with British Gas don't worry plenty of other suppliers run similar schemes. EDF gives customers up to four days of free electricity through its Sunday Saver challenges. This is a scheme where customers can earn free electricity on Sundays by shifting the electricity they use during the week. To participate, visit ENERGY SAVING SCHEMES Meanwhile, ScottishPower offers half-price electricity at weekends to its smart meter customers on both Saturday and Sunday. Those registered for Power Saver will receive the discounted rate every Saturday and Sunday between 11am and 4pm. Scottish Power will then credit your bill with money you've saved. To join the scheme you will need to have a smart meter and then register for the scheme online. You can register online by visiting / For every month a customer's peak energy usage is less than 15% they are entered into a prize draw. Five customers win the top prize of £2,000 worth of energy to use over one year, with 200 winning £50 prizes and 22,850 receiving £2 of free energy. Meanwhile, Octopus Energy customers who are signed up for the "Octoplus" can take part in free electricity sessions when wholesale prices fall below zero. The sessions last an hour, and customers can use electricity for free and receive credits for using more than they typically would. All customers with a smart meter, including smart prepay meters, receive an alert the day before each session. When the session begins, they can ramp up their electricity usage - whether it's charging gadgets, running a laundry marathon, or any other household activity. 4 ways to keep your energy bills low Laura Court-Jones, Small Business Editor at Bionic shared her tips. 1. Turn your heating down by one degree You probably won't even notice this tiny temperature difference, but what you will notice is a saving on your energy bills as a result. Just taking your thermostat down a notch is a quick way to start saving fast. This one small action only takes seconds to carry out and could potentially slash your heating bills by £171.70. 2. Switch appliances and lights off It sounds simple, but fully turning off appliances and lights that are not in use can reduce your energy bills, especially in winter. Turning off lights and appliances when they are not in use, can save you up to £20 a year on your energy bills 3. Install a smart meter Smart meters are a great way to keep control over your energy use, largely because they allow you to see where and when your gas and electricity is being used. 4. Consider switching energy supplier No matter how happy you are with your current energy supplier, they may not be providing you with the best deals, especially if you've let a fixed-rate contract expire without arranging a new one. If you haven't browsed any alternative tariffs lately, then you may not be aware that there are better options out there.
The Sun
12-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Easy energy bill mistake that could see you paying hundreds of pounds more
A SIMPLE energy bill mistake could see you paying hundreds of pounds more than you should be. Energy bills remain high for millions of households with the Ofgem price cap set at £1,849 a year. 1 This is the average amount a household on a dual-fuel tariff paying by direct debit is having to fork out. So it pays to cut costs where possible. Make one simple mistake and you could end up paying out hundreds of pounds more on your electricity than you should be though. Economy 7 and 10 tariffs charge you two different rates for electricity based on the time of day. You are usually offered a cheaper rate for seven or 10 hours during the night and a more expensive one during the day time. However, if you're on one of these tariffs and don't make the most of the off-peak rates, you could end up paying more than if you were on a standard tariff. Natalie Mathie, energy expert at Uswitch, said the simple error could end up costing you £219 more a year under the current price cap. She explained: "One major UK energy provider charges 34p per kWh for electricity to its standard customers, on average. "Its night rate for Economy 7 tariff customers is just over 16p per kWh, compared with more than 42p during the day — which is around a fifth (21%) more expensive than the unit rate on a standard tariff. "But the average UK household uses 2,700kWh of electricity a year, so if they used this all at an Economy 7 day rate of 42p it would cost them £1,138 – compared with only £919 on a standard deal." From TV to energy... tips to save you money on 7 bills that are going up in April Of course, the likelihood of someone being on an Economy 7 or 10 tariff and using all their electricity during peak hours is unlikely. But, in any case, it's worth checking if you're on one of the tariffs using the bulk of your energy during peak times and could save money switching to a standard tariff. You can also quickly find out if you're on an Economy 7 or 10 tariff by checking your bill. If you're considering switching from an Economy 7 tariff to a standard tariff, get in touch with your energy firm. If you're not happy with the rates they're offering you on the new standard tariff, you can always shop around and go with another supplier. What are Economy 7 or 10 tariffs? Economy 7 or 10 tariffs charge you different rates of electricity based on the time of day. Economy 7 tariffs are more common than Economy 10, with cheaper rates for Economy 7 tariffs usually running from midnight to 7am. The main advantage to them is that you can save money on your overall energy bill if you use more electricity during off-peak hours. For example, if you need to charge an electric car or a storage heater, which is an electric appliance that stores heat generated during off-peak hours and releases it during the day. They are also mainly designed for households that generate all their power from electricity rather than electricity and gas. To sign up to an Economy 7 tariff, you'll need a smart meter or a dedicated Economy 7 meter installed in your home. If you think you might be suited to an Economy 7 or 10 tariff, make sure you shop around for the best deals and rates. You can do this through price comparison websites like Go Compare and Uswitch. It's worth bearing in mind, some older Economy 7 meters are set to stop working from later this summer. Any that use the "Radio Teleswitch Service" (RTS) to transmit and receive data will become defunct from July 1. If you think you have an RTS meter, contact your supplier to find out when it can be upgraded, most likely to a smart meter. Some RTS meters have a transmitter or separate teleswitch box next to your electricity meter. How to save money on your energy bills The quickest and surest way of saving money on your energy bills is reducing how much energy you actually use. This means dialling down your thermostat by one or two degrees, or switching halogen lightbulbs for LED ones, which the Energy Saving Trust says saves you around £1-£4 per year per light bulb. Beware of appliances that guzzle through energy as well, including tumble dryers which are notoriously expensive to run. In the current market, you could save money by switching from a standard variable energy tariff to a fixed tariff too. Fixed tariffs charge you the same unit rate for gas and electricity over the contract term rather than standard variable tariffs where the unit rates fluctuate based on the price cap. Whether you'll save money opting for a fixed tariff really depends as you pay different amounts based on where you live and your usage.
BBC News
08-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Louise Minchin
For more information on the predicted energy price cap, click a list of the Ofgem-accredited price comparison websites to help you compare deals, click here, before switching energy provider, it's important to ask yourself the following questions:Are there special offers or discounts? How long will these run for?Are there extra or hidden charges?Is the payment schedule and method right for you?How much is the standing charge and the consumption charge?To calculate whether switching energy provider is worth it for you, multiply your current rates by your past year's energy usage (in kWh), then do the same with the new capped is an example calculation:
