uSwitch gas & electricity news September 2004

ScottishPower today followed in the footsteps of British Gas and Npower, by announcing a significant gas and electricity price rise.

ScottishPower gas customers will pay an average 11.8% more, while electricity customers will see an average 8.8% increase. Today’s price rise is ScottishPower’s second price rise this year, bringing their total increase up to nearly 17%. A high usage customer will now be paying £130 more than last year for their gas and electricity.

Jon Miller, Director at uSwitch.com comments: “Like British Gas and nPower, ScottishPower is blaming a rise on wholesale prices for its latest round of increases. Whilst it’s true that wholesale prices have increased, there is no consistency at the rate in which suppliers are increasing prices and ScottishPower should be prepared to defend this increase to their loyal customer base.”

It’s not all bad news however, as ScottishPower’s online tariff has not been affected by the increases, making it still one of the cheapest on the market.

Npower, the third largest energy supplier in the UK, today announced that they will follow in the footsteps of British Gas and increase gas and electricity prices for the second time this year.

The cost of electricity will rise by an average 6.1%, and gas prices by an average 12.6%. The price rises, effective from the 1st October, will affect both new and existing customers.

For the average customer this means energy bills will rise by £42 for gas, and £23 for electricity.

Npower is hoping to persuade customers not to switch to a cheaper energy supplier, by guaranteeing no further gas or electricity price rises until January 2006.