npower supplies gas and electricity to around 4 million customers in the UK.
npower, originally established as National Power in 1990 following the privatisation of the state-owned Central Electricity Generating Board, is now owned by RWE Group which incorporates Germany’s leading gas and electricity companies.
npower supplies gas and electricity to around 4 million customers and produces around 10% of the electricity used in the UK.
To compare all energy suppliers including npower and find the cheapest tariff for you enter your post code in the green box to the right. To learn more, keep reading:
Customer satisfaction
The results of our 2012 customer satisfaction awards:
npower achieved sixth place amongst the six major suppliers with an overall score of 51.8%.
This survey was conducted by YouGov online between 8th and 14th November, 2012.
A total of 5,071 UK energy customers took part in the survey. Customers were asked their opinions on a wide range of issues relating to satisfaction with their energy suppliers. The figures have been weighted.
Recent price changes and where npower rank
In October 2012, npower announced it would raise its gas prices by 8.8% on gas, and 9.1% on electricity. The increase went into effect the following month, in November 2012. The announcement was made on the same day that British Gas announced it would be raising its prices by 6%.
The table below shows which of the big six energy suppliers, including npower, last raised and dropped their prices, by how much and when:
| Supplier | Date effective | Average gas price change (%) | Average electricity price change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
January 18 2013 |  9.4% |
7.7% |
|
December 7 2012 | 10.8% |
10.8% |
|
December 3 2012 | 7% |
7% |
|
November 26 2012 | 8.8% |
9% |
|
November 16 2012 | 6% |
6% |
|
October 15 2012 | 9% |
9% |
How do npower generate energy, their 'fuel mix'
- 28%Coal
- 60%Gas
- 9%Green
- 1%Nuclear
- 2%Other
Average from all UK suppliers
- 29%Coal
- 44%Gas
- 17%Nuclear
- 8%Green
- 2%Other
Information taken from the Energy Saving Trust.
Why we like npower
npower is part of the Accurate Bills Code of Practice, created by the industry trade group Energy UK, committing it to producing clearer bills that are easier for customers to understand.
npower's parent company, the RWE Group, is one of the five largest gas and electricity companies in Europe, and has over 16 million electricity customers and 8 million gas customers.
RWE npower renewables is one of the biggest wind-power and hydroelectric generators.