On 1 September, Octopus Energy announced that it had reached an agreement to acquire the energy retail arm of Shell Energy. This means that Shell Energy's 1.4 million energy customers will be moved to Octopus once the deal is completed (which is expected to be in the fourth quarter of 2023).
Shell Energy is the new name of the energy supplier formerly known as First Utility. The rebranding of First Utility came in early 2019 following Shell's acquisition of the supplier in 2018. The supplier offers 100% renewable electricity across all of its tariffs.
As of July 2023, Shell Energy has a TrustPilot score of 4.3 from nearly 70,000 reviews.
Shell Energy has a mobile app which is available to both iOS and Android users. Customers can use it to view their bills, make payments, stay on top of their balance and get in touch with customer service if needed.
You can get a smart meter with Shell Energy and its installation partner. In 2022, the supplier planned to install 236,116 smart meters and actually installed 240,366 smart meters. In 2023, its installation target is 199,728 smart meters.
Shell Energy's range of energy efficiency products isn't as extensive as other suppliers'. Through its partner HomeServe, customers can arrange boiler servicing and replacement, but there are no services along the lines of heat pump installation offered.
Shell Energy isn't going bust, but it will cease to exist at some point at the end of 2023 when it is sold to Octopus Energy. Shell customers will become Octopus customers but credit balances will be protected and energy supplies won't be cut off at any time.
However, if Shell customers wish to switch to a different supplier before Shell is acquired by Octopus, they are free to do so.
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