What’s happening in the energy market?
Latest news
- What’s the latest on the energy price cap?
- Latest on the Energy Price Guarantee Scheme.
- Alternative Fuel Payment.
- What to do if you are struggling to pay your bills.
- Read our advice about how to save energy at home.
- Do I need to give a meter reading?
- Find out why it’s best to stay with your current energy supplier.
- Controlled power outages.
What’s the latest on the energy price cap?
From 1st January 2024, the energy price cap will be set at an annual level of £1,928 for a dual fuel household paying by direct debit based on typical consumption. This is an increase from the previous price cap level of £1,834 which reflects recent increases in wholesale energy prices.
Energy Price Guarantee
The Government Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) is a discount on the unit rates of energy provided by the government to help with the high costs of bills. It is only applied when unit rates go above a certain threshold.
At the moment, that threshold is £3,000. As the price cap and our Good Energy Standard tariff are below this threshold, the EPG discount is no longer being applied to bills. Customers on prepayment meters will still receive some financial support.
If prices rise again in the future, the EPG may once again be applied to unit rates – we will update this page as and when the government provides information about this.
Read more about the Government Energy Price Guarantee here.
What to do if you are worried about paying for your energy
If you’re struggling to afford your energy, it’s really important you seek help. Let us know by calling us or emailing hello@goodenergy.co.uk. We will do what we can to support you, for example by getting you set up on a monthly payment plan that you can afford.
There’s also lots of independent support available if you’re struggling with energy, including from Citizen’s Advice. They are the official source of free and independent energy advice. Visit their website or call them on 0808 223 1133
You can also contact National Energy Action if you’ve built up a debt with your energy bills. Call 0800 304 7159, Monday to Friday 10.00am-12.00 noon.
Energy saving tips
- Turn off appliances: Electronic devices still use electricity when they are on standby can cost over £100 a year.
- Use a smart thermostat and put your heating on a timer
- Ensure your home is well insulated
- Switch to more energy efficient appliances is to swap your lightbulbs to LEDs, which use 85% less energy
- Only fill the kettle with as much water as you need
- Wash your clothes at 30 degrees
Read more about how to save energy.
Why have the prices been so high?
The price of electricity is set by the cost of gas – even when it’s generated from renewable sources. Ongoing gas supply issues are causing increased risks in the energy market. One of the biggest is Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the reduction in the amount of gas it supplies to Europe. While prices in 2023 have been lower than in 2022,
Good Energy continues to supply genuine 100% renewable electricity. While our operating costs have increased dramatically, oil and gas companies are making huge profits. You can read more about the reasons behind high energy prices on our blog.
Do I need to give a meter reading?
We receive lots of meter readings when energy prices change, but in many cases you don’t need to submit one on the day.
For example, if you have a smart meter, your meter sends us readings automatically. If you don’t have a smart meter, read more about when to submit meter readings – including how to avoid busy times such as when the energy price cap changes.
Controlled power outages
Sometimes, there is a higher demand for electricity across the UK than supply. This can be more likely to happen during the winter when we tend to use more power at peak times of day.
To maintain the electricity network when there is a shortage, National Grid and Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) can introduce controlled power outages. These events are rare, as other measures, such as instructing heavy industrial energy users to switch off or reduce, are implemented first.
However, if an energy shortage is particularly extreme, the government can approve the use of controlled power outages. This reduces national demand and will mean that any shortage of electricity does not lead to the entire national grid losing power.
What are ‘Rota Load Block Alpha Identifiers’?
To make controlled power outages as fair as possible, the country is split into 18 areas (or ‘blocks’), which can be temporarily ‘turned off’ for short periods. The affected areas will be rotated so that no single area in the UK is left without power for too long. These areas are assigned letters called ‘Rota Load Block Alpha Identifiers’.
What should I do during a controlled power outage?
An event such as this will be communicated across all media channels. If this happens, the best thing to do is to check the website powercut105.com, where the most up to date information will be available. This will include your identifier, whether you can expect an outage and if so when.
The website also tells you who your network operator is, which is also listed on your bill. Your network operator is responsible for ensuring electricity is delivered to your home — speak to them if you have a critical need for continuous electricity supply such as for medical requirement.
You can visit the website or call 105 if you experience a power cut at any time to be connected to your network operator.
If you want the full picture on what’s been happening,
please read our blogs:
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