Octopus scoops up Avro Energy clients as it looks to make move on Bulb September 26, 2021 Octopus Energy will take on the more-than half a million Avro Energy customers left without a provider after the challenger collapsed into administration, Ofgem has confirmed. Avro Energy, which serves 580,000 domestic gas and electricity customers (around two per cent of the entire market), collapsed earlier this month and the company has since been under [...]
Ex-Tesco boss Dave Lewis behind £16bn link to import clean energy from Morocco September 26, 2021 A £16bn project to build the world’s longest power link will supply seven million UK homes with ‘near constant, low-cost clean energy’ according to its new chair, former Tesco boss Sir Dave Lewis. The renewable energy plan by Xlinks will take power from 10.6 gigawatts of large-scale solar and wind farms in Morocco via a [...]
‘Triple-whammy’ of inflation, energy bills and tax rises to eat into household budgets September 26, 2021 Incoming budget pressures over the next six months could squeeze the budgets of many Brits. In fact, a “triple-whammy” may leave low income families more than £1,000 worse off annually, according to a think tank. Inflation, rising energy bills and the looming health and social care tax could leave households worse off even after increases [...]
Homelessness: ‘Perfect storm’ for 5.3m renters as gas prices jump, furlough ends and Universal Credit is cut September 26, 2021 With energy prices rising, the furlough scheme due to end on Thursday and Universal Credit being cut a week later, a “perfect storm for homelessness” is looming for struggling renters. More than a quarter of renters already struggle to heat their homes in winter. A survey carried out by YouGov on behalf of housing charity [...]
Gas crisis: Octopus Energy eyes takeover bid of rival Bulb September 25, 2021 Octopus Energy is reportedly eyeing a takeover of energy challenger rival Bulb, amid the UK’s gas crisis which has drained supplier’s finances. The energy supplier is among the parties which have requested access to data from Bulb’s financial advisers as it attempts to bag fresh funding, Sky News’ Mark Kleinman first reported. The takeover would [...]
Boss of collapsed Avro Energy used firm to pump cash into family accounts September 24, 2021 The boss of Avro Energy reportedly used the recently collapsed energy firm to pump more than £3m into his family’s other businesses and accounts. The firm’s collapse has led to around 580,000 families fearing higher bills this winter and is the biggest failure of a household supplier so far amid the UK’s gas crisis. Jake [...]
Government denies there is shortage of fuel amid BP and Esso closing gas stations September 24, 2021 The government is urging Brits “buy fuel as normal”, after the ongoing lorry driver shortage issue reached gas stations yesterday. BP said a number of its filling stations are closed due to a lack of fuel available, while Esso owner ExxonMobil also said a “small number” of its Tesco Alliance petrol forecourts have been impacted. [...]
Drill, baby, drill: Arctic set for £230bn oil and gas bonanza with JPMorgan, Barclays and Citi piling in September 23, 2021 Oil and gas companies are set to ramp up production in the Arctic by 20 per cent in the next five years, according to a new report shared with City A.M. this morning. The main Arctic expansionists – Gazprom, Total and ConocoPhillips – are backed by hundreds of billions of pounds from dozens of City [...]
Energy crisis: Ofgem and Kwasi Kwarteng resist pressure and agree price cap is not going anywhere September 21, 2021 Kwasi Kwarteng and Ofgem chief executive Jonathan Brearley have confirmed they had taken a unified position over the price ceiling continuing. The energy regulator and the Business Secretary agreed the energy price cap must “remain in place” during crunch talks to find a solution to record gas costs. Kwarteng held a crisis meeting with the [...]
Perfect energy storm: Do the gas price hikes mean your bills will rise? September 20, 2021 Government ministers and energy companies are in crisis talks today, as the price of gas has soared in recent weeks, putting several energy suppliers out of business and forcing some factories to stop production altogether. The price of wholesale gas has surged by 250 per cent since the beginning of the year and added 70 [...]