Following investigations from the office of Angus MacNeil MP, your MP is encouraging isles consumers to check that they are getting the best price by using price comparison websites such as uSwitch.com.  He is also writing to Scottish Hydro on their pricing structure and is encouraging Ofgem to look again at their charging regime, given that domestic customers in the islands are paying between 4% and 12% a unit more for electricity than customers in London.

Angus MacNeil MP said:

“Following personal investigations and investigations from my office, I have been stunned to discover that people using Scottish Hydro can find a saving of about £100 on their annual bill by changing provider, using comparison websites such as uSwitch.com.  Many people we found are on the Hydro’s standard energy plan and seem to be paying over the odds.

“I discovered that some retired couples and even staff in my office  who use a combination of oil and electricity and who have an energy consumption of around 3,500-4,000 per year, can save around £100 or about 18% on their annual electricity bill.   The money is better kept in the pockets of islanders than adding to the profits of the ‘Big Six’ energy companies.  As the advert says, ‘go compare!’

“I would encourage people to check that they are getting the best deal and to help friends and neighbours who might not have a computer to check their deal online as well.  Online checking allows a myriad of deals to be checked quickly and throws up the best deals and is most accurate when people know their annual consumption in kWh units of electricity, which can be seen on the bill.

“Our investigations also showed that there is a discrepancy in the range of prices offered by the ‘Big Six’ providers between the islands and for example London, with British Gas, according to Uswitch.com, charging 4% more while Scottish Hydro, charges 12% more a unit, than they do customers in London.  I will be writing to the Hydro to ask why their costs are so much more.

“This has also prompted me to ask Ofgem why islanders are paying more, is this the effect of transmission charging and if it is we know that the few renewable energy projects on our doorsteps are also subject to high transmission charging as they are allegedly far away from the market place.  I want to know why they can’t be considered as generating for the domestic island market, something that should reduce the element of transmission costs in our bills. ”

 

ENDS.