Huhne blasts ScottishPower as it announces price increases

ScottishPower said today (July 7) it was also increasing electricity bills by an average of 10% leaving its dual fuel customers on average of 48p a day worse off.

The increases will affect approximately 2.4m households across Britain, however, 700,000 households will be protected through capped/fixed priced deals, according to the supplier.

The company will begin notifying affected customers from next week with the changes due to come in by August.

ScottishPower’s UK retail director, Raymond Jack, said: “Wholesale prices for gas and electricity have increased significantly since the end of last year and continuing unrest in global energy markets means future prices are volatile.

We understand times are difficult for many people, and we have done what we can to absorb these additional costs for as long as possible to minimise the impact on our customers”.

Mr Huhne the secretary of state for energy and climate change said: “This will be disappointing news for millions of Scottish Power customers.

“But it underlines why the government is building an escape route from a high fossil fuel future.

“The Green Deal will help householders upgrade their homes to waste less energy, and our electricity market reforms will bring on investment in clean energy sources that are not vulnerable to global price shocks.

“We need to get off the oil price hook and on to clean, green growth.”

Luke Walsh