Nottingham City Council to set up energy company to rival 'big six'
| Posted: March 10, 2014
By Alexander Britton
Nottingham city council's energy firm will be run on a non-profit making basis
Comments (28)
AROUND £1 million of council taxpayers' money is to be spent setting up an energy company – the first of its kind in the country.
More than 177,000 households across Notts could soon benefit from cheaper energy bills – saving up to £120 a year, it is claimed – when the new firm is set up by Nottingham City Council.
The council says it will run its company on a non-profit making basis to do battle with "the big six" energy firms.
The current plan is to launch the scheme next year – with a high-street shop, call centre and other staff leading to the project becoming a potential "million pounds plus" scheme.
Alan Clark, the city council's portfolio holder for energy and sustainability, said the scheme was needed to help cut fuel poverty.
He added: "Our aim isn't and never will be to be like one of the six big energy suppliers – we want to be much better than that.
"The way supply chains work means that we can offer the best possible deals to Nottingham people, including people living in the Nottingham conurbation such as Arnold, Beeston or West Bridgford."
The energy company will see any profit reinvested in energy supply.
It will use electricity generated from the Eastcroft incinerator as well as excess from solar panels, waste food plants and electricity and gas bought from the market at "competitive rates".
Aspley resident Sue Stevenson, 67, welcomed the idea. "Money is tight at the moment and people wonder whether to put the heating on or wear another jumper," she said.
"Everyone is hunting around for a good deal because it's all so expensive and, if the city council is looking at making it cheaper, a lot of people will be interested."
David Jones, 79, of Wollaton, chairman of the Nottingham Pensioners' Action Group, said: "When you are a pensioner you have limited means of increasing your income so, with energy bills increasing as they are, it is a big problem. This is an interesting scheme and anything that can be done to help people with their energy bills is to be welcomed."
Martin Thomas, of West Bridgford, set up his own company supplying gas called Better Energy in 2010, and has more than 350 customers
. He said: "If the city council comes in as a big player, it has systems in place already and has the capital to make it work."
. He said: "If the city council comes in as a big player, it has systems in place already and has the capital to make it work."
What do you think of the council's plans to create its own energy company?
www.peoplebeforeprofit.org.uk
Google South London Green Energy Co-Op making it happen for real in Lewisham and Greenwich.
Read
No comments:
Post a Comment