Will government get tough on energy? We quiz Chris Huhne

* Reversing past legislation that reduced the storage capacity required for the UK’s energy needs would be a good start.
It cannot be right that those who took the decision to allow storage capacity to be reduced to just 5% of our energy needs, are not called to account for their actions.
The people of the UK are paying, in part, to buy back energy that we originally bought and sold for a lower price, to be stored in other countries, then purchased back when we need it, of course for a higher price.
What does the minister has to say about what has been/is being, done about this?
I have heard not one word on this subject from his office.

* When British gas were increasing their prices this summer, their chairman stated one of the three main reasons for their rise was down to “lower consumption”
Proof from the horse’s mouth of what every person in the UK has known for years – the less energy we use, the more the energy companies increase the price, to maintain their profits.
At a time when we, the taxpayer, are funding the energy saving trust and in part, the money given to them by the energy companies and the energy company’s own “energy saving schemes” – via our bills and taxes – that the energy minister doesn’t have a comment to make about this is staggering!

* Energy saving government initiatives from the past government and this government, are said by the energy companies, to be pushing up the prices of bills.
It’s all well and good for the energy minister and the Department for Energy and Climate Change to point to their belief that this will save Billions in the long term, but this is all it is, belief.
Do “energy saving measures” work?
In my personal experience, it is a resounding NO!
British gas supply our home with gas.
After various calls over months, their staff could not explain how they arrived at their prices charged.
Their staff are not even permitted access to the weekly changing Calorific Value that is used in the calculation of the amount of gas you get per unit on your meter.

When the actual units of gas being used are examined, the results are frightening.
Over the past four years, our home has had the following “energy saving measures” installed;
– Extra layers of loft insulation
– Replacement of a G rated back boiler, with an A rated “energy efficient” boiler (that does not have a pilot light burning 24 hours a day)
– Room thermostat fitted
– TRV (Thermostatic radiator valves) fitted
– Cavity wall insulation fitted
– Exterior render (2 coats) added and the outside of the building sealed
– Double glazing through out

In addition, the gas fire has been removed and we have one child less living here for the past four months – which accounts for at least 100 baths of hot water saved, not to mention lower gas use for cooking, heating, cleaning, etc.
British gas sent me a statement out in August 2011, telling me clearly that our gas use had actually INCREASED!

I asked how this was physically possible, the response was to have the phone put down on me three times, one call wasn’t even logged on account notes, incorrect call logs, and two staff whom insited that the units of gas used on the statement were not accurate. British gas billing are trained to be evasive.
Finally, a senior billing member of staff conceded that the gas units on the statement were accurate.
We went through each “energy saving measure” individually, the conclusion at the end of the lengthy phone call from British gas was…… “We don’t know, all we can do is wait until we have next year’s gas use figures are available!” – They advised this last year as well.

The energy companies openly state that initiatives they have to bring in are pushing up the cost of bills, yet the minister and his department have no comment to make or action to take. Why not?
With the exception of insulation, the vast majority of energy saving measures leave the home out of pocket, in bills and over the life of them. Why is this? What are the government doing to address this?

* OFGEM – what is going on?
It is of no use compiling a study and reviews that will run months after record price rises and bills have landed.
Why not ACT to stop price rises until after their work has been done?
If the “regulator” (and I use that term loosely) does not have the powers to do this, then what is the minister doing about it?
What is the government’s view on this?

Every man and his dog, can see that energy companies are deliberately confusing the public over how tariffs are made up and how charges are presented in statements and bills.
When energy companies are put on the spot, they simply do not have an answer.
If their own staff do not understand how bills are calculated or what charges are made up of, then how are we as customers supposed to work it out?

Since coming to office, the responses from the energy minister have been sadly lacking any reality.
Vague statements, no direction, no action to deal with the issues and hardship that people will be dealing with over the next four or five winters, shows that the minister is clearly out of touch with what is actually happening in reality.
I know this is not the place to post it, but it has to be said, rather than give the same vague answers to the energy companies actions, over and over again, he would be better off considering if he is the right person to hold the position as our energy minister!

I was at the Lib Dems’ conference and it was clear that energy is a priority for many people who were there. It was good to hear the right messages from Chris Huhne but I feel that consumers will want to see action. Promises will not help to pay our bills this winter. Straight after Christmas, when we get our high gas and electricity bills, I really hope that we have seen some leadership from the government to demonstrate that they are trying to make sure that we are getting a fairer deal when it comes to energy. The first step is sorting out how suppliers put together our bills by forcing suppliers to give us clearer and simpler tariffs. Yesterday I was in the supermarket and could work out exactly how much I was paying for a bag of apples as the price included per kilo and per pound. The info on the price label meant I could easily compare the price of one apple with another. It’s ridiculous that I can’t do the same with my gas and electricity.

I agree with all the comments above – we are only asking for a equal playing field to compare like for like. The present system is set up to deliberately confuse the consumer and as far as I can see could be very easily corrected if the government would stand up to these companies and just bind them by law to simplify and make clear – how much a unit of gas or electricity will cost £? no matter which company it is. Never mind the standing charges, the 1st 500 or whatever units are X amount then after that the cost is Y amount – good god – you need a degree in maths! Introduce legislation and get this sorted asap.