We did not need a single switching site before privatisation. Unless I am mistaken, not many of the vulnerable people are switching, and they are the ones that are being exploited by the present system.

If we do not have a situation where every energy supplier charges exactly the same – and we won’t – then we need to make price comparison and switching providers as easy as possible.

Which? proposed that we had simple unit pricing a couple of years ago. That means that you can compare prices as easily as comparing the price of petrol or loaves of bread.

If price comparison is any more complicated, then we don’t need it.

The Which? proposal was flawed, both on its analysis and on the practical outcome. I hope no notice is taken of it as it will disadvantage many vulnerable consumers and benefit many well-off ones. That is why I proposed tariffs that are appropriate to both groups, so no one is discriminated against in an unintended way.

Prices will not be complicated with such tariffs. What we do not need is unfairness in the name of so-called “simplicity”.

Tariffs were not uniform under the nationalised industries. Switching wasn’t possible though because each regional Gas or Electricity Board maintained its own infrastructure and usually made its own gas or generated its own electricity and the law at the time did not allow for people or commercial customers to have a supply contract with a Board outside their own region. At least privatisation has opened up choice even if computerisation has facilitated the salami-slicing of tariffs which seems to be the main bugbear now.

In line three above, I should have written “distributed its own electricity” because under the nationalised structure most electricity was generated by the Central Electricity Generating Board which operated the power stations and ran the national grid. It sold power to the electricity boards which acted as distributors.

According to Ofgem the privatised distribution systems operate more cheaply in real terms than did the nationalised ones. Around 30% if I remember the figure correctly.

Yes – the nationalised energy suppliers were notoriously inefficient and wasteful and they oversaw the generation of electricity and the production of gas by the dirtiest processes imaginable; they were also at the mercy of the railway and coal mining industries for their raw material. It was only the development of nuclear energy and off-shore gas that brought about any desire for modernisation.

Obviously if privatisation was reversed and the state bought back the assets the new structure would inherit modern plant and systems, but the ancient operating culture would soon embed itself again. It would be a courageous political move to try it out.

It’s generally recognised that competition is beneficial but following privatisation, buying electricity and gas has become extremely complex. I would like to see the competition elsewhere in the energy industry so that the consumer can benefit from competition, yet still have simple pricing, so that everyone can benefit from fair prices.

I agree with that. I think Ofgem is still way behind the curve. There are still major problems with customer service at certain energy companies despite regulatory intervention and penalties, but they’re still merrily trading away. Other companies have lost huge numbers of customers but don’t seem too worried about it. A really smart meter would let me change the supplier and tariff directly as the prices change and the bill would come from a ‘clearing house’.

I have not seen a recent figure for the cost of running Ofgem, which is indirectly paid for in our energy bills. I do not know the extent of their regulatory powers but I am disappointed that we still have very complex pricing.

Applause!!! Very well put. Agree.

My expectation is that UK smart meters will be regulated in their use of any wireless technology, just as other home wifi devices will be.

So far, the only ones I have used “phone home” via the power lines and use domestic wifi systems to communicate with their portable display units.

You contact your new supplier as I have done and they will take your details of your average gas/electric consumption ,the size of your house ,what is the type of energy used to cook/heat your home and what sort of bills you are at present paying to work out your average bill with them which will be a yearly amount also converted into KWh and hopefully ,like me find your present company is ripping you off via your electric bill . I will now be with an ECO company using turbines and the profits given to shareholders who in this special case are the customers. All praise to Which as I checked their power company customer satisfaction graph.

Peter – Using Switch with Which? is a good way to check out the different tariffs and T&C’s available. You will need to have your consumption figures to hand. You don’t have to go through with a switch if you don’t wish to – you can just look at all or a selection of the companies and see how their prices compare. If you do wish to switch, it is quick and easy but you should read all the guidance before doing so.

Peter, as John says, try Which? Switch- it seems to cover all the suppliers, lists them in descending order of savings – best first. I use it regularly to check whether I am on the best tariff and have switched through it – easy.

When you have found a potential new supplier (or a better deal from your existing one) you can click on details to find out more about the tariff and compare it with the one you are already on.
If you are on a fixed deal it gives a false reading for the savings you’ll make; it assumes you will revert to your supplier’s standard tariff after your deal expires – a more expensive one – and calculates your yearly spend as a combination of the two. Not helpful.

You don’t have to take both gas and electricity from the same supplier – you can check who is cheapest for each if you wish.

If you want a not-for-profit retailer, you might check out ebico…