British Gas

[1of4]

After the twelve percent price rise announced by British Gas for supplying electricity to it's customers, when can we expect the other big suppliers to follow suit even though the electrical wholesale prices are falling.

This surely gives even more argument to why our utility services should be renationalised. The claim made by the Thatcher government, when selling off the nations assets that prices would be kept down with the introduction of competition and market forces have failed miserably due to the cartel formed by the major suppliers.

Most of these suppliers are not British companies some even part owned by foreign governments and so all the profits are leaving the country. 

[Boycie]

Well Mrs May vowed to fight the energy companies. Let's see what happens, I bet she's told them to forget the increase already.

[Phoenix]

As I understand it, It was the only one of the Big 6 energy firms not to raise prices earlier this year, so it's playing catch-up. Not sure if the other Big 5 will follow suite. Probably.

[Gritstone Ram]

Shop around if you can get it cheaper elsewhere they will get the message if they lose customers. 

[1of4]

54 minutes ago, Gritters said:

Shop around if you can get it cheaper elsewhere they will get the message if they lose customers. 

Yes you can shop around and get offered a lower percentage increase than your exciting supplier is offering but we're still being ripped off because electricity wholesale prices are falling at the moment.

[dog]

Going for gas and electric from Good Energy. I might be getting shafted but at least have a slightly cleaner conscience about it.

[dog]

And I wonder if the mail, express and telegraph will be having a go at Mrs May for not taking on the energy companies like she said she would?

No?

 

Odd that.

[froggg]

Have a look at Ovo 

[Gritstone Ram]

11 minutes ago, 1of4 said:

Yes you can shop around and get offered a lower percentage increase than your exciting supplier is offering but we're still being ripped off because electricity wholesale prices are falling at the moment.

We all want cheaper bills but nationalising the utilities?  Can't they just set up a national utility company that provides a competitive alternative. Or are you talking about the generation companies? 

[1of4]

11 minutes ago, Gritters said:

We all want cheaper bills but nationalising the utilities?  Can't they just set up a national utility company that provides a competitive alternative. Or are you talking about the generation companies? 

Nationalise the utility companies. Not considered the generation companies, not sure how it would work with some of the electrical supplies come from abroad.

[Gritstone Ram]

4 minutes ago, 1of4 said:

Nationalise the utility companies. Not considered the generation companies, not sure how it would work with some of the electrical supplies come from abroad.

All of them or just one?

[1of4]

7 minutes ago, Gritters said:

All of them or just one?

All 

[Gritstone Ram]

23 minutes ago, 1of4 said:

All 

Taking away the competition is ok to a point but that can abused just the same. 

[uttoxram75]

I don't think you can ever have true competition in supplying utilities. We all need power and water, its not a fair market so government should supply it at the best possible price to its people. Make a little profit when its cheap and subsidise it when its dear. 

[1of4]

The government have announced that there is to be a commission set up to look at energy pricing.

Is this just a ploy by a failing Tory government, trying to look as if they are concerned about high energy costs without actually having to do anything about them?

[Gritstone Ram]

11 hours ago, uttoxram75 said:

I don't think you can ever have true competition in supplying utilities. We all need power and water, its not a fair market so government should supply it at the best possible price to its people. Make a little profit when its cheap and subsidise it when its dear. 

What about investment in the infrastructure? Depending on how much people want to pay and how much a government wants to invest would determine asset renewal programmes. In the past through different governments over the years and lack of investment we now have an aging water and sewer network. A lot of the assets were built in victorian times. Do you think governments will invest the necessary money in upgrading the networks? You may say yes in the short term but I would bet that this investment will drop off when governments change. A bit like austerity. 

Also I suspect that these nationalised companies will become very inefficient as they will lose their business edge and possibly unable to attract the right skills.

[King Kevin]

Wait until 2040 with all these electric cars on the road .Can't build power stations over night ,they must have thought that one through surely?

 

 

 

[uttoxram75]

44 minutes ago, Gritters said:

What about investment in the infrastructure? Depending on how much people want to pay and how much a government wants to invest would determine asset renewal programmes. In the past through different governments over the years and lack of investment we now have an aging water and sewer network. A lot of the assets were built in victorian times. Do you think governments will invest the necessary money in upgrading the networks? You may say yes in the short term but I would bet that this investment will drop off when governments change. A bit like austerity. 

Also I suspect that these nationalised companies will become very inefficient as they will lose their business edge and possibly unable to attract the right skills.

Good points Gritters.

I reckon long term planning and investment can only happen through government action though. The private sector are too concerned with the next quarter years' target and share price to do it.

The private sector would do the work but under government contract. Its the only way anythings ever got done in the past.

Renewables should be subsidised to attract private investment as they will be cheaper in the long run.

[Gritstone Ram]

1 hour ago, uttoxram75 said:

Good points Gritters.

I reckon long term planning and investment can only happen through government action though. The private sector are too concerned with the next quarter years' target and share price to do it.

The private sector would do the work but under government contract. Its the only way anythings ever got done in the past.

Renewables should be subsidised to attract private investment as they will be cheaper in the long run.

I must admit that with water companies there is no competition but the industry is heavily regulated. I personally think it is a big improvement from the low investment mess it was pre privatisation.

[Wolfie]

2 hours ago, King Kevin said:

Wait until 2040 with all these electric cars on the road .Can't build power stations over night ,they must have thought that one through surely?

 

 

 

Let's hope so. It's going to be one hell of a demand spike every evening when people get home from work & plug their cars in.

I heard something last week about the possibility of having solar panels alongside roads & then contactless charging for vehicles as they drive over it. An interesting idea.