Anyone with Npower?

[Angelic]

Re: Anyone with Npower?

So my 'time' with Npower came to an end today...finally!!

I've not had to pay for 3 months of electricity and they're sending me a 'token gesture' to apologise

[5corpio]

Re: Anyone with Npower?

And we thought we may be hard up with Power Suppliers

Energy crisis threatens to derail Pakistan's growth

Pakistan has a serious electricity problem. Ask Mohammed Yasin, who sells sugarcane juice from a small, rented shop in Karachi's Neelum Colony.

For months, his business has been suffering because of unplanned power outages, often lasting eight to ten hours. "I got fed up and finally had to buy this run-down diesel generator," he says pointing to the noisy equipment that is helping turn the wheel of his cane-crushing machine.

"The costs of a diesel generator are a major dent in my earnings, but what else can I do?" he asks.

Mohammed is only one of millions who have been affected in Pakistan; a country where power cuts have become a national frustration, often overshadowing concerns about Pakistan's security situation. Spontaneous protests by citizens fed up with power blackouts have become an almost daily occurrence in cities and towns across the.........Read more on this story: HERE

[5corpio]

Re: Anyone with Npower?

Chris Huhne tweeted today:

Electricity Market Reform: Keeping the Lights on in the Cheapest, Cleanest Way

I have three key goals with our new electricity market reform, which I have been working on for months and which goes live today. The first is to keep the lights on by encouraging a big wave of replacement investment in power plants. The second is to ensure that our electricity is generated without carbon emissions, and the third is to give the consumer the best possible deal. It is not as easy to get all these objectives in a line as you might hope.

Our ageing power plants are shutting down. In less than a decade, a quarter of them will go offline. We must build the equivalent of twenty large power stations by 2020 if we are to assure supply and meet our binding renewables and carbon targets. Some £110 billion is needed - double the amount invested over the last decade. This is a huge challenge, and the current market is not fit to meet it. Left untouched, it would drive us deeper into fossil fuel import dependency. The UK already relies on imported fossil fuels for a third of our energy; unless we act, by 2025, it will be half.

That reliance would leave us vulnerable to price shocks as global competition for energy resources grows. Our own reserves in the North Sea are declining, yet worldwide demand for energy could increase by 40% by 2030.

China is already world's biggest energy consumer. Its thirst for raw energy supplies could double over the next twenty years. We estimate demand for electricity in Britain could double by 2050, as we plug into the grid to....Read more on his tweet: Chris Huhne: Electricity Market Reform: Keeping the Lights on in the Cheapest, Cleanest Way

[pompeyfaith]

Re: Anyone with Npower?

What took them so long to find this out

http://www.walletpop.co.uk/2011/07/0...-isnt-working/

Ofgem says the enery market isn't working




We blogged last week about Ofgem finally stepping in to probe the 'big six' energy suppliers, and now there's more evidence to suggest suspicious pricing practice throughout the industry.

It has emerged that movements in household bill rates are out of sync to the wholesale costs paid by the firms. But are we all that surprised?

Ofgem will appoint accountants to investigate the big six firms figures, after it emerged that there were drastic differences in how much firms paid for gas and electricity, while household tariff movements across providers often occur at the same time and at similar rates.

Figures released by the power firms revealed a 27% difference in how much suppliers paid for electricity and a 15% difference for gas last year.

Consumers are regularly given the excuse of rising wholesale prices for increases in gas and electricity bills – yet we rarely see the reverse movement when costs fall.

Price fixing?
Ofgem's move raises suspicion that the big six could be involved in an informal alliance: raising and lowering prices en masse to leave customers with little choice and maintain profits in the sector.

Last month, Scottish Power hiked gas and electricity bills by 19% and 10% respectively, blaming the rise on "continuing volatility in global energy markets".

Last week British Gas hinted at a price rise for the second time after its owner, Centrica, warned investors that higher wholesale prices, weak consumption and higher North Sea production taxes will all hit its financial performance.

Energy firms are required to provide Ofgem with information on how much they pay for wholesale energy. A spokesman for Ofgem said: "We called for the big six energy companies to provide greater transparency by publishing their accounts. From these we decided we needed more details and we will be appointing accountants shortly to look at the issue."

Complex calculations
Accountants are required to investigate further because energy pricing isn't as simple as suppliers buying from wholesale markets, and reselling to consumers at a profit. Energy companies also generate a proportion of their own energy, and wholesale rates are not the only factors which can affect the price of gas and electricity.

Energy firms also don't buy as and went they need it – but in advance and in bulk – which makes it tricky to work out accurate pricing.

Restore consumer faith
Audrey Gallacher, director of energy at Consumer Focus, says customers need to be able to have faith that what energy firms report is accurate and that they will be penalised when they fail.

"It is essential that Ofgem's moves on greater transparency and scrutiny of energy suppliers are successful if the tide of consumer distrust of energy firms is to turn," she adds.

BTW Walletpop do not spellcheck lol

[5corpio]

Re: Anyone with Npower?

It is - going to have a little poke around now!

Couldn't find one! Will look on HTC website! :-(

Found on android Apps WEBSITE: LINKY FREE Download - you need to try it first and if no succeed, try 0845, 0870 on search apps - Good luck Casper - let me know

[caspar]

Re: Anyone with Npower?

It is - going to have a little poke around now!


Couldn't find one! Will look on HTC website! :-(

[5corpio]

Re: Anyone with Npower?

That's a very handy tip. Mine isn't an iPhone, but hopefully HTC do something similar.

If your HTC a smartphone enabling apps' based Andriod, u should be able to look for an app for it. Good luck. Let us know if you do find.

[caspar]

Re: Anyone with Npower?

That's a very handy tip. Mine isn't an iPhone, but hopefully HTC do something similar.

[5corpio]

Re: Anyone with Npower?

TIP: If your with British Gas, and can only dial from a Mobile Phone, you'll find that you get charged for dialing an 0800 number to their customer support.

On the other hand, and you have a iPhone, and download the FREE App called '0800' - you can use the '0800 - app' keypad and enter the 0800 xxxxxxx number and it will convert it to a Landline number

Result: No charge on your Mobile phone Bill for dialing an 0800 number again, British Gas landline number is: 0117 368 9672

i must quote with reference above:

when it converts to a landline number, YOU STILL PAY for the call, but @ LANDLINE RATE (Or if you have FREE Minutes, then it uses YOUR FREE Mins on your tariff)

[5corpio]

Re: Anyone with Npower?

TIP: If your with British Gas, and can only dial from a Mobile Phone, you'll find that you get charged for dialing an 0800 number to their customer support.

On the other hand, and you have a iPhone, and download the FREE App called '0800' - you can use the '0800 - app' keypad and enter the 0800 xxxxxxx number and it will convert it to a Landline number

Result: No charge on your Mobile phone Bill for dialing an 0800 number again, British Gas landline number is: 0117 368 9672

[The Debt Star]

Re: Anyone with Npower?

£35 pm -vs- my £48 pm sounds about right given that (I assume?) there are twice as many of us in our household than the Scorpios, so its a useful comparator. Although you're with French Gaz - pls don't get me on that topic!

[5corpio]

Re: Anyone with Npower?

Lol Scorpio! An alternative is to sit around a lighted candle. But, even more cost effective is not to light it! lol - just kidding.

We switched from 'French Gaz' (BG) to Eon recently and have noticed an improvement in costs and service - thus far (always reluctant to sing their praises as I may end up posting against them on here sooner or later!).

We pay £48 pm for Gas AND elctricity. House, family of 4. Doesn't seem too bad? Its on one of these economy as they insisted on Direct Debit for that and I avoid DDs with as far as humanly possible. Especially with utilities.

Forgot, we do have light bulbs - but the OH gets to use a flint & strike method to see along the corridor at night - works out £35 p.mth for electric & Gas combined = £8.75 p/wk for - i think that when everything is broken down by weekly from Qtr to Mthly it looks a lot less

[The Debt Star]

Re: Anyone with Npower?

Lol Scorpio! An alternative is to sit around a lighted candle. But, even more cost effective is not to light it! lol - just kidding.

We switched from 'French Gaz' (BG) to Eon recently and have noticed an improvement in costs and service - thus far (always reluctant to sing their praises as I may end up posting against them on here sooner or later!).

We pay £48 pm for Gas AND elctricity. House, family of 4. Doesn't seem too bad? Its on one of these economy packages but not THE most efficient package as they insisted on Direct Debit for that -and I avoid DDs with as far as humanly possible. Especially with utilities.

[5corpio]

Re: Anyone with Npower?

5corpio,

Do you live alone ? are you in a flat ?

Perhaps you would like to share your secrets on how you manage to keep your energy bills low.

Regards

Single glazed window - 2 Bedroom Flat (Winter Gas bill is about £150 for the Qtr though)
* Both at work all day

All appliances are switched off at mains - apart from the Fridge & Freezer, Washing machine used once a week (No Tumbleweed dryer), , Hoover when i get around to it lol, Other appliances used Mobiles, Laptops, TV & Freesatbox, Dvd player, Kettle, Oven, Condense Boiler for heating (as when required) & for the shower!

* Just make sure your NOT on the standard Tariff
* Switch ALL Appliances OFF when NOT in the house
* Find the best deal on your Utility
* Don't USE DD (as they ALWAYS take MORE than whats required from your Account (You'll FIND that you'll be in Credit ALL the time with your Utility company over the ODD's)

[The Debt Star]

Re: Anyone with Npower?

one light bulb in her flat, acts as central heating too