[gargoyle]

I'm not privy to any reasons as to why they're doing this, approaching winter as we are but if there IS a good reason for British Gas to be charging an inflation busting 10-15% increase in gas charges I'd love to hear it because I can't think of a single good reason except one - keeping the shareholders happy and squeezing an already overtaxed and overcharged public into making them happy - I can envision a lot of elderly pensioners having difficulties keeping their houses warm this winter, and seeing BG's current tv ad - you know, the one about no increases for the next ten years (!) - no doubt coinciding with their current hike, is sheer hypocrisy and greed in my books and this behaviour is systematic of a supplier safe in the knowledge that its customers won't want to go through the hassle of changing companies so will put up wth paying the extortionate raises in a much needed - nay, essential commodity!

[Mep]

I agreee with you mate but if people realised just how easy it was to switch they'd all be doing it (i think those idiots that try the door to door hard sell put people off) I used u-switch web site and it couldn't have been easier.

[GrahamC]

Originally Posted by gargoyle

I'm not privy to any reasons as to why they're doing this, approaching winter as we are but if there IS a good reason for British Gas to be charging an inflation busting 10-15% increase in gas charges I'd love to hear it because I can't think of a single good reason except one - keeping the shareholders happy and squeezing an already overtaxed and overcharged public into making them happy - I can envision a lot of elderly pensioners having difficulties keeping their houses warm this winter, and seeing BG's current tv ad - you know, the one about no increases for the next ten years (!) - no doubt coinciding with their current hike, is sheer hypocrisy and greed in my books and this behaviour is systematic of a supplier safe in the knowledge that its customers won't want to go through the hassle of changing companies so will put up wth paying the extortionate raises in a much needed - nay, essential commodity!

Or the massive increase in oil price which has a direct impact on all energy markets. Or that the U.K. is now a net importer of gas due to the switch from coal (remember all those miners that we used to employ) to gas electricity generation.

The only surprise for me is that these higher prices didn't happen five years ago.

[dennis]

oh great!guess who changed to british gas a few weeks ago

[General Skanky]

Hmm...

http://uk.biz.yahoo.com/15092005/323...eo-depart.html

then go here -

www.npower.com

get a quote and wonder just why do people pay so much????

[PoochJD]

Hi,

I hate Npower! They and their Customer Services teams are the most useless bunch of fecking idiots, I've ever met. I changed from them, to British Gas, because they kept making so many errors and promises on my new account, that I decided to tell them where they could shove their new gas/electric pipelines! Personally, I wouldn't use NPower if they paid me to use their services!


Pooch

[Jenn]

http://uk.biz.yahoo.com/moneyweekly/...pricehike.html

I think some people can be bothered switching. I did last week using USwitch and it couldn't be easier. You can even see ratings on customer services to help choosing.

NPower was the cheapest for us but I went for the second in line (eSWEB) because NPower are terribly useless and eSWEB actually have their call center in the UK (and that matters if you don't want someone who can't understand what you are saying to mess up your account).

[General Skanky]

Npower call centres are in the UK actually.

[Mep]

i switched to npower via uswitch and have had no probs at all. It's all on line which is just how i like things.

[Jenn]

Originally Posted by General Skanky

Npower call centres are in the UK actually.

Are they ? I used NPower years ago so maybe it's changed.

[KoThreads]

But didn't Belgium drop it's prices by 14% according to the news last week?

[GrahamC]

Originally Posted by Idoexist

But didn't Belgium drop it's prices by 14% according to the news last week?

not sure what you are asking here.

[KoThreads]

Sorry GrahamC

I watched a news report last week, BBC news 24 I think, which in the same breath as telling us that France and another country had dropped it's pertrol prices, also said that the Belgium government had announced a 14% cut off the cost of energy bills to homes for this winter. Was I the only person to see this?

[General Skanky]

Nothing to do with costs, but "massive" profits. Not a single utility company that isn't making money!!!

[General Skanky]

Besides, the point of the thread is that BG are charging an absolute fortune for their supplies. My advice is to switch to 'anyone' else as you absolutely will get a better deal.

[Steven]

I keep seeing TV + newspaper ads: "We will freeze our prices till 07/09" (whatever it was)

[GrahamC]

Originally Posted by LFC_SL

I keep seeing TV + newspaper ads: "We will freeze our prices till 07/09" (whatever it was)

yes what they don't tell you is that the freeze is at 3%-5% above what the current rate is.

[GrahamC]

As far as I can see the U.K. energy market has in-built inflation pressure. We rely on imported gas and coal with the coal powered stations being old and inefficient. Nuclear stations. are coming to the end of there intended lives with little prospect of renewal. Energy usage is on the increase with little sign of any change. The other forms of power generation are only fit for peak load top up supplies and can't be used for base load supply. Higher energy prices and good old American 'brown outs', get used to it guys.

[lmccauley]

Originally Posted by mep

I agreee with you mate but if people realised just how easy it was to switch they'd all be doing it (i think those idiots that try the door to door hard sell put people off) I used u-switch web site and it couldn't have been easier.

I've just got a quote from them - about £170 cheaper with Atlantic Energy, Seeboard, London Energy, SWEB, £145 cheaper with Scottish Power. Any recommendations? Looks like a job for tomorrow evening (when I dig out my Electricity details).

Cheers,
Liam

[overkill]

Or the massive increase in oil price which has a direct impact on all energy markets. Or that the U.K. is now a net importer of gas due to the switch from coal (remember all those miners that we used to employ) to gas electricity generation.

The only surprise for me is that these higher prices didn't happen five years ago.

Exactly

The increase in prices came on almost exactly the same day as Germany raised ALL its Gas prices by the same figure as British Gas.

We rely on imported gas and coal with the coal powered stations being old and inefficient. Nuclear stations. are coming to the end of there intended lives with little prospect of renewal. Energy usage is on the increase with little sign of any change. The other forms of power generation are only fit for peak load top up supplies and can't be used for base load supply.

The insane thing is Graham, that the govt(s) were warned in the 70's that switching to Gas powered power stations would cause huge rises within fifteen years of their introduction. Now, here we are roughly fifteen years on with - huge rises in bills. Yet the govt lobbied (the PM herself in fact) to get the ban lifted. Short termism and share holder mania run riot again................... They and their Labour predecessors were told that coal fired stations needed upgrading to filter greenhouse gases effectively and to be more efficient. That way we would never have needed Gas fired stations (did we anyway?). They didn't listen.

The irony is that one day (very soon) we will have to go back to coal, as the other options (Gas, Nuclear) aren't viable long term, and 'green' methods aren't capable of meeting demand. If people think this is unlikely, then think again, as it has already started happening in the US.

You just watch as the bloody electricity companies come cap in hand to govt demanding subsidies from the taxpayer to re-open pits, and refit the stations...............

[gazbarber]

I think nuclear is the only true long term possibility for our power needs, there is only around 100 years worth of coal at our current usage left (well thats what I was told at school nearing 10 years ago now), and as usage increase then so does the supply deminish quicker.

The only really true alterative is if someone can turn ordinary biomass into a more efficent fuel for power purposes, if anyone read the 'cats for fuel' "news" this may be an option, although it does mean more green house gases.

[Ed Selley]

Originally Posted by gazbarber

I think nuclear is the only true long term possibility for our power needs, there is only around 100 years worth of coal at our current usage left (well thats what I was told at school nearing 10 years ago now), and as usage increase then so does the supply deminish quicker.

Just remember that declared Uranium reserves are at about 40 years. There are of course Fast breeders but I wouldn't want to get too close to one of those. The international Fusion project looks almost promising however.

[overkill]

The only really true alterative is if someone can turn ordinary biomass into a more efficent fuel for power purposes, if anyone read the 'cats for fuel' "news" this may be an option, although it does mean more green house gases.

This is one option they are half heartedly working on. They couldnt get enough take up even for the trials though............

there is only around 100 years worth of coal at our current usage left

I think with new deep mining methods they reckon about 150 years. But, as you rightly say, thats hardly long term. Still better than the 20 odd for gas though............ and that was in 1997, without increased demand!

Just remember that declared Uranium reserves are at about 40 years. There are of course Fast breeders but I wouldn't want to get too close to one of those. The international Fusion project looks almost promising however.

Nor me tons! I went round a decomissioned reactor a few year back and that was scary enough for me. On the latter, at last, it does!

[gazbarber]

I haven't been keeping up with fusion stuff as it seemed to be making pretty much no progess, but it'll be good if they can get the thing working.

There were reports of flying to the moon to collect deuterium (right spelling) as it easier to find and supposidy worth the trip, altough i'm sure some scientist will find a way of fattening up those hydrogen atoms.

[GrahamC]

I think we will have to get heavy handed with energy saving as well, we waist about 40% of our energy. Big steps are being taken with solar panels I believe as well.

[gazbarber]

I watched a recent debate on BBC parliment in the lords which was about energy and what we gonna do about it. There was a report which says about a 1/3rd of energy is wasted in tranport from the plant to the home/factory. Then there is the fact that the plants themselves are only about 30-40% efficent and at the other end alot of equipement is very inwfficent and energy is wasted by leaving things on doing nothing.
There is a huge amount of waste at about every single step, if we could takle this we wouldn't have such a "need".

[General Skanky]

Isn't there an energy creation method using Hydrogen, as per eco cars?

[gazbarber]

I think the Hydrogen cells require more energy to produce than they give out, but it provides a better solution than the eletric car. In some countries with geo thermal power it is a eco friendly way of making cars and buses run, as the energy is pretty much free and eco friendly too.

[overkill]

There is a huge amount of waste at about every single step, if we could takle this we wouldn't have such a "need".

Agreed. The Germans are excellent at doing this, and we could take a leaf out of their book. They do their best to 'recycle' energy at every possible turn.

Erm,

I work for said company and you need to consider the following:

They help you to pay your bills i.e payment plans that suit you and not always them

They have a free service which helps elderly and disabled people.

They will not cut you off at the drop of a hat and still do their best to help you

Gas is running out in Britain so they are investing heavily for the future i.e buying from Europe

Because they are the biggest they always make the news. Smaller companies following suit straight after and go unnoticed

Gas prices are connected to Oil prices so buying it has gone through the roof (no company could afford to charge less than they pay)

The Energy market in Europe is not fully open to competition so for British companies it's a lot harder to get a customer base while putting up prices.

European companies will end up buying the British companies

It is easy (now) to change so do it.

And I will be losing my job next year as it's going to India (not call centre) because that's the way it is in this country.

Yugo