MSE News: Energy bills to rise to pay for grid upgrades

Former_MSE_Helen

"Projects to improve gas and electricity networks will add an average £12 a year over the next eight years, says Ofgem..."

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Energy bills to rise to pay for grid upgrades

Butterfly_Brain

So the customer has to pay for a private company AGAIN. I am sick of being screwed by these multinationals and have already planned to have a wood burning stove with back boiler in, so that is the gas sorted. Now I will have to save for a wind turbine and solar panels.:(

peeteepee

It won't really be 'sorted', as you'll still need to pay a standing charge for the priviledge of having a gas pipe connected to your home. Even if you use no gas, you'll still have to pay the gas supplier. :mad:

Ken68

Time to open up the fireplace I think. And burn all this wood I've been collecting.
Will put up some ex storage heater bricks, to stand a pot on. Cook dinner and heat water. (Think witches, bubbling cauldron,frogs etc)
Will still have the gas central heating, but gas usage should reduce, and if with Ebico (and others) No Standing Charge.

[Deleted User]

Ken68 wrote: »

Time to open up the fireplace I think. And burn all this wood I've been collecting.
Will put up some ex storage heater bricks, to stand a pot on. Cook dinner and heat water. (Think witches, bubbling cauldron,frogs etc)
Will still have the gas central heating, but gas usage should reduce, and if with Ebico (and others) No Standing Charge.

There may be NSC but their prices are sky high. Only any real benefit if you use !!!!!! all.

smala01

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

So the customer has to pay for a private company AGAIN. I am sick of being screwed by these multinationals and have already planned to have a wood burning stove with back boiler in, so that is the gas sorted. Now I will have to save for a wind turbine and solar panels.:(

But that's how investment is alway's done in private companies??

Call center staff, billings systems, vans fines are all added into the bill.

I have just come back from the US, and they regularly have blackouts because of the outdated grid network. I would imagine we would be the first to complain if that was to happen here.

People just have to face the fact that energy is getting more expensive because demand is greater (China / India etc).

I ran some numbers on an average energy bill of £1200 - energy companies make 5% profit (approx £60 per year).

The government has done a good job vilifying the private companies as greedy - but the real cause is globalisation. If you remove any concept of profit we would still be having the same conversation.

Smala01

smala01

peeteepee wrote: »

It won't really be 'sorted', as you'll still need to pay a standing charge for the priviledge of having a gas pipe connected to your home. Even if you use no gas, you'll still have to pay the gas supplier. :mad:

No you don't. Just get a tariff with no standing charge...

VT82

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

So the customer has to pay for a private company AGAIN. I am sick of being screwed by these multinationals and have already planned to have a wood burning stove with back boiler in, so that is the gas sorted. Now I will have to save for a wind turbine and solar panels.:(

Someone has to pay for it! The choices are either make energy customers pay for it, or make taxpayers pay for it. Of those, it seems fairer to make the people who actually use it pay for it - at least then you can opt out as you suggest you want to.

Cardew

smala01 wrote: »

Bu

I ran some numbers on an average energy bill of £1200 - energy companies make 0.05% profit (approx £60 per year).

Agree with the £1,200 and £60 but not the 0.05%;)

Bark01

peeteepee wrote: »

It won't really be 'sorted', as you'll still need to pay a standing charge for the priviledge of having a gas pipe connected to your home. Even if you use no gas, you'll still have to pay the gas supplier. :mad:

If you don't use gas get the meter capped then you won't have to pay for it.

LesU

How much of this 'upgrade' is to pay for additions to the existing grid to link in all of the wind turbine power?
This is spread all over the country and the sea, in places where there is no existing infrastructure. Of course, if the refurbishments and additions are added together, nobody will find out the true cost of wind turbines, or the real CO2 footprint when all that extra cabling, metal pylons and concrete are taken into account.