ktlight
12th May 2011, 06:35
British families are bracing for higher energy bills as a major British Gas company declares a 25-percent hike in gas and power prices for next year's delivery.
Centrica, Britain's biggest supplier, said it has yet to make a decision about whether to raise tariffs but campaigners said they were 'preparing the ground'.
The warning came after Centrica, which has about 16 million energy accounts, said results for 2011 were likely to be 'materially influenced' by the recovery of higher wholesale prices and other costs.
“Hard-pressed consumers will be extremely skeptical about energy firms putting up prices again,” said Audrey Gallacher, head of energy at Consumer Focus.
“They did not get the full benefit of sustained low wholesale prices and have less confidence in the energy market than almost any other,” added Gallacher.
Centrica said that global prices for gas and power for the coming winter are 25 percent higher than a year ago and that "end-user prices [are] yet to reflect this higher wholesale price environment."
The company blamed the Japanese earthquake and the turmoil in the Middle East for the spike.
The British Gas warning came days after rival Scottish Power reported a big slump in profits and admitted that it was "highly probable" that suppliers would have to raise bills "in the next few weeks or months."
Energy experts said that average bills could rise by as much as £200 to almost £1,500.
"A rapid rise in wholesale gas prices driven by events in the Middle East and Japan means that it is now very likely that we will see further increases in energy prices that will take energy bills to record levels," said Joe Malinowski, founder of energy price comparison website TheEnergyShop.com.
source
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/179456.html
Centrica, Britain's biggest supplier, said it has yet to make a decision about whether to raise tariffs but campaigners said they were 'preparing the ground'.
The warning came after Centrica, which has about 16 million energy accounts, said results for 2011 were likely to be 'materially influenced' by the recovery of higher wholesale prices and other costs.
“Hard-pressed consumers will be extremely skeptical about energy firms putting up prices again,” said Audrey Gallacher, head of energy at Consumer Focus.
“They did not get the full benefit of sustained low wholesale prices and have less confidence in the energy market than almost any other,” added Gallacher.
Centrica said that global prices for gas and power for the coming winter are 25 percent higher than a year ago and that "end-user prices [are] yet to reflect this higher wholesale price environment."
The company blamed the Japanese earthquake and the turmoil in the Middle East for the spike.
The British Gas warning came days after rival Scottish Power reported a big slump in profits and admitted that it was "highly probable" that suppliers would have to raise bills "in the next few weeks or months."
Energy experts said that average bills could rise by as much as £200 to almost £1,500.
"A rapid rise in wholesale gas prices driven by events in the Middle East and Japan means that it is now very likely that we will see further increases in energy prices that will take energy bills to record levels," said Joe Malinowski, founder of energy price comparison website TheEnergyShop.com.
source
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/179456.html