AS administrators continue to oversee the failure of Warrington-based Together Energy, two more energy companies have ceased trading today – Whoop Energy and Xcel Power Ltd.
Whoop Energy supplies 262 unique customer accounts, gas and electricity, 50 domestic and 212 non-domestic. Xcel Power has 274 unique customer accounts, gas only, and all non-domestic.
Under Ofgem’s safety net, customers’ energy supply will continue and funds that domestic customers have paid into their accounts will be protected, where they are in credit. Domestic customers will also be protected by the energy price cap when being switched to a new supplier.
Customers of Whoop Energy and Xcel Power Ltd will be contacted by their new supplier, which will be chosen by Ofgem.
Ofgem’s advice to affected customers in the meantime is to:
Wait until a new supplier has been appointed and you have been contacted by them in the following weeks before looking to switch to another energy supplier.
Take a meter reading ready for when your new supplier contacts you.
This will make the process of transferring customers over to the chosen supplier and honouring any funds that domestic customers have paid into their accounts, where they are in credit, as smooth as possible.
In recent weeks there has been an unprecedented increase in global gas prices which is putting financial pressure on suppliers. Ofgem is working closely with government and industry to make sure customers continue to be protected this winter.
Neil Lawrence, Director of Retail at Ofgem, said: “Ofgem’s number one priority is to protect customers. We know this is a worrying time for many people and news of a supplier going out of business can be unsettling.
“I want to reassure affected customers that they do not need to worry, under our safety net we’ll make sure your energy supplies continue. Ofgem will choose a new supplier for you and while we are doing this our advice is to wait until we appoint a new supplier and do not switch in the meantime. You can rely on your energy supply as normal. We will update you when we have chosen a new supplier, who will then get in touch about your tariff.
“Any customer concerned about paying their energy bill should contact their supplier to access the range of support that is available.”
Updates are available from our website or through our twitter feed @ofgem.
Customers who have questions should visit the FAQs on our website. Alternatively, if customers need additional support in England and Wales, they can call Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 or email them via their webform. In Scotland, they can contact Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 196 8660 or email them via their webform.
With more than 30 energy companies having now gone into administration since Warrington Borough Council’s investment in Together Energy, opposition councillors are continuing to ask why the council took part in a high-risk investment strategy.
