Energy costs up by £425

[hughtrimble]

Those not on smart meters, remember to schedule in a meter reading and submission on the 31st March to ensure you actually pay for the energy used up to that point at the older rates rather than leaving it to the company's formula.

[Christian]

Those not on smart meters, remember to schedule in a meter reading and submission on the 31st March to ensure you actually pay for the energy used up to that point at the older rates rather than leaving it to the company's formula.

Even with smart meters, energy companies are totally shady when it comes to working out what price you pay. I switched tariffs which completed on a specific date, so I made sure I took a reading as late as I could on the day before my new contract started. The energy company refused to use this as my actual reading but used their smart meter derived reading which was taken two days before the new contract started. Out of principle, I queried it, but having to explain it to them was like banging my head against a brick wall and not worth the few pounds it would have saved me! But I imagine they do this to a lot of people and make a lot of money by stealth.

[uptheaddicks]

But doesn't it make you feel good to know that you are subsidising the French people

Indeed! Although I have more goodwill for them than I do for Richtie. EDF claimed that my supply was 100% renewable. So, wind and atmomic power costs have not changed, have they?

Oh, I forgot, it's "The Market".

[farquare]

That's not how the market works....

Sent from my Lenovo K12 Note using Tapatalk

[sundial]

Still waiting for AVRO's administrators to reconcile and close my account and pass on the meter readings and £balance to Octopus ... Octopus will not /cannot start charging me until they have AVRO's figures; Octopus advise they cannot chase up same . I have made an 'on account payment' to my new Octopus account by 'guestimating' the ££ owed to AVRO and the ££ appears on my Octopus account ... But Octopus is ignoring the meter readings I send them ... I'll make another 'on account payment' to Octopus ... to 'lessen the blow' when my accounts are eventually sorted. Utilities accounting is not rocket science ... not impressed with Octopus, or AVRO's administrators ... do not want to enquire elsewhere as could result in an even bigger cock-up to sort out

dunk

Today, at last rec'd from Octopus, a statement showing energy usage (based on actual meter readings submitted) and £££ paid (based on last direct debits and my recent 'on account payment' ) ... and surprised to discover that my a/c was,and still is, in credit.
So ... submitted today's gas and electricity meter readings ... whence accessed today's usage figures and slightly revised ££balance which is still shows a 'credit balance'. I do not owe Octopus any ££ and the credit balance should take care of several weeks' energy usage.
I'm happy ;)

dunk

[Templogin]

Anybody had an update from Bulb?

Only an estimate of the cost of next years usage, a few quid over £1,200

[Andyg]

Got a survey taking place Friday.

What’s the breakdown on costs for your system?

Our system came in 3 stages.

Stage 1 (2011) was for a 3.8kw system which cost £16k - but enabled use to get the highest tariff (which was about 45p/KW generated and 3.5p for each exported). These tariffs were indexed linked and valid for 25 years. Now it’s now 60p (gen) and 5.9p (export)

Stage 2 (2012) was the addition of an extra 1KW which cost about £3k, but which we could add to the previous scheme, so we get paid on it.

Stage 3 (2019) was the additional 0.8k, plus the Tesla Powerwall which cost £7.2k (including an additional investor). Unfortunately because it was fitted in 2019, and although it’s connected to the main system we cannot claim the tariff on this one.

So, total cost to date about 25k, however this will be more than offset by the payments we receive. Last year it was £2.4K and this year because of the indexation (6.5%) will be generate £2.6k - more than enough to cover my electricity and most of my fuel oil costs.

More interestingly since the Tesla has gone in we have generated over 4.8MwH.

[Wolfie]

Only an estimate of the cost of next years usage, a few quid over £1,200

Sweet…. I’d take that 👍🏼

[notenoughwrists]

Octopus increased my DD from £88pm to £198pm around new year, and I’m already in credit.
I have just turned off heating - likely until Sept (wood-burners will fill any cold snaps).
So I have reduced the DD down to £145pm, the lowest they would allow, and will let that accrue until winter - where it should be fine to see me through even on the year.

£1600-ish a year for Gas/Elec is not unreasonable, in my opinion.
(Although I am on a variable rate for the gas and if it goes up, so do my costs - which will probably happen!)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Snowdon]

Our system came in 3 stages.

Stage 1 (2011) was for a 3.8kw system which cost £16k - but enabled use to get the highest tariff (which was about 45p/KW generated and 3.5p for each exported). These tariffs were indexed linked and valid for 25 years. Now it’s now 60p (gen) and 5.9p (export)

Stage 2 (2012) was the addition of an extra 1KW which cost about £3k, but which we could add to the previous scheme, so we get paid on it.

Stage 3 (2019) was the additional 0.8k, plus the Tesla Powerwall which cost £7.2k (including an additional investor). Unfortunately because it was fitted in 2019, and although it’s connected to the main system we cannot claim the tariff on this one.

So, total cost to date about 25k, however this will be more than offset by the payments we receive. Last year it was £2.4K and this year because of the indexation (6.5%) will be generate £2.6k - more than enough to cover my electricity and most of my fuel oil costs.

More interestingly since the Tesla has gone in we have generated over 4.8MwH.

I wonder where all this subsidy money comes from.....?

[Andyg]

I wonder where all this subsidy money comes from.....?

Mostly tax payers, plus everyone else who buys the surplus energy these systems add to the grid.

[reecie]

Boss of Avro being quizzed by MPs https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/n...ogises-7013820 Bit of ponzi scheme really run by someone who should never have been allowed to do so by the regulations - had there been some! Still you can see where the standing charge hike is coming from when you see the figures.

[jaytip]

Octopus increased my DD from £88pm to £198pm around new year, and I’m already in credit.
I have just turned off heating - likely until Sept (wood-burners will fill any cold snaps).
So I have reduced the DD down to £145pm, the lowest they would allow, and will let that accrue until winter - where it should be fine to see me through even on the year.

£1600-ish a year for Gas/Elec is not unreasonable, in my opinion.
(Although I am on a variable rate for the gas and if it goes up, so do my costs - which will probably happen!)


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Bear in mind though that electricity and gas prices only increased in April and they are going up again in October.

[Templogin]

Although Bulb hadn't as such suggested I should raise my DD to them, I went to change it from £65 a month. They suggested a minimum of £91, and I have upped it to £100. We have been plagued by winds from points between North and East, but mostly NNE for ages, and I am still using my halogen heater to keep warm. Today was the first warm day we have had with winds between 0-6mph and westerly. Long may it last.

[wileeeeeey]

Ours is going up by £1,700 per year. Absolutely mental.

[Chicken Pox]

Octopus said £118pm and then took just under £180 not like have any choice, are there any difference between the standing charges of energy providers?

[hughtrimble]

Octopus said £118pm and then took just under £180 not like have any choice, are there any difference between the standing charges of energy providers?

You do have a choice; you can pay for what you use rather than paying a standardised monthly fee.

[Chicken Pox]

You do have a choice; you can pay for what you use rather than paying a standardised monthly fee.

If I was blessed with lots of credit I would, but the account isn't. Just feels like they are using a random figure generator on predicted cost, planning ahead with £70 a month difference within a couple of weeks of saying something doesn't bode well for the future- especially as was on £89 per month before folding

[jaytip]

Octopus said £118pm and then took just under £180 not like have any choice, are there any difference between the standing charges of energy providers?

Are you sending them meter readings? Until my smart meter was installed I was sending them meter reading each month and I was billed accordingly.

[craig1912]

Octopus said £118pm and then took just under £180 not like have any choice, are there any difference between the standing charges of energy providers?

The standing charges are similiar between providers and are only a small proportion of the bill anyway.

[jukeboxs]

The standing charges ... are only a small proportion of the bill anyway.

That's not true for everyone though is it. The standing charge makes up more than 40% of my total bill (and 80% of my gas bill).

[craig1912]

That's not true for everyone though is it. The standing charge makes up more than 40% of my total bill (and 80% of my gas bill).

Correct, if you are in a tiny minority of people using a tiny amount of gas and electric, then the standard standing charges make up a small proportion of the overall bill. For the majority of “normal” users the standing charges will be around 10%(ish) of the overall bill

….and the question probably wouldn’t have been asked if the useage was that low as he is paying over £100pm

[Christian]

That's not true for everyone though is it. The standing charge makes up more than 40% of my total bill (and 80% of my gas bill).

Have I got this right…if so I’m curious…monthly, the gas standing charge is about £8, so you are saying you use £2 of gas a month? Why would you even want a supply for that amount?

[Chicken Pox]

Correct, if you are in a tiny minority of people using a tiny amount of gas and electric, then the standard standing charges make up a small proportion of the overall bill. For the majority of “normal” users the standing charges will be around 10%(ish) of the overall bill

….and the question probably wouldn’t have been asked if the useage was that low as he is paying over £100pm

I'd noticed the jump in standing charges (on top of the unit used charges of course) just wondered if others were adding ~56% to their electricity standing charge ala Octopus (~4% gas)?

Electricity standing charge:
22.87p/day (£83.48/year) pre-April
35.86p/day (£130.89/year) post-April

Gas standing charge:
24.87p/day (£90.78/year) pre-April
25.92p/day (£94.61/year) post-April

[Christian]

I'd noticed the jump in standing charges (on top of the unit used charges of course) just wondered if others were adding ~56% to their electricity standing charge ala Octopus (~4% gas)?

Electricity standing charge:
22.87p/day (£83.48/year) pre-April
35.86p/day (£130.89/year) post-April

Gas standing charge:
24.87p/day (£90.78/year) pre-April
25.92p/day (£94.61/year) post-April

Yes, to be honest those aren’t too bad standing charges, I’ve seen worse from other suppliers. The standing charges have mostly risen to cover all those suppliers that went bust. The idea is that it is loaded onto the electricity standing charge because everyone has an electricity supply whereas not everyone has gas.

[jaytip]

I'd noticed the jump in standing charges (on top of the unit used charges of course) just wondered if others were adding ~56% to their electricity standing charge ala Octopus (~4% gas)?

Electricity standing charge:
22.87p/day (£83.48/year) pre-April
35.86p/day (£130.89/year) post-April

Gas standing charge:
24.87p/day (£90.78/year) pre-April
25.92p/day (£94.61/year) post-April

Wish my new standing charge was that low. I’m paying 47.88p per day.

[craig1912]

Wish my new standing charge was that low. I’m paying 47.88p per day.

Mines £41.32, and gas £24.87 but it really is fairly insignificant compared to usage costs

[redmonaco]

I wonder where all this subsidy money comes from.....?

Mostly from tax payers that don't earn enough to have their own generating plant...

[lewie]

I'd noticed the jump in standing charges (on top of the unit used charges of course) just wondered if others were adding ~56% to their electricity standing charge ala Octopus (~4% gas)?

Electricity standing charge:
22.87p/day (£83.48/year) pre-April
35.86p/day (£130.89/year) post-April

Gas standing charge:
24.87p/day (£90.78/year) pre-April
25.92p/day (£94.61/year) post-April

My octopus is more than that I’m sure
Electric 41.39p
Gas 27.22p

[ryanb741]

Quick question. I've been on estimated electricity meter readings since Oct 2020 and finally managed to provide a reading today. I've used 3k more kw/h than the estimated reading and at current rates of 35p kw/h means around £1k extra to pay.

However this excess electric use has occurred monthly since Oct 2020 and only recently has the price been as high as 35p kwh. So does anyone know what rate they are likely to charge me for the excess electricity? I assume there must be a blended rate of what tariff I was on before and what I'm on now as opposed to just charging me at today's rates for leccy I used up to 17 months ago?

[Kingstepper]

Quick question. I've been on estimated electricity meter readings since Oct 2020 and finally managed to provide a reading today. I've used 3k more kw/h than the estimated reading and at current rates of 35p kw/h means around £1k extra to pay.

However this excess electric use has occurred monthly since Oct 2020 and only recently has the price been as high as 35p kwh. So does anyone know what rate they are likely to charge me for the excess electricity? I assume there must be a blended rate of what tariff I was on before and what I'm on now as opposed to just charging me at today's rates for leccy I used up to 17 months ago?

They’ll apportion the usage over the different periods with appropriate rates.

[ryanb741]

They’ll apportion the usage over the different periods with appropriate rates.

Ah great thanks that makes sense and will bring the bill down a lot

[Chicken Pox]

I'd noticed the jump in standing charges (on top of the unit used charges of course) just wondered if others were adding ~56% to their electricity standing charge ala Octopus (~4% gas)?

Electricity standing charge:
22.87p/day (£83.48/year) pre-April
35.86p/day (£130.89/year) post-April

Gas standing charge:
24.87p/day (£90.78/year) pre-April
25.92p/day (£94.61/year) post-April

My octopus is more than that I’m sure
Electric 41.39p
Gas 27.22p

I cut n paste from Octopus last pdf bill...would VAT make those the same? I'll have a look properly when I get a chance.

[T1ckT0ck]

BG just offered me a fixed deal until end May 2023.

Current: 30.7kwh / 43.3 standing
Offer: 35.6 kwh / 50.1 standing

Estimated cost goes from £1450 to £1678 so a 16% increase.

Tempting based on Ofgem comments yesterday on price cap changes and moving to three monthly assessments.


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[hughtrimble]

I've just come across this, which is a few years old, but utterly brilliant

https://youtu.be/wTYsXKTkkAk

[sprite1275]

80% up then. That should take ours upto £232 and we hardly use the heating as it is. Then apparently another 50% on top of that in January. We have always paid about £57pm. On top of ever else it's definitely going to be a hard winter. If that beast from the East pops it's head up again.....

[jaytip]

80% up then. That should take ours upto £232 and we hardly use the heating as it is. Then apparently another 50% on top of that in January. We have always paid about £57pm. On top of ever else it's definitely going to be a hard winter. If that beast from the East pops it's head up again.....

I’d be delighted with £232 a month with the recent hike.

[Onelasttime]

BG just offered me a fixed deal until end May 2023.

Current: 30.7kwh / 43.3 standing
Offer: 35.6 kwh / 50.1 standing

Estimated cost goes from £1450 to £1678 so a 16% increase.

Tempting based on Ofgem comments yesterday on price cap changes and moving to three monthly assessments.


Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app

Did you take it? I bet you wish you had if not.

[T1ckT0ck]

Did you take it? I bet you wish you had if not.

I hesitated and missed it! The replacement tarrif i did move is fixed at 41p kwh / 37.5p standing until July 23. Not so good but better than new cap.

[Tooks]

I’d be delighted with £232 a month with the recent hike.

I guess like our bill, you’re running your EV mostly from home as well?

Our electricity cost has been around £250 a month since spring, but that includes charging two EVs at home. We have an Economy 7 tariff, and don’t know what our new rates will be but I’m planning on £450 per month now. Sounds horrendous, and it is, but at least we’re not having to buy petrol or diesel which although seems to be coming down in price is still not exactly cheap.

Not a good time for anybody with regard to energy costs.

[sprite1275]

I’d be delighted with £232 a month with the recent hike.

That's fine but it depends on how much money is coming in. we already use everything to a minimum and that was before any mention of war. Heating on 3 hours a day in winter in a 1950s house.

[benny.c]

I was reading an article this morning which reckoned from October it will cost more to travel a longer distance in an EV than ICE. I’m not sure of the figures and assumptions used though…


”Electric vehicles will be more expensive to run than petrol equivalents from October as the latest price cap hike punishes drivers for going green.

The unit cost of electricity will nearly double under new energy prices released yesterday, taking it to 86p per kWh, up from 56p. Petrol prices have fallen in recent weeks and stand at £1.70 per litre, in comparison.

As a result, it will cost more to travel long distances in an electric car than a petrol one – even before factoring in higher purchase prices for greener vehicles.

The owner of a Jaguars i-PACE, an electric SUV, would spend £99 more to travel the same distance as a driver in the petrol equivalent, the Jaguar f-PACE, according to calculations by breakdown service, the RAC.

The petrol version can travel around 400 miles on a full tank of petrol, which would cost around £50. The electric model only has a range of 290 miles and would need multiple charges to travel 400 miles – this would cost £99 more after October’s electricity price hike.

The same is true for cheaper models. A Kia e-Niro owner would have to spend £88 more than a Kia Sportage driver to travel the same distance.

The e-Niro will cost £33.80 to fully charge from October compared to £18.37 at the moment, RAC estimations showed.”

[Tooks]

I was reading an article this morning which reckoned from October it will cost more to travel a longer distance in an EV than ICE. I’m not sure of the figures and assumptions used though…


”Electric vehicles will be more expensive to run than petrol equivalents from October as the latest price cap hike punishes drivers for going green.

The unit cost of electricity will nearly double under new energy prices released yesterday, taking it to 86p per kWh, up from 56p. Petrol prices have fallen in recent weeks and stand at £1.70 per litre, in comparison.

As a result, it will cost more to travel long distances in an electric car than a petrol one – even before factoring in higher purchase prices for greener vehicles.

The owner of a Jaguars i-PACE, an electric SUV, would spend £99 more to travel the same distance as a driver in the petrol equivalent, the Jaguar f-PACE, according to calculations by breakdown service, the RAC.

The petrol version can travel around 400 miles on a full tank of petrol, which would cost around £50. The electric model only has a range of 290 miles and would need multiple charges to travel 400 miles – this would cost £99 more after October’s electricity price hike.

The same is true for cheaper models. A Kia e-Niro owner would have to spend £88 more than a Kia Sportage driver to travel the same distance.

The e-Niro will cost £33.80 to fully charge from October compared to £18.37 at the moment, RAC estimations showed.”

That article is being posted and talked about a lot this morning, I guess the RAC are trying to lobby whoever might be listening to intervene?

Mind you, I still can’t get anywhere near the cost of running a comparable ICE to either of our EVs. We have an unremarkable tariff, 7 hours overnight at 17p per kWh (likely rising to just over 30p from October) so let’s call it 10p per mile in electricity at a very pessimistic 3 miles per kWh.

I’m not sure a car with the performance of our Tesla or the load carrying capacity of the ID.4 would do even 45mpg routinely, so I make that 17p ish per mile for petrol or diesel at £1.70p a litre.

It’s only when you exclusively use the cost of public rapid charging in the calculation that pence per mile overtakes fossil fuel.

Either of our EVs can do 250 miles on a charge so it would have to be a very long trip before we needed to use a public rapid charger at 55-60p per kWh. I do have the option of charging at 25p per kWh on Ionity chargers, a deal that came with the car, but they’re not everywhere.

It depends if you switched to electric to save money though I suppose, personally I didn’t, but can see how angry folks might be if they did, especially if you can’t charge at home.

[jukeboxs]

I was reading an article this morning which reckoned from October it will cost more to travel a longer distance in an EV than ICE. I’m not sure of the figures and assumptions used though…


”...
The owner of a Jaguars i-PACE, an electric SUV, would spend £99 more to travel the same distance as a driver in the petrol equivalent, the Jaguar f-PACE, according to calculations by breakdown service, the RAC.
The petrol version can travel around 400 miles on a full tank of petrol, which would cost around £50. The electric model only has a range of 290 miles and would need multiple charges to travel 400 miles – this would cost £99 more after October’s electricity price hike.
...”

The £50 petrol cost seems way off - a 60 litre tank would come to c£100 at £1.70 per litre. Although apparently still less pricey than the electric version if you believe their i-PACE figures [which I've not checked, but would be surprised if that's the case].

P.S. ^ On the cost per mile point above, I drive frugally in my 520d but even then I reckon I'm still c13p per mile, which is higher than Tooks' pessimistic 10p EV estimate - and most won't be as frugal as me (certainly based on the number who fly pass me on the M8).

[benny.c]

I think they’re factoring in an expensive charge away from home in their calculations as they only mention a longer journey.

[TheFlyingBanana]

The petrol version can travel around 400 miles on a full tank of petrol, which would cost around £50. The electric model only has a range of 290 miles and would need multiple charges to travel 400 miles – this would cost £99 more after October’s electricity price .”

Unless I am misunderstanding this, there is no way it costs just fifty quid to fill an F-Pace tank.

An F-Pace tank is approximately 80 litres.

80x £1.70 = £136.

[TheFlyingBanana]

I must also add that the title of this thread makes me smile (grimly). Just a few months ago we thought a £425 rise was appalling…

Now we’d be delighted with that.

[jaytip]

I guess like our bill, you’re running your EV mostly from home as well?

Our electricity cost has been around £250 a month since spring, but that includes charging two EVs at home. We have an Economy 7 tariff, and don’t know what our new rates will be but I’m planning on £450 per month now. Sounds horrendous, and it is, but at least we’re not having to buy petrol or diesel which although seems to be coming down in price is still not exactly cheap.

Not a good time for anybody with regard to energy costs.

I’ve recently sold it. I didn’t mind paying the monthly cost when it was being run as a taxi but I’ve left the trade now and WBAC offered me what I paid for it last year so I jumped at it.
I was paying around £120 a month for my energy use before I bought the Enyaq a year ago though so I suspect I’m going to be over £300 a month from October on.

[Tooks]

I’ve recently sold it. I didn’t mind paying the monthly cost when it was being run as a taxi but I’ve left the trade now and WBAC offered me what I paid for it last year so I jumped at it.
I was paying around £120 a month for my energy use before I bought the Enyaq a year ago though so I suspect I’m going to be over £300 a month from October on.

Ah ok, didn’t pick up that you’d sold it. Residuals on EVs are remarkable at the moment, but can’t see that lasting as both electricity costs creep up and supply of the vehicles themselves starts to increase.

My old ID.3 went to an Uber driver in the Home Counties, apparently they’re all switching to them and is in part keeping demand high for now.

[mrsammyp]

I was reading an article this morning which reckoned from October it will cost more to travel a longer distance in an EV than ICE. I’m not sure of the figures and assumptions used though…


”Electric vehicles will be more expensive to run than petrol equivalents from October as the latest price cap hike punishes drivers for going green.

The unit cost of electricity will nearly double under new energy prices released yesterday, taking it to 86p per kWh, up from 56p. Petrol prices have fallen in recent weeks and stand at £1.70 per litre, in comparison.

As a result, it will cost more to travel long distances in an electric car than a petrol one – even before factoring in higher purchase prices for greener vehicles.

The owner of a Jaguars i-PACE, an electric SUV, would spend £99 more to travel the same distance as a driver in the petrol equivalent, the Jaguar f-PACE, according to calculations by breakdown service, the RAC.

The petrol version can travel around 400 miles on a full tank of petrol, which would cost around £50. The electric model only has a range of 290 miles and would need multiple charges to travel 400 miles – this would cost £99 more after October’s electricity price hike.

The same is true for cheaper models. A Kia e-Niro owner would have to spend £88 more than a Kia Sportage driver to travel the same distance.

The e-Niro will cost £33.80 to fully charge from October compared to £18.37 at the moment, RAC estimations showed.”

I've seen this doing the rounds but not sure where they are getting their figures from; an equivalent performance (marginally slower) F-Pace to I-Pace would be a P400 which does 28.8mpg with a tank size of 69l. A full tank at £1.70 per litre would be £117 for 430 miles (I think).

An I-Pace doing 290 miles on a full charge at the new cap would be £47 based on 52 per kWh and a 7kWh charger. 430 miles would be £69.

I have no doubt the realistic mileage and mpg for both is much less.

Many people including myself have an EV tariff, which at the moment (for me) is 7.5p per kWh off-peak, which means the full charge would cost £6.75, no doubt that available tariff will change in the next week or so but unlikely nowhere near the cap.