SSE profits soar despite lost business
CAMPAIGNERS are demanding that SSE cut prices after the energy giants announced a profits surge of almost 50 per cent.
They banked a £368million haul in the 12 months to April, up from £246million the previous year.
That was despite a fall in gas and electricity usage and more than 500,000 customers deserting the company.
The jump in profits was driven by cost cuts and a price hike at the end of 2013. SSE were also the last of the Big Six to cut prices last winter.
Ann Robinson, an expert at price comparison website uSwitch, says SSE
Unite union have called SSE’s decision to close the Ferrybridge power station a “hammer blow” for workers.
The coal-fired plant in Yorkshire was the scene of a serious fire last year and SSE said it was “no longer economical”.
It will close by next March and SSE said that they hoped to redeploy the 172 people working there.
Unite national officer Kevin Coyne said yesterday: “The announcement is a hammer blow for the workers and also their families.
“The closure of this coal-fired power station
TalkTalk and Scottish Power have Britain’s worst call centres, a survey found.
Consumer group Which? asked more than 7000 people to rate call centres for phone menu system, staff knowledge, politeness and helpfulness, and their rivals could all afford to slash prices to households by at least 10 per cent to pass on the savings from a slump in wholesale gas costs.
She said: “The modest cuts by the Big Six so far this year have simply not gone far enough.
“Given falling wholesale energy prices, suppliers must do the right thing and urgently make further cuts to the price of gas and electricity for hardpressed consumers.”
Citizens Advice chief executive Gillian Guy added: “All energy again reinforces the need for ministers to work hard now to speed up the development of alternative technologies, such as carbon capture and storage.” and waiting times. The three companies all scored an overall rating of just one out of five stars.
A third of BT Broadband customers ranked their customer service poor or very poor, while 21 per cent of Scottish Power customers spent more than 20 companies need to make sure their customers benefit from a cut in wholesale prices.
“Research from Citizens Advice reveals households have l ost an estimated £47million as many cuts were brought in at the end of winter.”
SSE said they would “continue to pass on savings where possible”.
The company have promised not to increase their prices again until at least July 2016.
But the pledge failed to persuade customers to stay, with domestic account numbers tumbling by 540,000 to 7.3million last year – the company’s lowest since 2008.
SSE’s group profits, which include those from their power generation and networks arms, were broadly flat at nearly £1.9billion.
Despite the hefty sum, SSE boss Alistair Phillips-Davies branded the figures “a mixed set of results”.
Meanwhile suppliers are bracing themselves for the initial findings of a probe by the Competition and Markets Authority into the energy sector, due next month. minutes waiting for an answer during the last six months.
In contrast, Ovo Energy, NFU Mutual, Zen Internet and First Direct all scored five stars across the board.
Which? executive director Richard Lloyd says: “Poor customer service from call centres has become a 21st century bugbear for too many people.”
BT say: “We are investing significantly.” TalkTalk say: “We’re committed to improving customer service.” Scottish Power say: “Major improvements have been made.”
_______________________________ 1.27
_________________ 1.81 ___________________ 2.42
__________________ 1.74 ___________________ 9.35 __________________ 33.53 ________________ 10.17 374.80 1.91 4.98 16.62
1.32 45.73 3.79 5.12 1.41