More than 500,000 customers to receive Ofgem protection this week
Half a million energy customers to benefit from new regulation
- Over 500,000 heat network customers in England, Scotland, and Wales will come under Ofgem regulation from 27 January, aiming to align their protections with those on traditional gas and electricity connections.
- Ofgem will gain powers to intervene if heat network operators impose unfair price increases or provide poor service, with compensation available for customers experiencing outages.
- The new rules will also introduce clearer, itemised billing and enhanced support for vulnerable customers, according to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).
- The move follows instances where some heat network customers faced energy price rises of up to 450 per cent, highlighting the need for stronger consumer protections.
- The government has also announced over £47 million in funding through the Green Heat Network Fund to support four new heat network projects across the UK.