By Joe Locker, Local Democracy Reporter
Heating bills for more than 5,000 customers of Nottingham City Council-run Enviroenergy will increase by at least £11 a year from January.
For those people on the most common home heating plans, of which there are 5,026, there will be an another 3p per day added to the standing charge and a freeze per kWh on the unit rate.
This represents a rise of £11.44 per year, or 21p per week.
For home electricity plans, of which there are 109 customers at flats in the Atrium building on Waterfront Plaza, there will be an increase to the standing charge by 14p per day and a freeze on the unit rate.
This means customers will see a rise of £50.96 per year, or 98p per week, for electricity.
It follows a price hike of £86 per year, or £1.73 per week, last year for home heating rates.
Home electricity rates were also increased last year by 75 per cent, at an additional average weekly cost of £4.70.
They both match the equivalent Energy Price Guarantee “all-in” price offered by the Government to national domestic gas users.
The rate increases, as set out in Nottingham City Council Executive Board documents, were approved by councillors on Tuesday, November 21.
Council documents say: “Due to the current uncertainty and volatility of wholesale energy prices, the recommendations in the report include an ability to delegate future tariff changes to officers to vary customers prices from time to time, if required, in order to ensure that the council is responsive to wider energy market pricing and complies with potential additional legislative controls as determined by Ofgem.
“Additionally, and to support our most vulnerable customers, Enviroenergy
directly administers council action to deliver its Fuel Poverty Strategy by
ensuring that domestic energy users, including customers of district heating,
receive all the financial support available to meet the cost of heating and
powering their homes.
“In 2023 alone, through the Household Support Fund, the council has awarded over £477,000 in the form of government fuel vouchers to help residents meet the rising costs of energy.”
The price rise comes at a time when the vast network of Enviroenergy pipes and associated systems needs significant investment estimated to cost £17.5m.
Enviroenergy’s output includes heat which comes from burning waste collected by the council from city homes, preventing it from going to landfill and allowing the authority to generate its own form of heat for the network.
The waste is converted to heat after it is burned at the Eastcroft Incinerator.
New charges will be applicable from January 1, 2024.
