THE energy industry regulator Ofgem said yesterday there are no plans to refer the UK's "big six" companies to competition authorities, despite a survey showing nine out of ten customers feel "ripped off".
Households are braced for a series of price rises from energy firms after Npower raised gas and electricity charges this month, bringing the annual average bill for four million households above £1,000.
Alistair Darling, the Chancellor, is d
ue to meet Sir John Mogg, the Ofgem chairman, for an explanation of the rises, after a survey showed that 89 per cent of customers believe they are being over-charged.
An Ofgem spokesman said: "There are no plans at the moment for a Competition Act referral. Britain has one of the most competitive energy markets in Europe, with changing market share between the companies, price differences and good levels of switching.
"We keep markets under constant review, but we can only take action if we find evidence of anti-competitive behaviour."
Ofgem, which has the power to fine companies up to 10 per cent of their global turnover if it uncovers breaches of competition laws, added that four million customers had changed energy providers in 2006, with a further 2.8 million switching in the first seven months of last year.
But the independent watchdog Energywatch has already renewed its calls for the "big six" – British Gas, E.On, Scottish & Southern Energy, Npower, EDF Energy and ScottishPower – to be referred to the Competition Commission this year.
The full article contains 255 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
