Energy companies pledge £321m for Scottish households
Posted on: September 15th, 2008 by Lynnette Adamson
Scotland’s energy companies have agreed to invest £321 million over the coming three years in improving the energy efficiency of Scottish households.
The amount will be taken from £3.36 billion fund created for the nationwide Carbon Emissions Reductions Target (CERT). The fund already envisages implementing energy- saving measures for households. Measures include providing loft and cavity wall insulation, energy efficient light bulbs and other appliances.
The funds are going to be distributed once a year and it will include £107 million towards reduced fuel bills. The agreement has come after National Housing Federation published a report on fuel poverty last week. The report stated that nearly 25 percent population will be suffering from fuel poverty by the coming year. It also stated that more than five million British homes will spend a minimum of 10 percent of their yearly income towards payment of energy bills by end of 2009. The figure is double the number of such people in 2005. In Scotland, the number of people classified as ‘fuel poor’ stands at one million.
Meanwhile, energy companies are continuing the price hike. Scottish Power and nPower, having a total customer base of 11.8 million consumers, announced a large hike in bills last month, owing to rise in global oil price.
The agreement between the Scottish government and its fuel companies has been welcomed by the government as well as non-government organizations. As the winter is approaching, millions of Scottish people were getting anxious about rising bills of gas and electricity.
Please visit www.npower.com and www.scottishpower.com for more
