| utility bill just arrived 11:20 - Feb 9 with 11088 views | enfieldargh |
£480 per month up from £180 per month
That's almost the cost of my 60+ season ticket in one month |  |
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| utility bill just arrived on 14:41 - Feb 9 with 1978 views | WatfordR |
Listening to Martin Lewis talking on 5 Live about half an hour ago, talking to a little old lady who's gas and electric combined has gone up from £85 per month to £200.
He reckons whatever you were paying this time last year, it'll be double and a little more from April. My combined has gone from £80 per month fixed which ended in August to £150.
Still, Boris is focussing on it so I'm sure it'll will all be ok.
Look, here's a picture to prove it:
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| utility bill just arrived on 14:42 - Feb 9 with 1980 views | stowmarketrange |
| utility bill just arrived on 13:18 - Feb 9 by flynnbo |
I was with Pure Planet who went out of business and were taken over by Shell Energy. I've been suppying regular meter readings and haven't yet had my new bill. |
So was I,and I was moved to shell energy.And like you I haven’t received a bill yet,and they haven’t taken this months DD yet.But they did reduce it to £66 from £99.I can’t wait to see their faces when they discover how much more it needs to be.  |  | | |
| utility bill just arrived on 14:45 - Feb 9 with 1959 views | stowmarketrange |
| utility bill just arrived on 14:12 - Feb 9 by ShotKneesHoop |
I paid £320 for 1,000 litres of heating oil last summer, Ive just reordered another 1,000 litres and it was delivered this week at £650, that’s a 100 % increase in 7 months. FMOB. There’s no support from the government on oil, and my electricity has gone up from £48 a month to £75 monthly direct debit! And that’s before the sodding new protected rate kicks in after April. Grim times ahead, must go and kick the cat! [Post edited 9 Feb 2022 14:24]
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I need another 500l of oil to get us through the winter,but the prices are just ridiculous at the moment,so I’ll wait and hope it gets a bit better. | | | |
| utility bill just arrived on 14:50 - Feb 9 with 1930 views | Esox_Lucius |
| utility bill just arrived on 14:24 - Feb 9 by Sonofpugwash |
Since we've got a bit of land we can do a ground based solar array,just scaffolding poles.We're not going for a grid tie system just for own consumption.Something like eight grand with the inverter and batteries,maybe up to ten grand.Creative use of the output should take care of big ticket items like washing machine,tumble dryer(essential).
Then I can tell Scottish Power they can stick their leccy pole - sideways. |
I would definitely go for a 10-15kW battery set up as performance of PV panels can drop to less than 20% during the winter months. I have learned that having them South facing and the correct Angle of Incidence is very important for performance.
https://www.aurorasolar.com/blog/understanding-pv-system-losses-part-4-tilt-orie |  |
| The grass is always greener. |
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| utility bill just arrived on 15:02 - Feb 9 with 1900 views | R_from_afar |
| utility bill just arrived on 12:52 - Feb 9 by plasmahoop |
The other thing with France is that they get a large portion of their energy from nuclear power. We have allowed our nuclear power to decline, and we rely on imports for our gas. Its a problem that's been building up for years as governments have just stuck their head in the sand. I really think we should have done fracking, as we would have had our own supplies of natural gas rather than relying on the international market. But at the first sign of protests the government backed off. So this is the result |
Nuclear power is not the panacea it's made out to be. Leaving the safety issues to one side, we can't build them fast enough for them to stop dangerous climate change. It's now too late for us to go down that road. Then there are the safety issues.
Research from The Rocky Mountain Institute shows that they are far from the steady and reliable source of power proponents would have us believe. They need to be shut down for maintenance and refuelling, safety issues and faults, as well as jellyfish blockages - I kid you not, this has happened in the UK - plus, increasingly, because the river or sea water used to cool them is too warm. Reactors in Spain, France, Germany and Finland have had to be shut down for this reason. Nuclear plants too are intermittent, therefore, but then so are gas fired plants if the gas is having to be imported.
Fracking would not provide that much energy plus there are huge issues with fracked oil and gas delaying the move to renewables, exacerbating climate change, reducing the value of people's homes, poisoning groundwater, causing earthquakes, and taking up too much water, water which is needed for the mains and for agriculture. The average fracking site uses about 4.2 million gallons of water in each well, which is enough clean drinking water for 42,000 people.
As a windy island, we should be pushing for energy independence based on renewables. Battery storage is progressing plus energy can be "stored" by using excess energy to pump water up hill, to drive a turbine when needed. There are already solar power stations which store energy overnight, using molten salt.
The Swansea Bay tidal power scheme would produce almost as much energy as Hinckley C at a much lower cost, more safely, and over a longer working life. Tidal power is one area in which we should follow the French example: Their La Rance tidal plant has been churning out enough energy for 120,000 homes since 1966.
Then there's insulation, we have some of the least well insulated housing stock in Europe.
Sorry for wading in, this isn't meant to be personal  |  |
| "Things had started becoming increasingly desperate at Loftus Road but QPR have been handed a massive lifeline and the place has absolutely erupted. it's carnage. It's bedlam. It's 1-1." |
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| utility bill just arrived on 15:06 - Feb 9 with 1884 views | R_from_afar |
Good point re. the compass orientation.
I kid you not, when they turned up to fit mine, they said: "Right then, which side of the roof would you like them on?"
I replied that I had a strong preference for *not* putting them on the north-facing side.  | |
| "Things had started becoming increasingly desperate at Loftus Road but QPR have been handed a massive lifeline and the place has absolutely erupted. it's carnage. It's bedlam. It's 1-1." |
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| utility bill just arrived on 15:25 - Feb 9 with 1818 views | plasmahoop |
| utility bill just arrived on 15:02 - Feb 9 by R_from_afar |
Nuclear power is not the panacea it's made out to be. Leaving the safety issues to one side, we can't build them fast enough for them to stop dangerous climate change. It's now too late for us to go down that road. Then there are the safety issues.
Research from The Rocky Mountain Institute shows that they are far from the steady and reliable source of power proponents would have us believe. They need to be shut down for maintenance and refuelling, safety issues and faults, as well as jellyfish blockages - I kid you not, this has happened in the UK - plus, increasingly, because the river or sea water used to cool them is too warm. Reactors in Spain, France, Germany and Finland have had to be shut down for this reason. Nuclear plants too are intermittent, therefore, but then so are gas fired plants if the gas is having to be imported.
Fracking would not provide that much energy plus there are huge issues with fracked oil and gas delaying the move to renewables, exacerbating climate change, reducing the value of people's homes, poisoning groundwater, causing earthquakes, and taking up too much water, water which is needed for the mains and for agriculture. The average fracking site uses about 4.2 million gallons of water in each well, which is enough clean drinking water for 42,000 people.
As a windy island, we should be pushing for energy independence based on renewables. Battery storage is progressing plus energy can be "stored" by using excess energy to pump water up hill, to drive a turbine when needed. There are already solar power stations which store energy overnight, using molten salt.
The Swansea Bay tidal power scheme would produce almost as much energy as Hinckley C at a much lower cost, more safely, and over a longer working life. Tidal power is one area in which we should follow the French example: Their La Rance tidal plant has been churning out enough energy for 120,000 homes since 1966.
Then there's insulation, we have some of the least well insulated housing stock in Europe.
Sorry for wading in, this isn't meant to be personal |
To be fair, you sound like you know what you're talking about! I would agree that we should be looking to become self sufficient energy wise with renewables, but it's managing that transition. In the short term as France has nuclear they can weather this storm. You may well be right that fracking isn't viable, I just always thought as a short term fix it would help and in terms of the environment, all we are doing is pushing our pollution into other countries, if we still use gas which is sourced from elsewhere |  | | |
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| utility bill just arrived on 15:25 - Feb 9 with 1817 views | Tonto |
am with Octopus - and they just raised my SO from £75 to £120 p/m, for my 3 bed 1st floor maisonette although I was in debit (both me and Mrs C now work from home pretty much permanently). But given whats gone on I wasnt unhappy with that.
I do have solar panels though. which helps reduce costs. |  |
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| utility bill just arrived on 15:27 - Feb 9 with 1814 views | kernowhoop |
| utility bill just arrived on 12:59 - Feb 9 by stowmarketrange |
Why should energy cost more in different countries?Surely it should cost more to supply a country the size of France compared to the UK? And why should it all be linked to our ability to pay?Or not in the case of millions of our citizens?
I will certainly be boycotting shell and bp garages in the future,unless I have no choice.I know that they’re probably all in it together,but that doesn’t make it right for them to be manipulating the prices just to increase their profits.See how much they want to invest when their profits plummet. |
"See how much they want to invest when their profits plummet."
Yes, indeed.
Check what their profits were in 2020 - no headlines then, as far as I recall.
How much has been sunk into these companies? If you had invested that amount, what return might you be looking for? This year's figure may look good, but last year's?
Also, how do people managing pension funds feel about sudden government raids on such companies? These questions do not seem to be asked.
As for France (population similar to ours but land area more than double), yes the government owns most of EDF and it can therefore insist on limiting the price rise, but eventually the costs will show up somewhere. | | | |
| utility bill just arrived on 15:27 - Feb 9 with 1813 views | CliveWilsonSaid |
You'll also need a bigger kitchen for those 60 kettles! |  |
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| utility bill just arrived on 15:32 - Feb 9 with 1798 views | Boston |
Rises in energy costs are not confined to the British Isles. The cost of home heating oil has nearly doubled in the US this year, petrol / gas up by 30-40% depending what state you live in. | |
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| utility bill just arrived on 15:45 - Feb 9 with 1763 views | stowmarketrange |
| utility bill just arrived on 15:32 - Feb 9 by Boston |
Rises in energy costs are not confined to the British Isles. The cost of home heating oil has nearly doubled in the US this year, petrol / gas up by 30-40% depending what state you live in. |
Is it up to $1 a gallon yet? | | | |
| utility bill just arrived on 15:50 - Feb 9 with 1749 views | BklynRanger |
| utility bill just arrived on 15:27 - Feb 9 by CliveWilsonSaid |
You'll also need a bigger kitchen for those 60 kettles! |
I'm thinking of running a hose to the bath - buy bigger tea bags and wash in the sink. |  | | |
| utility bill just arrived on 15:54 - Feb 9 with 1739 views | Sonofpugwash |
| utility bill just arrived on 14:31 - Feb 9 by themodfather |
if i had a home with an old fire place i would open it up and burn wood, paper the lot, it is a con to get our money back that they think people saved during lockdown ( no commuting etc) and they can sod the environment guilt trip . anyone else think it odd BOJO met british gas heads a week before smaller suppliers went bust? then talk of hikes began?? |
We've got more chimneys than the QE2 up here and burn a mixture of wood,lignite briquettes and Hot Max compressed wood shavings.Going to keep doing so despite Mr.Gove.The price of logs inevitably gone up this year,they don't exactly grow on trees do they? |  |
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| utility bill just arrived on 15:58 - Feb 9 with 1725 views | GloryHunter |
| utility bill just arrived on 12:33 - Feb 9 by enfieldargh |
Estimated.
I got moved from Green to Shell Energy who just posted $14 billion profits for last year.
I will supply metre readings for them.
Just a regular 3 bed semi, all kids moved out and I'm like scrooge when turning lights on etc.
I've just read on the bill that this bill will be higher as they have based the charge from usage by previous supplier.
18 months or so ago I was erroneously switched from one supplier to another(had no idea). Had to fight like crazy for compensation which was hardly worth while but it did mean that no payments were made to anyone for 4 months giving me a whopping bill to pay just before Christmas 2020 |
Are you sure they haven't just whacked up your direct debit? All the energy companies are trying it on, in anticipation of the higher prices. But it doesn't mean you will actually be incurring this cost. They will just be taking more money in advance than they need to, to swell their coffers. Even a Tory MP has been complaining about this - https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/dwp-chief-therese-coffey-says-26181469 |  | | |
| utility bill just arrived on 16:04 - Feb 9 with 1696 views | toboboly |
| utility bill just arrived on 12:37 - Feb 9 by stowmarketrange |
So not so many greedy b@stards in the French government as we have then?Or maybe ours have to look after their friends in the city or they won’t be offered a consultancy job in the future? |
More likely that the french OWN our electricity to we are underwriting the costs for them |  |
| Sexy Asian dwarves wanted. |
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| utility bill just arrived on 16:55 - Feb 9 with 1604 views | MelakaRanger |
| utility bill just arrived on 12:32 - Feb 9 by Maggsinho |
It's true, the French government have forced them to keep the price down. |
EDF is the main power provider in France and is in effect a nationalised company as the French government owns 80% +. of the shares
The government has decreed that the maximum increase is 4%. Why? Well an election this summer might be the reason as Macron is very unpopular. Buying votes?
EDF said that this imposition by the government will cost it over 8 billion euros in 2022. Their shares fell over 25% when the 4% limit was imposed.
For my tuppenceworth. Here in the UK the government could and should impose a windfall tax on the energy companies. BP and She’ll have announced far far higher profits than they were expecting.
So do a one off windfall tax. They wouldn’t really notice a £1 billion one off windfall. Then use that windfall tax to subsidise everyone’s power bills this year and next |  | | |
| utility bill just arrived on 16:57 - Feb 9 with 1598 views | Mick_S |
I was with Avro who went bust and placed in the hands of Octopus. Had an Avro credit of around £750 which was transferred - my direct debit remains unchanged at £162 (gas/electric). I’ve made six d/d payments on top of the credit and I have a balance of about £250. Got done over £400 one month from the £750 credit. I’m asking questions but getting befuddled by very complex calculations. This just cannot be right. Bottom line is despite being a pain in the ar se, I’m getting nowhere fast. W ankers. |  |
| Did I ever mention that I was in Minder? |
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| utility bill just arrived on 17:50 - Feb 9 with 1511 views | barbicanranger |
If it's any consolation; utility prices in the US (california) have also shot up. Unfortunately I think this is the future. We got solar installed last year, which takes the electricity off the bill pretty much and should payback the investment after five years. |  | | |
| utility bill just arrived on 18:04 - Feb 9 with 1486 views | Sharpy36 |
| utility bill just arrived on 17:50 - Feb 9 by barbicanranger |
If it's any consolation; utility prices in the US (california) have also shot up. Unfortunately I think this is the future. We got solar installed last year, which takes the electricity off the bill pretty much and should payback the investment after five years. |
"If it's any consolation; utility prices in the US (california) have also shot up"
That`s Brexit that is. |  |
| 'You didn't know that was wrong, but now you do. If you do it again, I'll know you are doing it on purpose.' |
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| utility bill just arrived on 19:31 - Feb 9 with 1365 views | ShotKneesHoop |
| utility bill just arrived on 14:45 - Feb 9 by stowmarketrange |
I need another 500l of oil to get us through the winter,but the prices are just ridiculous at the moment,so I’ll wait and hope it gets a bit better. |
Good luck with the wait for lower priced heating oil, It has gone up to 67 pence a litre this week!
If anything happens in Ukraine, expect oil prices to rocket, as politicians don’t use oil heating or septic tanks. An oven ready Brexit good to go down the wazz future looms for the UK.
No need for the last one to leave to switch the lights out as there’ll be no power left we could afford.
So, FFS, R.s , cheer me up for a few hours - and win tonight, [Post edited 10 Feb 2022 7:54]
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| Why does it feel like R'SWiPe is still on the books? Yer Couldn't Make It Up.Well Done Me! |
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| utility bill just arrived on 00:51 - Feb 10 with 1239 views | stevec |
| utility bill just arrived on 12:25 - Feb 9 by stowmarketrange |
Is it true that French energy bills are only set to rise by 4% rather than the 54% in the UK?
Or is it just another rumour going around?If it’s true,why are they not being clobbered by their energy companies? |
What the media are ‘neglecting’ to inform you, because of the crisis, France have turned their coal fired power stations back on!
That’s how they’re keeping the price down.
Meanwhile, we play by the green rule book and you pay for it. Get used to it. |  | | |
| utility bill just arrived on 02:40 - Feb 10 with 1197 views | Loftgirl |
| utility bill just arrived on 14:12 - Feb 9 by ShotKneesHoop |
I paid £320 for 1,000 litres of heating oil last summer, Ive just reordered another 1,000 litres and it was delivered this week at £650, that’s a 100 % increase in 7 months. FMOB. There’s no support from the government on oil, and my electricity has gone up from £48 a month to £75 monthly direct debit! And that’s before the sodding new protected rate kicks in after April. Grim times ahead, must go and kick the cat! [Post edited 9 Feb 2022 14:24]
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Is that you Kurt? |  | | |
| utility bill just arrived on 02:44 - Feb 10 with 1191 views | QPR1882 |
Government have been banging on about us driving electric cars, moment we do they double the price of electricity . |  | | |
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