But independent watchdog Energywatch has already renewed its calls for the “big six” suppliers – British Gas, E.On, Scottish & Southern Energy, Npower, EDF and Scottish Power – to be referred to the Competition Commission this year after Npower’s move, which took the annual average bill for its customers above £1,000 a year.
Like npower, EDF blamed increasing wholesale and distribution costs and environmental obligations for the rise, which it said would add £1.92 a week to the average dual fuel bill.
EDF said wholesale gas prices had risen 117 per cent since February last year, with electricity up 90 per cent over the same time.
The cost of transporting and metering energy from power stations to homes had also gone up £4 per annum for electricity and £32 a year for gas users, the provider said.
EDF said the Government’s Carbon Emissions Reduction Target, which sets out new targets for cutting carbon dioxide emissions during power production, would cost customers £100 million a year for the next three years.
But energy consumer group energywatch said it was disappointed that EDF Energy had moved so quickly to pass costs on to its customers.
Energyhelpline.com said that British Gas, the country’s biggest energy supplier, is expected to announce price hikes for 16 million households.
Such a move would trigger further price rises of around 15 per cent by the other three major suppliers – E.On, Scottish & Southern Energy and Scottish Power – in the next two months, the analysts said.
..Keep a look out for more updates on energy bills.
