SSE will cut the unit rate of its domestic heat tariff by around 7% from 1 May 2016 for customers living in district heating networks. For a typical SSE heat customer, the changes will see their annual heat bill reduce by between £9 and £17*.
The reduction follows SSE’s annual review of heat tariffs and reflects lower wholesale gas prices. Heat networks customers’ unit rates are calculated based on the average price of the UK’s six main gas suppliers. The fixed cost elements of SSE’s heat tariff are also reviewed on an annual basis, with any changes reflecting movements in inflation.
Mike Reynolds, SSE’s Director of Heat, said customers across SSE’s 11 heat networks will benefit from the lower prices based on typical consumption. He said: “We are pleased to be able to pass on lower prices to our heat customers who benefit from this innovative technology. As one of the UK’s leading heat network providers, we are committed to ensuring our customers get a fair deal, with our prices set at a competitive rate based on market conditions.”
SSE is one of the UK’s leading providers of district heating, supplying around 5200 domestic homes. This number set to treble as customers in new phases of these developments are connected to SSE’s existing heat networks.
District heating is where heat, normally in the form of hot water, is provided to multiple properties from a central source, rather than more conventional forms of heating where each individual property produces its own heating requirements. One of the main benefits of district heating is it produces considerably lower carbon emissions that more conventional forms of heat, saving anything up to 25% in emissions.
Reflecting SSE’s proud and longstanding reputation for providing sector leading customer service, the company will also register each of its heat networks for the Heat Trust, a new customer protection scheme which provides free independent complaint resolution and minimum customer service standards for district heat network customers in Great Britain. The Heat Trust sets standards in key areas including performance, reliability and customer service and in instances where complaint resolution cannot be reached, the Energy Ombudsman will provide an independent complaints adjudication service to ensure fair treatment of customers, providing SSE’s heat customers the same complaint redress rights as its standard domestic gas and electricity customers.
* based on a typical customer with average consumption of 3458KWh of heat used in England and 4572KWh of heat used in Scotland.