A social energy tariff needs to be introduced urgently to help people in the Western Isles combat a 15% electricity bill surcharge, utility giant Scottish and Southern Energy was told yesterday.
Families in the north of Scotland pay 2p more per unit than elsewhere in the UK, and grid operator SSE is coming under increasing pressure to reduce the surcharge.
The firm insists however that the pricing is an issue for regulator Ofgem.
Yesterday, a petition signed by 1,150 islanders protesting against the extra charge was presented to SSE representatives when they discussed the issue with Western Isles Council and Western Isles Poverty Action Group in Stornoway.
The SSE representatives agreed to do further work on how a “social tariff”, such as a special price plan for those vulnerable to fuel poverty, could be introduced.
Western Isles Council leader Angus Campbell said after the meeting: “We made clear the dissatisfaction and anger of people in the islands that they are subject to an additional charge on their electricity, amounting to some 15% of the charges they pay.
“In an area with the highest levels of fuel poverty in the UK that is clearly unacceptable.
“The SSE representatives listened to the case we made and undertook to do further work on how a ‘social tariff’ could be introduced which could reduce bills.
“Whilst this would require the approval of Ofgem we made clear that we were of the view that SSE could reduce bills now if they were minded to.”
Greg Clarke, of SSE, said: “SSE have been campaigning for some time now to introduce national pricing which would alleviate the regional variances in price which currently exist in the Great Britain energy market.
“We’ve written to the Energy Secretary Ed Davey to make the case and we have also raised this through our response to the Competition and Market Authority’s investigation into the energy market.”