A Moray MSP has backed an Elgin councillor over changes to energy costs as residents have to choose between heating and eating.
Richard Lochhead MSP has added his support for Elgin City councillor Jeremie Fernandes’ call for Ofgem to cut standing charges for customers in Scotland.
Mr Lochhead said it was “ridiculous” Moray had the largest grid charges in Europe when the area is a net exporter.
He said: “The enormous increases in energy costs we’ve seen over the last year have been a real blow for households in Moray and the fact that our region is a net exporter of energy to the rest of the UK makes these greater costs all the more ridiculous.
“We unfairly pay the highest grid charges in Europe and these charges can account for up to 16.5% of some household’s annual bills.
“The UK Government must get a grip of the pressure on households across the region and instruct Ofgem to take steps to replace the current electricity distribution system with one that distributes the cost of electricity equally across the UK.”
The daily charges hit electricity customers on pre-payment meters particularly hard, with those in the north of Scotland paying 18p per day more in standing charges than customers in London.
‘Choose between food or fuel’
Jeremie Fernandes wrote a letter to Ofgem after hearing households were having to choose between heating or eating.
He outlined the situation as he found it.
He wrote: “Millions of families in Scotland already face a devastating blow to incomes as the Tory-created cost-of-living crisis continues to spiral out of control, with energy and food costs rising higher and higher.
“We’ve seen energy companies recording eye-watering profits, all while they’ve been forcing the installation of pre-payment meters into some of the most vulnerable people’s homes.
“In my letter to Ofgem, I’ve expressed my deep concern at escalating energy costs and the impact this is having on local communities, with many households experiencing extreme hardship and having to choose between food or fuel.”
In December, Moray, Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City Councils expected to spend £41.4 million on energy in 2022/23, which was a rise from £25.6 million the previous year.
In an Aberdeen City Council meeting, resources director Steve Whyte said: “It’s a struggle not just with energy costs but inflation, the cost of food.
“All of our cost base has been put under severe pressure we’ve never experienced before, hence we’d be concerned if we tried to add more cost pressure.”
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