Last night, the people of Bristol spread the positive glow of Bristol Energy on social media, taking photos of the glowing orbs covering College Green to mark the launch of the ‘My Bristol Tariff’, a highly competitive energy tariff exclusively for Bristol residents.
As well as glowing orbs, projections were beamed onto sites on Park Street, Stokes Croft and North Street, to help spread the word about the tariff and the savings that can be made by the people of Bristol by switching to the new tariff.
The new tariff was launched by Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees, who encouraged Bristol residents to switch their energy supplier to Bristol Energy and save millions of pounds across the city.
Marvin Rees said: “It’s simple, people are paying too much for their energy bills. In this city, we’ve got a chance to do something about it. The Council set up Bristol Energy to help people pay less for their gas and electricity, because heating your home and eating a hot meal should not be a luxury.
“It’s also here to help Bristol residents to support their city. We all pay our energy bills, but if that money can be reinvested back into local communities to help pay for essential services and support, then the whole of Bristol can benefit.”
The new ‘My Bristol Tariff’ could save customers (on average) around £240 per year* if they switch. For the 121,000 households in Bristol who are estimated to have never switched their energy supplier, that’s a potential saving of over £54million across the city.
According to Ofgem, two thirds of households across the country have never switched and are likely to be paying hundreds of pounds a year more than they need to for their gas and electricity. As we approach winter, this switching inertia contributes to the very real problem of fuel poverty in Bristol, which affects 13% of the inner city (the average across local authorities is 9.9%)[1].
Peter Haigh, MD of Bristol Energy, has added: “There’s nowhere better than Bristol to be starting a movement in the energy sector. Larger, traditional energy companies may still have the monopoly on customers, but things are changing. And of the people who are switching, growing numbers are choosing smaller independents like us, and saving hundreds of pounds a year on their bills.
“Us Bristol residents can go one better. We can support our local independent supplier, save money, and help our city at the same time. That way, everyone benefits. And those who join us will be leading the charge in changing the energy sector for good.”
- Find out more about the 'My Bristol Tariff'
- Read the testimonials from Bristol residents who've already switched
* Projected average saving per dual fuel Direct Debit online customer on September 12th 2016, when switching from the average of the Big Six standard variable tariffs. Based on average annual consumption of 3,100 kilowatt hour electricity and 12,500 kilowatt hour gas.