Ofgem’s Chief Executive Jonathan Brearley announced the measures in a blog post and open letter published this morning.
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the energy networks have been working to keep Britain’s energy flowing and provide help and support to vulnerable customers.
Deferring the payment of network charges for some suppliers through a facility worth more than £350m will help ease cash flow for these suppliers, reducing the likelihood of them leaving the market.
Ofgem has confirmed that the scheme will be available as a last resort option, once all other lines of credit have been exhausted and that suppliers and gas shippers may apply to access the scheme where they, their parent company or any other company within their group do not have an investment-grade credit rating and therefore have fewer options for securing financing.
The measures are being offered at a time when there is increased pressure across the energy sector. Network companies are continuing to invest heavily in the networks of the future, which must support the UK’s continued need to replace ageing assets and ensure a transition to net-zero emissions.
David Smith, Chief Executive of Energy Networks Association said:
“We are continuing to keep Britain’s energy flowing during the COVID-19 pandemic and offer support to customers, especially those who are vulnerable. The networks are prepared to use their borrowing powers to help ease cash flow for suppliers by more than £350m. We want to ensure customers are protected and recognise that this exceptional measure will help do just that.”
Notes to editor
The energy networks support 36,000 jobs in the UK and further investment in infrastructure which supports a low carbon future is seen as a ‘green print’ to the UK’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
At Ofgem’s direction, the scheme has been created to be in the interests of customers and is consistent with the following high-level principles. It:
- makes a meaningful contribution to the risk of suppliers failing
- preserves network companies’ financial resilience
- avoids moral hazard, targets the source of the problem, and is geared to be used to the minimum extent possible
- is capable of implementation with minimal modification to existing arrangements
- is generally consistent across sectors
The relief will apply to three months’ worth of payments and will be repayable on a revised profile with interest. The networks will not profit from any interest charges.
A minimum payment will be required in accordance with the normal payment terms in respect of any invoice raised.
Any given network company’s scheme will be withdrawn at any time if any entity in that network company’s group breaches any of its financial covenants as a result of continuing to provide the scheme.
Update 8 June 2020: the application form is now available online.
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Energy Networks Association (ENA) is the industry body representing the energy networks. Our members include every major electricity network operator in the UK. The electricity networks are at the heart of the energy transition. They directly employ more than 26,000 people in the UK, including 1,500 apprentices. They are spending and investing £33bn in our electricity grids over the coming years, to ensure safe, reliable and secure energy supplies for the millions of homes and businesses reliant on power every day.
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