Final Demand for Huntingdon's Fuel Bill

Households in the Huntingdon could face extra costs of around £300 per year as the bill for using fossil fuels to generate electricity spirals ever higher, according to a new report from Friends of the Earth released on Monday as it launches a new campaign for energy we can all afford and a public inquiry into the Big Six energy companies.

The report comes in the same week that Energy Secretary Chris Huhne met with the Big Six energy companies, Ofgem and consumer groups in an emergency summit to discuss action to cut fuel bills.

'The Dirty Half Dozen' report shows that if the Big Six energy companies - including household names like British Gas and E.ON - forge ahead with plans to build new fossil fuel power plants and abandon plans for new renewable energy, the nation faces an annual bill of £8 billion to £13 billion extra for our coal and gas by 2020 - with producers likely to pass the cost on to hard-pressed consumers and businesses.

Friends of the Earth is also warning that consumers are being misled about the true cause of bill hikes, with some think tanks and commentators blaming 'green taxes' when in fact the rocketing price of gas is to blame - and investing in clean power and cutting energy waste is the only way to bring bills down in the long run. There are a huge number of tariffs used by the energy companies and it is not all that easy for people to find or switch to a cheaper option.

The campaigning charity has welcomed the recent announcement by SSE to auction all of its power on the open market as a step in the right direction, but warns that all energy companies must invest massively in renewables rather than fossil fuels to give consumers a better deal.

Friends of the Earth's Executive Director Andy Atkins said "The big energy companies have a lot to be thankful for - surging profits, bumper executive payouts and a Government that's bending over backwards to allow them to keep Britain addicted to fossil fuels.

Friends of the Earth's Final Demand campaign is asking people to sign its petition calling on David Cameron to set up a public inquiry into the Big Six at http://www.foe.co.uk/finaldemand

What do you think? Have your bills gone through the roof?

Photo: images of money