Southampton’s energy company celebrates 1st birthday

Southampton City Council’s energy company CitizEn Energy has celebrated its first year in business with the news it has signed up 1,500 customers.

The company was set up last year by the local authority with the aim to bring a fair and ethical alternative to the energy market.

It supplies 100% green electricity as standard to all of their customers.

According to the council, the weight of CO2 which has been saved by their customers switching equates to the weight of 120 double decker buses.

The council said customers span across the south, south west and the midlands, and they are part of a larger energy network of about 130,000 customers, all under different brands.

It added that on average customers can save £170 per year on their energy bills by switching to CitizEn Energy.

The CitizEn Energy team are part of the Southampton Warmth for All Partnership which brings together organisations working to reduce fuel poverty in Southampton.

The team have been out in the community demonstrating the benefits of switching suppliers amongst vulnerable groups.

They particularly want those 12,000 households in Southampton who really struggle to afford their heating bills to see the benefits of switching.

The team have also been signposting in-need members of the community to charities which can help with everything from benefit advice, energy efficiency work and resolution of issues with other energy suppliers.

Southampton’s cabinet member for green city and environment, Cllr Steve Leggett, said: ‘We’re delighted and proud that CitizEn Energy is having such a positive impact on the environment. We’d like to thank each and every customer who has helped us achieve this.

‘We have ambitious aims for the future, with every penny of profit being ploughed back into projects which will help the most vulnerable in our community. The more customers we have the bigger impact we can make to people who are really struggling, as well as the environment.’

Photo Credit – Southampton City Council