Commenting on the EU Commission's new policy package on Air Quality announced today, Energy UK said:

"Air quality across Europe will continue to improve as a result of proposals revealed today to require member countries to take a joined up approach to cutting emissions. Energy UK said the energy industry would play its part by reducing emissions in a programme already set out up to 2020 and that it was sensible to set new targets for national emissions that were in line with other environmental aspirations out to 2030.    

Commenting on the EU Commission's consultation on draft rules for state support in energy and environmental field, Energy UK said:

 "Energy companies need to have a stable and predictable regulatory framework if they are to invest in new power stations. That is why Energy UK  welcomes the proposals on State Aid Guidelines for energy and environment which the European Commission has put out for consultation today.

In response to today's announcement on energy costs, Energy UK said:

"This is a good outcome for consumers. The changes will bring a welcome set of reductions to the policy costs which are a significant part of the household bill, have been rising and were set to rise further. Costs are spread in a fairer manner and household bills are reduced.

In response to the government's costs and levies announcement Energy UK said:

"It is welcome news that some costs will be moved into general government spending which will spread the cost of more evenly so less well off households, and those whose homes need energy efficiency measures, will still get the help they need. But, as ever, the devil is in the detail and we look forward to seeing more in the Autumn Statement. In the meantime, energy companies continue to help poorer customers meet the cost of their bills and to work to make homes warmer.

Ofgem have today published a report on the 'profits’ of companies in 2012.  They published a similar report on the companies’ 2011 profits.
Energy UK said:

“Ofgem's report sets out the earnings before tax paid for supply side and for generation. The figures do not take into account the costs of the huge investment the energy companies are making, the interest or the tax they are paying. These are not net profit figures.

In response to Consumer Futures’ Energy Companies Complaints League Table, Energy UK said:

“The vast majority of energy customers are happy with the service they get with only around one in every fourteen hundred customers likely to need to contact their supplier about a problem.  Most complaints only need a phone call to sort out – around four out of five queries are resolved by the end of the next working day - but, if the problem cannot be resolved, the energy ombudsman is there to ensure problems get fixed.

Following the release of the opposition's Energy Green Paper, Powering Britain, Energy UK said:

“Powering Britain means increased competition, attracting international investment, rebuilding trust and a better deal for customers. Energy UK and its members are up for change but it has to honest and real.

Energy UK Annual Conference – 12 November 2013

The new energy debate is about who pays, how much and for what, Angela Knight said at the Energy UK Annual Conference today. Mrs Knight said that the story had moved on from the old 'trilemma’ decarbonisation, energy security and affordability but needed everyone to work together to create the environment where the UK was working to build a better energy future.

To coincide with the Energy UK Annual Conference, Energy UK is launching Energy Made Clear, a new simple to understand website that explains the ins and outs of the energy industry.

The energy industry can sometimes be tricky to understand. Energy Made Clear gives transparent and useful information ranging from the help available with bills, methods to save energy and how to switch suppliers. At a time when energy has become the subject of a very public debate it is more important than ever to ensure that consumers are made a part of the discussion.

The energy industry is aware that sometimes things can go wrong and knows that the public need to know that there is help available if this happens.

Angela Knight, Chief Executive of Energy UK said;

“The launch of Energy Made Clear is an important step forward in the rebuilding of trust between the public and the energy industry. Many people are not aware of the help that is available to them when they get into difficulty. Energy Made Clear will make it easier to people to understand how the industry works and get the help they need if they need it.”

Please see www.energymadeclear.com for further information.

Following the release of the Environment Agency’s Sustainable Business Report 2012, Energy UK said:

“The power sector is subject to a very high level of environmental regulation and public scrutiny. We are therefore very pleased to see that the Sustainable Business Report 2012 shows that the sector is a consistently high performer in terms of compliance with Environmental Permits. There were no serious pollution incidents in 2012 and none of the sites are causing concern to its local community.