Energy crisis deepens as Together Energy collapses taking with it Bristol Energy leaving 176,000 customers in the lurch
ICSM has charted the long list of energy companies that have gone bust in the last few months leaving millions without their chosen supplier. This week Total Energy is the latest firm to go bust along with their subsidiary Bristol Energy leaving collectively 176,000 customers facing a hike in prices as they are allotted a new supplier by Ofgem.
The collapse has left suppliers in the lurch and staff out of a job and Warrington Borough Council facing potentially the loss of their £50m stake in the business that is based in Scotland. Last year as other energy companies went to the wall there was speculation Total Energy would be next, but the company strongly denied any problems at the time.
Energy supplier failures have been blamed on rising wholesale prices, particularly for natural gas, which has risen in price by 250% in recent weeks as the price cap prevents them from passing on the increases. Other critics have suggested the opening up of the energy market from previous state ownership has led to confusion and collapse with the likelihood that the market will be left with the Big Six when the dust settles – these being British Gas, EDF Energy, E. ON UK, npower, ScottishPower and SSE.
The table below from Ofcom and CAB reveals failed energy companies going back to 2016 and the scale of the upheaval in recent months is staggering.
Date |
Failed supplier |
Customers |
Acquiring supplier |
January 2022 |
Together Energy Retail Ltd. |
176,000 |
To be confirmed |
December 2021 |
Zog Energy |
11,700 |
EDF |
November 2021 |
Entice Energy Supply Ltd |
5,400 |
Scottish Power |
November 2021 |
Orbit Energy |
65,000 |
Scottish Power |
November 2021 |
Bulb |
1,700,000 |
*In special administration* |
November 2021 |
Neon Reef Ltd. |
30,000 |
British Gas |
November 2021 |
Social Energy Supply Ltd. |
5,500 |
British Gas |
November 2021 |
CNG Energy Ltd. |
41,000 |
Pozitive Energy |
November 2021 |
Omni Energy Ltd. |
6,000 |
Utilita |
November 2021 |
MA Energy Ltd. |
300 |
SmartestEnergy Business Ltd. |
November 2021 |
Zebra Power Ltd. |
14,800 |
British Gas |
November 2021 |
Ampower UK Ltd. |
2,000 |
Yü Energy |
November 2021 |
Bluegreen Energy |
5,900 |
British Gas |
October 2021 |
GOTO Energy |
22,000 |
Shell Energy |
October 2021 |
Daligas |
9,000 |
Shell Energy |
October 2021 |
Pure Planet |
235,000 |
Shell Energy |
October 2021 |
Colorado Energy |
15,000 |
Shell Energy |
September 2021 |
Symbio |
50,000 |
E.ON Next |
September 2021 |
Igloo |
180,000 |
E.ON Next |
September 2021 |
Enstroga |
6,000 |
E.ON Next |
September 2021 |
Avro |
600,000 |
Octopus |
September 2021 |
Green |
350,000 |
Shell |
September 2021 |
People’s Energy |
350,000 |
British Gas |
September 2021 |
Utility Point |
200,000 |
EDF |
September 2021 |
PFP Energy |
80,000 |
British Gas |
September 2021 |
Moneyplus Energy |
9000 |
British Gas |
August 2021 |
HUB Energy |
15,000 |
Eon Next |
January 2021 |
Simplicity Energy |
50,000 |
British Gas Evolve |
January 2021 |
Green Network Energy |
367,500 |
EDF |
December 2020 |
Yorkshire Energy |
74,000 |
Scottish Power |
October 2020 |
Tonik Energy |
130,000 |
Scottish Power |
September 2020 |
Effortless Energy |
2,500 |
Octopus |
March 2020 |
Gnergy |
9,000 |
Bulb |
December 2019 |
Breeze |
18,000 |
British Gas |
October 2019 |
Toto |
134,000 |
EDF |
October 2019 |
Uttily (Rutherford) |
280 |
Total gas and power |
September 2019 |
Eversmart |
29,000 |
Utilita |
August 2019 |
Solarplicity |
8,000 |
EDF |
August 2019 |
Cardiff Energy Supply Ltd |
800 |
SSE |
March 2019 |
Brilliant |
17,000 |
SSE (currently SSE OVO) |
January 2019 |
Our Power |
32,000 |
Utilita |
January 2019 |
Economy Energy |
237,000 |
OVO |
December 2018 |
One Select |
33,000 |
Together Energy |
November 2018 |
Spark Energy |
290,000 |
OVO |
November 2018 |
Extra Energy |
108,000 |
Scottish Power |
October 2018 |
Usio Energy |
7,255 |
First Utility (currently Shell) |
July 2018 |
Iresa Energy |
95,000 |
Octopus Energy |
July 2018 |
UK National Gas |
80 |
Hudson Energy |
January 2018 |
Future Energy |
10,000 |
Green Star Energy |
November 2016 |
GB Energy |
160,000 |
Coop Energy |
Date |
Failed supplier |
Customers |
Acquiring supplier |
December 2021 |
Zog Energy |
11,700 |
EDF |
November 2021 |
Entice Energy Supply Ltd |
5,400 |
Scottish Power |
November 2021 |
Orbit Energy |
65,000 |
Scottish Power |
November 2021 |
Bulb |
1,700,000 |
*In special administration* |
November 2021 |
Neon Reef Ltd. |
30,000 |
British Gas |
November 2021 |
Social Energy Supply Ltd. |
5,500 |
British Gas |
November 2021 |
CNG Energy Ltd. |
41,000 |
Pozitive Energy |
November 2021 |
Omni Energy Ltd. |
6,000 |
Utilita |
November 2021 |
MA Energy Ltd. |
300 |
SmartestEnergy Business Ltd. |
November 2021 |
Zebra Power Ltd. |
14,800 |
British Gas |
November 2021 |
Ampower UK Ltd. |
2,000 |
Yü Energy |
November 2021 |
Bluegreen Energy |
5,900 |
British Gas |
October 2021 |
GOTO Energy |
22,000 |
Shell Energy |
October 2021 |
Daligas |
9,000 |
Shell Energy |
October 2021 |
Pure Planet |
235,000 |
Shell Energy |
October 2021 |
Colorado Energy |
15,000 |
Shell Energy |
September 2021 |
Symbio |
50,000 |
E.ON Next |
September 2021 |
Igloo |
180,000 |
E.ON Next |
September 2021 |
Enstroga |
6,000 |
E.ON Next |
September 2021 |
Avro |
600,000 |
Octopus |
September 2021 |
Green |
350,000 |
Shell |
September 2021 |
People’s Energy |
350,000 |
British Gas |
September 2021 |
Utility Point |
200,000 |
EDF |
September 2021 |
PFP Energy |
80,000 |
British Gas |
September 2021 |
Moneyplus Energy |
9000 |
British Gas |
August 2021 |
HUB Energy |
15,000 |
Eon Next |
January 2021 |
Simplicity Energy |
50,000 |
British Gas Evolve |
January 2021 |
Green Network Energy |
367,500 |
EDF |
December 2020 |
Yorkshire Energy |
74,000 |
Scottish Power |
October 2020 |
Tonik Energy |
130,000 |
Scottish Power |
September 2020 |
Effortless Energy |
2,500 |
Octopus |
March 2020 |
Gnergy |
9,000 |
Bulb |
December 2019 |
Breeze |
18,000 |
British Gas |
October 2019 |
Toto |
134,000 |
EDF |
October 2019 |
Uttily (Rutherford) |
280 |
Total gas and power |
September 2019 |
Eversmart |
29,000 |
Utilita |
August 2019 |
Solarplicity |
8,000 |
EDF |
August 2019 |
Cardiff Energy Supply Ltd |
800 |
SSE |
March 2019 |
Brilliant |
17,000 |
SSE (currently SSE OVO) |
January 2019 |
Our Power |
32,000 |
Utilita |
January 2019 |
Economy Energy |
237,000 |
OVO |
December 2018 |
One Select |
33,000 |
Together Energy |
November 2018 |
Spark Energy |
290,000 |
OVO |
November 2018 |
Extra Energy |
108,000 |
Scottish Power |
October 2018 |
Usio Energy |
7,255 |
First Utility (currently Shell) |
July 2018 |
Iresa Energy |
95,000 |
Octopus Energy |
July 2018 |
UK National Gas |
80 |
Hudson Energy |
January 2018 |
Future Energy |
10,000 |
Green Star Energy |
November 2016 |
GB Energy |
160,000 |
Coop Energy |
*Data provided by Citizens Advice and Ofgem
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