Love Bristol? Want publicly owned energy? Peter Haigh, Managing Director explains how Bristol Energy puts people before profit.

Energy is not optional. It’s not a ‘nice to have’ or a luxury. Yet two thirds of us continue to pay over the odds for our gas and electricity. And around 4 million people across the country struggle to heat their homes or cook a hot meal. 

Is the energy market broken? Or is the public just disengaged? After all, our lights are still on. The kettle works. And the heating has kicked in… so why should I worry about my energy supplier? 

At Bristol Energy we have a chance to do things differently, fairly and with purpose. To get people switched on to their energy use. And lead a new kind of energy sector. 

Set up by Bristol City Council in 2015, we help people across the country to pay less for their energy bills. And instead of our profits disappearing into the hands of private shareholders, Bristol City Council will use the money we make to support local communities. 

For years the Big Six energy companies focused on profit alone. We choose to use our energy to fuel social good. So if we make a saving on the energy we buy on the wholesale market, we pass this on to our customers. And if you want to come in and talk to us about your bills over of a cup of tea, well, you can. 

We’re in the most competitive period in the energy sector’s history - there are now more than 40 suppliers to choose from. But public trust in the energy sector is still low. In a recent study, only pharmaceuticals and financial services ranked lower than energy. 

So we’ve got a big job to do, but at Bristol Energy we can start by keeping things simple…and running an energy company that works for the people, not just the profit:

• With no private shareholders, we can keep our bills low and fair. Our customers across the UK are saving an average of around £200 a year. 
• We also offer 100% renewable electricity for customers who want fairly-priced energy that’s kinder the planet 
• You can come and see us in person at our Bristol-based Hub, offering face to face customer service and a space for community events 
• And we are determined to tackle fuel poverty in our founding city, and have set up a heavily discounted tariff to help the people who need it most. 

Being publicly owned means we have solid financial backing, which helps protect us, and our customers, from a turbulent market. And we’re run by a team of experts with more than 300 years in the energy sector between them, all of us determined to run a company that works for the people. 

We can’t fix the energy sector overnight, but we will give it damn good try. 

Since the privatisation of the energy market in the mid-1980's, we have seen ever decreasing local or British influence over the firms that generate and distribute power in this country. 

Municipal energy is just one way that we can shift the power back. 

Join us and see for yourself: www.bristol-energy.co.uk or call 0808 281 2222.