Npower – an overview

RWE npower rank as one of the top 6 players in the provision of gas and electricity in the UK. The company operates and manages a portfolio of coal, gas and oil-fired power stations, and also has a number of renewable energy sources, primarily at North Hoyle Offshore wind-farm.

Npower launched its green energy plan in 2001, known as Juice, and on this tariff ‘green’ electricity is offered at the same price as their standard electricity. As part of the Juice programme the company makes a £10 contribution for every customer who stays on the plan which goes towards supporting community based renewable energy projects. Npower have committed to investing in projects that will help to reduce carbon emissions by as much as one tonne per year for every customer on the tariff.

As with all the major energy providers, Npower offer a range of tariffs to suit different households and circumstances. Their Price Guarantee tariffs either set a fixed price or guarantee that prices will be lower than the standard price for a certain period of time. The main drawback of these tariffs is that they don’t offer as much flexibility as other products. You must pay by Direct Debit and prices apply only if you get both gas and electricity from the company. The advantage of paying by Direct Debit with Npower, however, is that they offer up to £100 discount, which is applied to your account at the end of your first 12 month contract.

Partnership tariffs offer bonuses that are linked to the companies Npower has partnered up with. For example, with the Football 45 tariff, you get a one off £45 energy discount in your first year plus a £45 Football League club voucher; with the Freedom tariff you get £15 reward money per fuel when you switch and a one-off £100 Energy Bonus. Plus your £100 Direct Debit discount is paid in Barclaycard Freedom Reward money. And with the National Trust Green Energy tariff, the electricity you use is matched 100% from renewable sources and you get a one-off £100 Green Energy Bonus.

There are two online tariffs – Sign Online 23 and Go Save. Both allow you to access and manage your account online for convenience and offer discount prices for both gas and electricity if you do so. With both green tariffs – Juice and National Trust Green Energy – you are guaranteed that the energy you use will be matched with energy from renewable resources. And finally, the standard tariff offers the most flexibility with a range of payment options, no cancellation fee and a Direct Debit discount.

Npower also provide a boiler installation and maintenance service called hometeam. You can choose from three maintenance packages to protect against boiler breakdowns. Npower hometeam 50 costs from £16 a month and offers a 50% cash-back if you don’t have a call out; Npower central heating care costs from £12 a month and includes an annual boiler service worth more than £75 and finally, you can opt for Npower boiler care which costs from just £10.50 a month and includes a service, unlimited call outs and a 24 hour helpline.