SSE – an overview

SSE Energy Limited is a member of the Scottish and Southern Energy Group. The company was formed in 1998 when Scottish Hydro Electric merged with Southern Electric and they now supply gas, electricity and other services to more than 10 million people in the UK and Ireland. They are the UK’s largest generator of hydro electric power and recently built the 100MW Glendoe Station near Loch Ness - the first large-scale hydro electric power station to be constructed in Scotland in over 50 years.

The company recently came under fire for its planned hike in prices, so SSE may not be the cheapest option available if you’re hunting around for a good deal. However, given that prices seem to go up and down quite a lot across the board, there’s no harm in checking them out. They are currently promoting 4 main deals – iplan, Price Fix 7, Standard Energy Online and Energyplus Pulse.

Iplan is a new smart energy product using the latest technology to help you plan your energy use and track how much you’ve actually used. It’s an online only account and includes a special device known as Onzo which tells you exactly how you’re using energy in your home, where you could be saving it and roughly how much you’ve spent to date. Easy to follow graphs on your account will show you where the biggest energy drains are in and help you set yearly targets for reduction.

Price Fix 7 is the guaranteed price option with unit rates set for three years. With this option you’ll also get a 6% reduction if you pay by Direct Debit and a further 1% discount if you choose paperless billing.

Energyplus Pulse is the option for people who like to get involved in charitable works as every year £10 will be donated to The British Heart Foundation on your behalf. The prices are no higher than those on the standard energy plan and you get the added satisfaction of knowing that you’re helping a really worthy cause.

Standard Energy Online is SSE’s web only account, which means you do everything from giving meter readings to updating your details online. You must pay by Direct Debit if you choose this option, but overall this deal is 6.5% cheaper than the standard package.

If you’re keen to reduce your energy consumption in the home, then SSE’s ‘Better Plan’ would be a good option to consider. It’s no more expensive than energy on the standard plan and when you sign up you get exclusive offers on a range of energy efficient products and services. You also get lots of advice and tips on how to reduce your energy use and you could save up to £100 when you put them into practice. For example, you get £10 off your bill if you go paperless and £20 when you insulate your roof. You’ll also earn bonuses when you do reduce your consumption - £15 when you reduce it by 10% and £25 when you reduce it by 20%.

Finally, if you’ve built up a debt with your energy bill and you’d like to pay it off over time, or if you’d just like to have more control over how much you use and spend, then SSE’s Pay As You Go option could be right for you. Your electricity won’t be any more expensive but you may end up paying more for your gas. Your best bet is to contact the Customer Service department and they will be able to tell you if Pay As You Go is the best option for you.