The UK arm of French utility EDF has ducked the issue of whether it will cut customer energy bills following pressure from regulator Ofgem and today’s second price cut by Centrica’s British Gas. A spokesperson for EDF said the company had noted today’s move by British Gas to cut electricity and gas prices by 6 and 3 pct respectively and stressed that prices were constantly under review. However, he declined to follow the lead set by the other under-pressure company, Scottish Power PLC, which today strongly hinted that it could cut its customers’ bills as early as next week. ‘We note today’s announcement from British Gas,’ EDF said in a statement. ‘EDF Energy’s prices are continually under review. We are continuing to provide competitive prices, deliver excellent service and reward loyalty to all our customers. ‘We listen very carefully to what our customers are telling us and we will always do the right thing for our customers,’ he added. ‘Price is important but so are excellent service, social and environmental responsibility.’ In contrast, a spokesperson for Scottish Power told Thomson Financial News that incoming chief executive Jose Luis del Valle, who replaces Philip Bowman on Monday, would review all current business and hinted strongly that rates would be cut soon. ‘Scottish Power’s merger with Iberdrola SA means it is one of the biggest energy groups in Europe,’ the spokesperson said. ‘The new chief executive Jose Luis del Valle arrives on Monday and will immediately review all past business. ‘Customers can expect good news soon,’ the spokesperson said, but declined to elaborate on what this could mean for bills.

A spokesman for npower (owned by German firm RWE AG) said that British Gas’s move was ‘opportunist’, as it has been done just before price cuts already announced by npower and Powergen come into effect on Monday. Utility watchdog energywatch scolded UK energy companies for their lethargic response to falling wholesale prices, with director of campaigns Adam Scorer singling out Scottish Power and EDF for not cutting bills at all.’Customers of other companies have seen British Gas customers benefiting from 20 pct cuts in prices this year,’ he said. ‘Those customers have every right to ask when their supplier is going to match those cuts. And ScottishPower and EDF customers must be aghast and wonder why those suppliers haven’t passed on any savings to them.’ ‘Company responses to British Gas price-cutting have been delayed, pedestrian or non-existent,’ he added. A spokesperson for npower said British Gas price cuts were not as impressive as they seemed because they were merely correcting after reaching historic highs last year. ‘Of course it all depends on how you think your customers should be treated,’ npower said. ‘Last year, British Gas did not buy as much gas in advance as other suppliers so they were unable to protect their customers from soaring wholesale prices. This meant their retail prices soared to record levels. It seems now that they are giving their customers their own money back.’ Powergen’s current price cuts comes into affect on Monday and will see prices fall by 16 pct for gas and 5 pct for electricity. The cost for an average Powergen dual fuel customer will fall from 1,005 stg to 913 stg. Powergen said that it continually reviewed prices but did not announce a price cut today. It claims that its Guarantee products, available as single electricity, single gas and dual fuel, will be cheaper than British Gas until 1 September 2008. It also claims that over the last year complaints to energywatch about its service fell by 78 pct while complaints about British Gas rose by 139 pct.

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