E.ON UK Press Releases

E.ON hosts public information sessions and welcomes community comment on proposed High Clachaig Wind Farm

VictoriaBlake — Wed, 22 May 2013 08:13:00 GMT

E.ON is encouraging the local community to have their say on plans for its proposed High Clachaig Wind Farm. The wind farm which is in the very early stages of development would be located on the Kintyre Peninsula.

The energy company will be hosting public information sessions early next month, to give the local community the opportunity to find out more about the initial wind farm plans and share their opinions with the E.ON team.

Public information sessions will be held at:

Gigha Village Hall

Wednesday 5 June 4pm-8pm

Glenbarr Village Hall

Thursday 6 June 2pm-8pm

Emma Clark, Senior Project Developer at E.ON, said: "From our experience with our neighbouring Deucheran Hill Wind Farm, we know the area is suitable for building wind turbines and have selected the High Clachaig site due to its great wind resources and its connections to the national grid.

"This project is however very much in the early stages of development and these information sessions are being held to keep the local community informed about our plans and what the next steps could potentially be, so they can feed into the project from an early stage.

"People living and working in the area will have a wealth of knowledge about the site and we want to work with them to ensure that we understand and consider their views during the development of this project."

Anyone unable to attend an event, but interested in discussing the site should call 0800 096 1199, email highclachaig@eon.com or visit eon-uk.com/generation/highclachaig.aspx.

E.ON currently operates three onshore wind farms in Scotland, including the nearby Deucheran Hill Wind Farm.

The Scottish Government has set ambitious targets for renewable energy generation and aims to provide the equivalent of 100% of Scotland's gross annual electricity using renewables by 2020. The development of onshore wind farms plays a very important part in providing a low carbon energy mix for the future and High Clachaig, if consented, would be a vital step towards achieving those targets and helping to keep the lights on.

Ends

Notes to editors:

E.ON is one of the UK's leading power and gas companies - generating electricity, retailing power and gas, developing gas storage and undertaking gas and oil exploration and production. It is part of the E.ON group, one of the world's largest investor-owned power and gas companies. E.ON employs around 12,000 people in the UK and more than 79,000 worldwide;
In the UK, E.ON supplies power and gas to around five million domestic, small and medium-sized enterprise and industrial customers - meaning the company has to buy approximately 122.7 billion kWh of power and gas each year to meet their needs. E.ON also offers innovative energy services and technologies tailored to meet its customers' needs, and is helping customers become energy fit by encouraging them to insulate their homes, moderate their energy usage and even generate their own power;
E.ON's generation portfolio includes world-class gas-, coal- and oil-fired power stations. E.ON is a market leader in combined heat and power (CHP), and is one of the UK's leading green generators with 23 wind farms and the UK's first wave power generator, with another 1,500MW of renewable capacity under development.

For more information contact:

Victoria Blake on 02476 181304 or victoria.blake@eonenergy.com

Janet Heald on 02476 183692 or janet.heald@eon-uk.com

Simple + straightforward = success: Red tape presents bigger risk than cash flow woes for small business

AndrewBarrow — Fri, 17 May 2013 10:24:00 GMT

Three quarters (73%) of Britain's SMEs see business prospects hampered by complex tax system and over-regulation
SMEs call on energy companies to simplify contracts and billing
E.ON offers support with industry-leading changes to backdated billing and contract rollovers

Almost half of Britain's small business owners remain optimistic about the country's economic fortunes, but with three in four saying their future success risks being derailed by red tape, according to new research¹ out today from energy company E.ON.

The survey of 750 small business decision makers revealed that despite ongoing economic difficulties, the biggest boost to business prospects would come from reduced bureaucracy and simpler tax systems rather than improved access to finance or better interest rates (fig.1), with SMEs calling on the Government to urgently address these issues.

The results also show owners and managers want energy companies to make their day-to-day lives more straightforward. A quarter of businesses (24%) want greater simplicity of energy tariffs, requiring providers to offer clearer information about bills and contract terms.

To make things easier for its small business customers, E.ON has introduced a range of reforms to ease the burden for customers, including a maximum one-year period for backdated bills, becoming the first major energy supplier to commit to these protections for all small businesses.

Anthony Ainsworth of E.ON said: "Small businesses are the engine of Britain's economy and their message is clear: in these tough times they need straight-talking and fair play, whether from government or suppliers, to keep their businesses moving and improving.

"It is telling that red tape and bureaucratic complexity has a higher impact than poor lending conditions. I want our customers to feel that we are easy to do business with, that we have listened to their feedback and introduced measures to increase the fairness and transparency of how we work with them."

The significance of energy to SMEs was highlighted in the research, with 40% citing its supply as the most important factor for business continuity, ahead of staff sickness/absence (34%), delivery issues (39%) and problems with premises (30%). The key to successful supplier/customer relationships is trust (26%), which ranks higher than cost (22%) and security (12%), and the majority of businesses are keen to develop two-way partnerships with their suppliers.

Anthony added: "All businesses depend on energy to varying degrees, giving it a key role in stability and overall success. As an industry, we need to recognise that changes are necessary. In recent months we've talked to our SME customers via our new Customer Panel and taken on board their suggestions for how we can do things better.

"We have made great strides in improving things for our business customers, including an overhaul of our back-billing period to one year, effective this week, which delivers on a promise we made last year to mitigate against the shock factor of unexpected bills."

Some energy providers can currently charge for up to six years' backdated energy use², but around three quarters of the research respondents (76%) believe the process of back-billing for past consumption should be restricted to a maximum of one year.

Recent changes made by E.ON to assist SME customers include:

Delivered on the promise of a maximum one-year period for backdated bills, becoming the first major energy supplier to commit to these protections for all small business customer;
Introduced an independent set of standards for energy broker sales - supported by over 100 independent brokers - and aligning ourselves to those same standards;
The first major supplier to publish contract end dates on bills, letting customers know exactly when their deal is up for renewal and what they can do about it;
Making sure customers are aware they can opt out of automatic rollovers - or not locking them in to a fixed deal if they miss their renewal window;
Introduced a reminder letter for those who don't contact us when they receive their first renewal letter;
Improved billing standards to get more bills right first time;
Smarter meters, pay-as-you-go contracts and energy management so customers can budget better and manage their cash flow.

The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) Chief Executive James Lowman said: "We welcome E.ON's decision to reduce the length of potential back bills to one year and make their billing easier to understand for their small business customers. This is an important step that demonstrates their leadership in this area and shows they have listened carefully to the concerns of business customers.

"We will continue to press other energy companies, that have not done so already, to follow suit. In the meantime companies like E.ON are likely to benefit from greater loyalty from small business customers."

Ends

Figure 1.

Top reforms to improve prospects for SMEs	1. Simplify tax (37%)
	2. Cut bureaucratic red-tape (36%)
	3. Higher/easier bank lending (34%)
	4. Review employment policies (30%)
	5. Lower interest rates (22%)

Figure 2.

Sectors: biggest threat from red tape	1 Professional Services (82%)
	2 Construction (76%)
	3 Manufacturing/light Industrial (72%)
	4 Catering (71%)
	5 Retail (59%)

Figure 3.

Regions: biggest threat from red tape	1. London; Scotland (78%)
	2. Midlands; Wales (76%)
	3. Southern England (74%)
	4. Northern England (63%)
	5. Northern Ireland (62%)

Notes to editors:

1 Independent research carried out amongst 750 decision makers at UK small-to-medium sized enterprises, in April 2013;
2 http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/files/2011/10/Suppliers'-back-billing-commitments-to-micro-businesses-consumers1.pdf

E.ON is one of the UK's leading power and gas companies - generating electricity, retailing power and gas, developing gas storage and undertaking gas and oil exploration and production. It is part of the E.ON group, one of the world's largest investor-owned power and gas companies. E.ON employs around 12,000 people in the UK and more than 79,000 worldwide;
In the UK, E.ON supplies power and gas to around five million domestic, small and medium-sized enterprise and industrial customers - meaning the company has to buy approximately 122.7 billion kWh of power and gas each year to meet their needs. E.ON also offers innovative energy services and technologies tailored to meet its customers' needs, and is helping customers become energy efficient by encouraging them to insulate their homes, moderate their energy usage and even generate their own power;
E.ON's Reset Review continues to identify and discuss changes with customers through its 28,000-strong YourSay panel, its independent Customer Council comprising business leader Allan Leighton, ex-MP and Select Committee chair Paddy Tipping and E.ON Customer Service Advisor Joanne Sheridan, its 1,000-strong MySay employee panel and through discussions with consumer advocacy groups such as Which? and Consumer Focus. Changes made to date include: helping customers control their bills: fair prices, simple products, transparent profits, a fairer way of paying: providing stability to help households budget, improving customer service: consistency, easier contact, and the confidence to complain;
E.ON has topped several categories - including best for overall customer satisfaction, best value for money and best reward scheme - to be voted Britain's favourite energy supplier 2012 in the uSwitch.com Customer Satisfaction Awards. The independent report and awards are published annually and are based on a YouGov poll of over 5,000 energy customers;
E.ON's generation portfolio includes world-class gas-, coal- and oil-fired power stations. E.ON is a market leader in combined heat and power (CHP), and is one of the UK's leading green generators with 22 wind farms and the UK's first wave power generator, with another 1,500MW of renewable capacity under development;
One of the many ways E.ON leads the energy industry is through its commitment to market liquidity and transparency as evidenced by its actions on the day-ahead UK power markets including the N2EX auction. E.ON was the first company to sign a gross-bidding agreement with N2EX and leads the market with a volume equivalent to some 60% of E.ON UK's generation activity being traded so far this year.

Housing Association kicks off Energy Fantasy League

JaneBranscombe — Tue, 14 May 2013 08:09:00 GMT

Tenants in Norris Green are taking part in an Energy Fantasy League that has been established by Liverpool Mutual Homes (LMH) with support from energy company E.ON.

The 12-month scheme involves around 70 recently refurbished and renovated properties around Broad Lane and is intended to help residents become more energy efficient.

E.ON has donated £4,000 to LMH to help kick start the league into action, which is a pilot project for both organisations.

Participating tenants, or ‘Fuel Busters', have been entered into teams of eight households and have submitted energy bills from the previous year. Over the course of the league, residents are being challenged to save energy, which could help to reduce their bills.

Each month, households will provide meter readings to LMH, so they can track how energy is being used. A monthly energy-saving prize will be awarded to the most efficient home and best performing team in the league.

One volunteer from each team will also become a ‘Fuel Buster Leader', and will undertake training in how to overcome fuel poverty and provide additional support to the other households in the league.

Mandy Taylor, Regeneration Initiatives Officer at LMH, said: "The Energy Fantasy League in Norris Green has been established as part of our commitment to helping our tenants boost their energy efficiency.

"We've had a good response to the initiative and the households involved are already starting to get competitive. We're grateful to E.ON for supporting the scheme, which will help to educate residents about being more energy savvy."

The overall league winner will take home a low energy rated large kitchen appliance and an end of league celebration will be held in 2014.

Alison Gibson, Senior Community Relations Officer at E.ON, said: "We supported LMH's Winter Warmth campaign last year and it makes sense to continue our partnership with LMH and help with the Energy Fantasy League.

"At a time when reducing unnecessary energy usage is more important than ever, the league is a fun way to monitor and conserve energy output. We believe this initiative has the potential to educate homeowners and help them alter their energy habits, which in turn can reduce their bills."

For suggestions of ways to save energy and money safely, visit: www.eonenergy.com/waystosave

Ends

Notes to editors:

E.ON is one of the UK's leading power and gas companies - generating electricity, retailing power and gas, developing gas storage and undertaking gas and oil exploration and production. It is part of the E.ON group, one of the world's largest investor-owned power and gas companies. E.ON employs around 12,000 people in the UK and more than 79,000 worldwide;
In the UK, E.ON supplies power and gas to around five million domestic, small and medium-sized enterprise and industrial customers - meaning the company has to buy approximately 122.7 billion kWh of power and gas each year to meet their needs. E.ON also offers innovative energy services and technologies tailored to meet its customers' needs, and is helping customers become energy efficient by encouraging them to insulate their homes, moderate their energy usage and even generate their own power;
E.ON's Reset Review continues to identify and discuss changes with customers through its 28,000-strong YourSay panel, its independent Customer Council comprising business leader Allan Leighton, ex-MP and Select Committee chair Paddy Tipping and E.ON Customer Service Advisor Joanne Sheridan, its 1,000-strong MySay employee panel and through discussions with consumer advocacy groups such as Which? and Consumer Focus. Changes made to date include: helping customers control their bills: fair prices, simple products, transparent profits, a fairer way of paying: providing stability to help households budget, improving customer service: consistency, easier contact, and the confidence to complain;
E.ON has topped several categories - including best for overall customer satisfaction, best value for money and best reward scheme - to be voted Britain's favourite energy supplier 2012 in the uSwitch.com Customer Satisfaction Awards. The independent report and awards are published annually and are based on a YouGov poll of over 5,000 energy customers;
E.ON's generation portfolio includes world-class gas-, coal- and oil-fired power stations. E.ON is a market leader in combined heat and power (CHP), and is one of the UK's leading green generators with 23 wind farms and the UK's first wave power generator, with another 1,500MW of renewable capacity under development;
One of the many ways E.ON leads the energy industry is through its commitment to market liquidity and transparency as evidenced by its actions on the day-ahead UK power markets including the N2EX auction. E.ON was the first company to sign a gross-bidding agreement with N2EX and leads the market with a volume equivalent to some 60% of E.ON UK's generation activity being traded so far this year.

For more information contact:

Jane Branscombe on 02476 183681 or jane.branscombe@eon-uk.com

E.ON responds to DECC smart metering announcement

VictoriaBlake — Fri, 10 May 2013 12:00:00 GMT

E.ON has today (FRIDAY) commented on the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) announcement on changes to the UK's smart meter rollout programme.

Don Leiper, Director of New Business at E.ON, said: "We're making great progress with our smart metering programme - we've had excellent feedback from customers who've had smart meters installed and they continue to give us the valuable insights we need ahead of the mass market rollout.

"Smart meters bring real benefits to people by putting them in control of their energy use and helping them cut energy waste. We've provided over 200,000 smart meters for our customers to date and these customers are starting to see real benefits now and will continue to do so.

"While E.ON has been installing smart meters for more than two years, this decision now provides the whole industry with the time to make best use of the foundation period to ensure that all our customers benefit.

"Today's announcement also provides the commercial certainty all suppliers need to make sure the mass rollout from 2016 to 2020 will be as smooth as possible.

"We've introduced wide-ranging energy efficiency measures into more than 1.3 million homes across the UK, and only last week Ofgem announced that we've successfully met our commitments in this area. But our work to help our customers save energy and money will continue - and providing smart meters for our customers is key to achieving that goal."

For more information about E.ON's smart metering programme, visit eonenergy.com/smart

Ends

Notes to editors:

E.ON is one of the UK's leading power and gas companies - generating electricity, retailing power and gas, developing gas storage and undertaking gas and oil exploration and production. It is part of the E.ON group, one of the world's largest investor-owned power and gas companies. E.ON employs around 12,000 people in the UK and more than 79,000 worldwide;
In the UK, E.ON supplies power and gas to around five million domestic, small and medium-sized enterprise and industrial customers - meaning the company has to buy approximately 122.7 billion kWh of power and gas each year to meet their needs. E.ON also offers innovative energy services and technologies tailored to meet its customers' needs, and is helping customers become energy efficient by encouraging them to insulate their homes, moderate their energy usage and even generate their own power;
E.ON's Reset Review continues to identify and discuss changes with customers through its 28,000-strong YourSay panel, its independent Customer Council comprising business leader Allan Leighton, ex-MP and Select Committee chair Paddy Tipping and E.ON Customer Service Advisor Joanne Sheridan, its 1,000-strong MySay employee panel and through discussions with consumer advocacy groups such as Which? and Consumer Focus. Changes made to date include: helping customers control their bills: fair prices, simple products, transparent profits, a fairer way of paying: providing stability to help households budget, improving customer service: consistency, easier contact, and the confidence to complain;
E.ON has topped several categories - including best for overall customer satisfaction, best value for money and best reward scheme - to be voted Britain's favourite energy supplier 2012 in the uSwitch.com Customer Satisfaction Awards. The independent report and awards are published annually and are based on a YouGov poll of over 5,000 energy customers;
E.ON's generation portfolio includes world-class gas-, coal- and oil-fired power stations. E.ON is a market leader in combined heat and power (CHP), and is one of the UK's leading green generators with 23 wind farms and the UK's first wave power generator, with another 1,500MW of renewable capacity under development;
One of the many ways E.ON leads the energy industry is through its commitment to market liquidity and transparency as evidenced by its actions on the day-ahead UK power markets including the N2EX auction. E.ON was the first company to sign a gross-bidding agreement with N2EX and leads the market with a volume equivalent to some 60% of E.ON UK's generation activity being traded so far this year.

For more information contact:

Victoria Blake on 02476 181 304 or Andrew Barrow on 02476 183 677

E.ON invites local people to find out about changes to its proposed Quantans Hill Wind Farm

VictoriaBlake — Wed, 08 May 2013 08:21:00 GMT

E.ON is inviting local people to attend a public information session being held later this month to update them on changes to its proposed Quantans Hill Wind Farm near Carsphairn, Dumfries and Galloway.

The wind farm would be located 15km South of Dalmellington and could feature up to 19 turbines which would produce up to 57MW of electricity - enough to power around 29,000 homes.

The public information session will be held at Lagwyne Hall, Carsphairn on Tuesday 21May between 3pm and 8pm, when E.ON will invite people to view its plans and share their views on the proposed site.

Nick Taylor, Project Developer at E.ON, said: "We'd like to thank the community for the feedback they gave us at our public exhibitions back in September, which we've taken on board. Since then we've undertaken further studies and found it would be beneficial to raise the turbine tip height from 125m to 130m. This would increase our ability to match the best turbine model to the characteristics of the site.

"We're holding a public information session to update local people on our plans and we'd like to invite as many people as possible to come along to Carshphairn Village Hall on 21May when we'll be happy to discuss why we've made this change and outline how the wind farm will now look."

If the wind farm receives planning consent, E.ON will provide a community benefit fund worth £5,000 per MW, which could be up to £285,000 per year, which would be used to support local projects, chosen by local people, throughout the lifetime of the wind farm.

The Scottish Government has set ambitious targets for renewable energy generation and aims to provide the equivalent of 100% of Scotland's gross annual electricity using renewables by 2020. The development of onshore wind farms plays a very important part in providing a low carbon energy mix for the future and Quantans Hill, if consented, would be a vital step towards achieving those targets and helping to keep the lights on.

Anyone unable to attend an event, but interested in discussing the site should call 0800 096 1199, email swscotland@eon-uk.com or visit eon-uk.com/swscotland

Ends

Notes to editors:

1. Based on an average annual domestic household electricity consumption of 4,700kWh (DECC).
E.ON is one of the UK's leading power and gas companies - generating electricity, retailing power and gas, developing gas storage and undertaking gas and oil exploration and production. It is part of the E.ON group, one of the world's largest investor-owned power and gas companies. E.ON employs around 12,000 people in the UK and more than 79,000 worldwide;
In the UK, E.ON supplies power and gas to around five million domestic, small and medium-sized enterprise and industrial customers - meaning the company has to buy approximately 122.7 billion kWh of power and gas each year to meet their needs. E.ON also offers innovative energy services and technologies tailored to meet its customers' needs, and is helping customers become energy fit by encouraging them to insulate their homes, moderate their energy usage and even generate their own power;
E.ON's generation portfolio includes world-class gas-, coal- and oil-fired power stations. E.ON is a market leader in combined heat and power (CHP), and is one of the UK's leading green generators with 23 wind farms and the UK's first wave power generator, with another 1,500MW of renewable capacity under development.

For more information contact:

Victoria Blake 02476 181304 or victoria.blake@eonenergy.com

Janet Heald 02476 183692 or janet.heald@eon-uk.com

E.ON welcomes Ofgem recognition for energy efficiency success

AndrewBarrow — Wed, 01 May 2013 12:06:00 GMT

Commenting on today's report by energy regulator Ofgem which confirmed that E.ON has completed all aspects of the CERT and CESP energy efficiency obligations, Don Leiper, Director of New Business at E.ON, said:

"I'm extremely proud of our team who have worked hard to deliver against our obligations. Not only have we introduced wide-ranging energy efficiency measures to more than 1.3 million homes across the UK, we have also given an opportunity to some of the more vulnerable families in society to manage their energy costs for the long term.

"It is an unavoidable truth that the vast majority of homes in this country could be improved to use much less energy than they do today. Upgrading Britain's housing stock to become more energy efficient is an enormous task and Government obligations demand that we share that responsibility as an industry.

"People need to understand that they too can be eligible for energy efficiency help, either through the Green Deal or through the new Energy Company Obligation (ECO) which will be available to thousands more people both in social, rented and privately-owned homes. In delivering these obligations our partnerships with local authorities, housing associations and community groups have proved that working together is the best way to meet future carbon reduction targets and improve Britain's housing stock."

End

Notes to editors:

E.ON is one of the UK's leading power and gas companies - generating electricity, retailing power and gas, developing gas storage and undertaking gas and oil exploration and production. It is part of the E.ON group, one of the world's largest investor-owned power and gas companies. E.ON employs around 12,000 people in the UK and more than 79,000 worldwide;
In the UK, E.ON supplies power and gas to around five million domestic, small and medium-sized enterprise and industrial customers - meaning the company has to buy approximately 122.7 billion kWh of power and gas each year to meet their needs. E.ON also offers innovative energy services and technologies tailored to meet its customers' needs, and is helping customers become energy efficient by encouraging them to insulate their homes, moderate their energy usage and even generate their own power;
E.ON's Reset Review continues to identify and discuss changes with customers through its 28,000-strong YourSay panel, its independent Customer Council comprising business leader Allan Leighton, ex-MP and Select Committee chair Paddy Tipping and E.ON Customer Service Advisor Joanne Sheridan, its 1,000-strong MySay employee panel and through discussions with consumer advocacy groups such as Which? and Consumer Focus. Changes made to date include: helping customers control their bills: fair prices, simple products, transparent profits, a fairer way of paying: providing stability to help households budget, improving customer service: consistency, easier contact, and the confidence to complain;
E.ON has topped several categories - including best for overall customer satisfaction, best value for money and best reward scheme - to be voted Britain's favourite energy supplier 2012 in the uSwitch.com Customer Satisfaction Awards. The independent report and awards are published annually and are based on a YouGov poll of over 5,000 energy customers;
E.ON's generation portfolio includes world-class gas-, coal- and oil-fired power stations. E.ON is a market leader in combined heat and power (CHP), and is one of the UK's leading green generators with 23 wind farms and the UK's first wave power generator, with another 1,500MW of renewable capacity under development;
One of the many ways E.ON leads the energy industry is through its commitment to market liquidity and transparency as evidenced by its actions on the day-ahead UK power markets including the N2EX auction. E.ON was the first company to sign a gross-bidding agreement with N2EX and leads the market with a volume equivalent to some 60% of E.ON UK's generation activity being traded so far this year.

For more information contact:
Andrew Barrow on 02476 183677 or andrew.barrow@eon-uk.com

New arrivals tot up energy bills for UK parents

CaraPonton — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 08:33:00 GMT

Research* reveals that two in three new parents find energy use increases with baby's arrival
New parents spent over £70m on baby gadgets last year
E.ON offers tips and advice for new parents on how to control energy consumption

With the UK in the midst of a baby boom, E.ON has released new research* revealing that most parents (64%) use more energy in the first two months of their little bundle's arrival, with almost a fifth (18%) finding their energy use went up considerably.

The E.ON research highlights the changes new parents see in their energy use during baby's first two months, including:

Four in 10 (40%) tumble dry more often;
Almost a third (28%) put on ‘significantly more' loads of washing;
New parents watch on average three and a half more hours of TV and listen to three more hours of radio a day.

Beverley Maguire, energy efficiency expert at E.ON, comments: "New parents are faced with lots of additional costs, but one thing they may not consider is how baby's arrival will affect their energy consumption.

"It's clear from our research that the way families use their appliances changes significantly when a new baby arrives, and we want to ensure people have the information and advice they need to use energy as efficiently as possible to help them control their energy bills."

The findings uncovered the financial implications of the changing ways new parents use energy in their homes.

With over a quarter (26%) of new parents running up to three loads of washing a day, families could see their washing machine use add £30¹ to their energy bill over baby's first 60 days.

With more time spent at home, new parents found that their home entertainment use increased too - by an average of three hours more TV viewing a day. More than a quarter (26%) found they watch up to four hours more a day, with a cost implication of over £600,000².

The research also found that new mums are 10% more likely to increase their TV consumption than dads³ in the first couple of months, with almost one in 10 (8%) mums finding that they watched it for up to six hours more a day.

The radio was also used more, costing families almost £350,000⁴in these first weeks as almost one in 10 (11%) tuned in for up to four hours extra a day.

The findings also reveal the cost of new gadgets for parents, showing;

New baby equipment cost new parents over £70m⁵in the last year;
On average, new parents spend £700 on baby gadgets in the first two months after baby's arrival;
More than a quarter (27%) of new parents use up to three extra gadgets each week, such as baby monitors and bottle sterilisers.

Beverley continued: "With a new baby to look after, the last thing parents want to do is worry about how their new technology and lifestyle is affecting their energy use. But a change in family circumstances can be a good opportunity to review your energy tariff and make sure you're on the best deal. And we've pulled together some simple steps to help new parents minimise the impact a new member of the family can have on energy bills."

E.ON's Top Tips for new parents:

1. A tumble dryer is one of the most energy hungry appliances in your home; cutting down on just one load a week could take around £30⁶ off your electricity bill. If you can't dry your washing on the line or use a clothes horse and you need to use your dryer, give your clothes a quick extra spin in the washing machine beforehand - they'll dry much quicker.
2. Sleepless nights are an all-too-common feature for new parents, and the extra hours awake will mean the lights need to be switched on more. Try placing energy efficient LED night lights around the house so that you don't have to use the main light at night;
3. When it comes to bath time, save energy and water by using a baby bath divider or small tub rather than the main bath - there's no need to fill the whole tub. Getting the temperature right first time can also help save on using lots of hot water only to have to cool it down;
4. Why not rent or hire new gadgets and equipment instead of buying them? The NCT⁷ has a rental scheme for new baby necessities, which could save you money in the long run;
5. Ensure the room where your little one sleeps is fully protected against draughts and cold-air. Simple draught excluders can help keep them cosy without dialling up the thermostat.

To find out more about E.ON's simpler tariffs, to find its best deal and read about the customer rewards on offer, visit eonenergy.com or call 0330 400 1009 (lines are open Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm and 8am to 4pm on Saturdays).

To view more ways to save energy usage, download E.ON's Ways to Save booklet.

Ends

Notes to editors:

* Research carried out amongst UK parents of children up to 18 years by http://www.visioncritical.com/ in March 2013.

¹Three washing machine loads costs 51p (E.ON Energy Menu). 51p x 60 days = £30.60;

² TV: 27% of parents watched the TV for up to four hours more per day during first two months of baby's arrival. Four hours of LCD TV use costs 5p (E.ON Energy Menu). 807,776 new births took place in last two years (ONS Data 26 Feb 13). 27% of 807,776 = 218,099.52. 218,099.52x 5p = £10,904.98. 60 days x £10,904.98= £654,298.80;

³43% of women said they saw no change to their TV consumption in the first two months of their baby being born, compared to 53% of men;

⁴Radio: 18% of parents listened to the radio for up to four hours more per day during first two months of baby's arrival. Four hours of radio use costs 4p (E.ON Energy Menu). 807,776 new births took place in last two years (ONS Data 26 Feb 13). 18% of 807,776 = 145,399.68. 145,399.68x 4p = £5815.99. 60 days x £5815.99= £348.959.40;

⁵ 807,776 new births took place in the last year (ONS Data 26 Feb 13). 11% of parents spent up to £800 on baby gadgets (E.ON data). 11% of 807,776 = 88,855.36. £800 x 88,855.36= £71,084,288;

⁶Based on electricity prices of 15.15p/kWh. Correct as of November 2012. Tumble dryer - uses 3.83kWh per cycle.

⁷ Visit http://www.nctshop.co.uk/NCT-Bednest-Rental-for-6-months/productinfo/4364R/.

E.ON is one of the UK's leading power and gas companies - generating electricity, retailing power and gas, developing gas storage and undertaking gas and oil exploration and production. It is part of the E.ON group, one of the world's largest investor-owned power and gas companies. E.ON employs around 12,000 people in the UK and more than 79,000 worldwide;
In the UK, E.ON supplies power and gas to around five million domestic, small and medium-sized enterprise and industrial customers - meaning the company has to buy approximately 122.7 billion kWh of power and gas each year to meet their needs. E.ON also offers innovative energy services and technologies tailored to meet its customers' needs, and is helping customers become energy efficient by encouraging them to insulate their homes, moderate their energy usage and even generate their own power;
E.ON's Reset Review continues to identify and discuss changes with customers through its 28,000-strong YourSay panel, its independent Customer Council comprising business leader Allan Leighton, ex-MP and Select Committee chair Paddy Tipping and E.ON Customer Service Advisor Joanne Sheridan, its 1,000-strong MySay employee panel and through discussions with consumer advocacy groups such as Which? and Consumer Focus. Changes made to date include: helping customers control their bills: fair prices, simple products, transparent profits, a fairer way of paying: providing stability to help households budget, improving customer service: consistency, easier contact, and the confidence to complain;
E.ON has topped several categories - including best for overall customer satisfaction, best value for money and best reward scheme - to be voted Britain's favourite energy supplier 2012 in the uSwitch.com Customer Satisfaction Awards. The independent report and awards are published annually and are based on a YouGov poll of over 5,000 energy customers;
E.ON's generation portfolio includes world-class gas-, coal- and oil-fired power stations. E.ON is a market leader in combined heat and power (CHP), and is one of the UK's leading green generators with 22 wind farms and the UK's first wave power generator, with another 1,500MW of renewable capacity under development;
One of the many ways E.ON leads the energy industry is through its commitment to market liquidity and transparency as evidenced by its actions on the day-ahead UK power markets including the N2EX auction. E.ON was the first company to sign a gross-bidding agreement with N2EX and leads the market with a volume equivalent to some 60% of E.ON UK's generation activity being traded so far this year.

For more information contact:

Jag Kahlon at E.ON on 02476 181 308 or jag.kahlon@eonenergy.com

‘Spring Online' is only a click away with E.ON

JaneBranscombe — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 09:51:00 GMT

Energy company E.ON is offering free educational drop-in sessions in Nottingham city centre to encourage people to become more internet savvy.

The informal sessions, which offer basic digital skills and help in getting connected, are taking place from 1-4pm at E.ON's Open House, Lister Gate, near the Broadmarsh Shopping Centre, on Wednesday 24^th April - during Spring Online week, which aims to introduce older people to the world of technology at a local level.

The free sessions have been organised in partnership with digital skills charity Digital Unite and will be led by E.ON employees, covering a variety of topics including what email is and how it works, how to browse the internet and how to stay safe online.

Each session will last up to 15 minutes, and attendees can be set up with personal email addresses if they wish. Local blogger Penny Alexander will be on hand to explain how she benefits from using the internet.

Simon Gilby, Digital Excellence Manager at E.ON, said: "In this digital era it's more important than ever to have a basic understanding of the internet, which is why we're keen to help educate people about both the social and financial advantages of being online.

"We hope the sessions give attendees broader access to online facilities, whether they're looking to connect with old friends, make purchases or even monitor their energy consumption."

The event is aimed at internet beginners.

Ends

Notes to editors:

E.ON is one of the UK's leading power and gas companies - generating electricity, retailing power and gas, developing gas storage and undertaking gas and oil exploration and production. It is part of the E.ON group, one of the world's largest investor-owned power and gas companies. E.ON employs around 12,000 people in the UK and more than 79,000 worldwide;
In the UK, E.ON supplies power and gas to around five million domestic, small and medium-sized enterprise and industrial customers - meaning the company has to buy approximately 122.7 billion kWh of power and gas each year to meet their needs. E.ON also offers innovative energy services and technologies tailored to meet its customers' needs, and is helping customers become energy efficient by encouraging them to insulate their homes, moderate their energy usage and even generate their own power;
E.ON's Reset Review continues to identify and discuss changes with customers through its 28,000-strong YourSay panel, its independent Customer Council comprising business leader Allan Leighton, ex-MP and Select Committee chair Paddy Tipping and E.ON Customer Service Advisor Joanne Sheridan, its 1,000-strong MySay employee panel and through discussions with consumer advocacy groups such as Which? and Consumer Focus. Changes made to date include: helping customers control their bills: fair prices, simple products, transparent profits, a fairer way of paying: providing stability to help households budget, improving customer service: consistency, easier contact, and the confidence to complain;
E.ON has topped several categories - including best for overall customer satisfaction, best value for money and best reward scheme - to be voted Britain's favourite energy supplier 2012 in the uSwitch.com Customer Satisfaction Awards. The independent report and awards are published annually and are based on a YouGov poll of over 5,000 energy customers;
E.ON's generation portfolio includes world-class gas-, coal- and oil-fired power stations. E.ON is a market leader in combined heat and power (CHP), and is one of the UK's leading green generators with 22 wind farms and the UK's first wave power generator, with another 1,500MW of renewable capacity under development;
One of the many ways E.ON leads the energy industry is through its commitment to market liquidity and transparency as evidenced by its actions on the day-ahead UK power markets including the N2EX auction. E.ON was the first company to sign a gross-bidding agreement with N2EX and leads the market with a volume equivalent to some 60% of E.ON UK's generation activity being traded so far this year.

For more information contact:

Jane Branscombe on 02476 181 308 or Jane.Branscombe@eon-uk.com

Successful start of production from Huntington oil and gas field

ScottSomerville — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 08:29:00 GMT

April 12, 2013 Successful start of production from Huntington

Production of a new field in the North Sea started Total project investments exceeds £325 million E.ON is the operator of the oil field, owning a 25 % interest in the license

Production from the Huntington oil and gas field in the North Sea has successfully started and highlights an important step for E.ON's upstream business.

"The production start at Huntington is an important milestone and illustrates our determination in developing our upstream business," said Jørgen Kildahl, member of the E.ON Board of Management.

"Huntington will contribute significantly to the company's near-term production growth and implementation of our business strategy," said Frank Sivertsen, CEO of E.ON Exploration & Production.

Total investments in Huntington exceed £325 million and the field has 27 million barrels oil equivalent (mboe) in gross reserves (E.ON E&P estimate).

The Huntington development includes the Voyageur Spirit FPSO (floating production, storage and offloading vessel) specifically modified to meet the field requirements, six wells and a 12 km gas export pipeline connected to the BP CATS transportation system, allowing export of gas to the UK. Huntington is located some 230 kilometres east of the British coast in water depths of approximately 90 metres. The production facilities will have a production capacity of around 30,000 barrels of oil per day.

E.ON Exploration & Production is a growth segment within E.ON and is active in four focus regions: the UK, Norway, Russia and North Africa. Production will increase significantly in the coming years as more fields are brought on stream. E.ON E&P has an increasing number of projects in which it is the operator.

E.ON is the operator of the field, owning a 25 % interest in the license. The other partners in the license are Premier (40 %), Noreco (20 %), and Iona Energy (15 %).

ENDS

For further media information please contact:

Kjetil Hjertvik, E.ON E&P (Email: kjetil.hjertvik@eon.com / Tel: 0047 922 37 069)

Scott Somerville, E.ON UK (Email: scott.somerville@eon-uk.com /Tel: 07889 771 804)

This press release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by E.ON Group management and other information currently available to E.ON. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. E.ON SE does not intend, and does not assume any liability whatsoever, to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

Community energy scheme does the job

JaneBranscombe — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 10:13:00 GMT

Residents across five cities have been toasting the success of the Community Energy Fit scheme, which provides energy efficiency training and practical work experience to unemployed people looking to boost their job prospects by volunteering to tackle fuel poverty locally.

The 18-month scheme was set up by national fuel poverty charity National Energy Action (NEA) and energy company E.ON in Birmingham, Coventry, Exeter, Stoke and Knowsley and has seen more than 700 unemployed people undertake free courses in basic energy efficiency, over 200 of whom went on to gain NEA's Energy Awareness City and Guilds qualification.

To share their learning with their local communities, and gain valuable work experience and employment skills, some of the project participants chose to become Community Energy Champions, volunteering their time at a range of local events.

Local not-for-profit and community groups in each of the five areas have now been awarded the Community Legacy Fund - a £20,000 grant that will be used to continue the work that the Community Energy Fit scheme has already accomplished.

Lorraine Donaldson, Project Development Manager at NEA, said: "NEA enjoyed working with E.ON on this very worthwhile project. With the help of these groups, the good work already done by Community Energy Fit can be continued and developed to help even more householders heat their homes more affordably."

Suzanne Doxey, Community Relations Manager at E.ON, said: "This project set out to help unemployed people to improve their employment prospects and also to advise the local community, particularly those who are suffering from fuel poverty. I'm grateful to all of those residents who chose to become a part of it, and helped make Community Energy Fit a real success in each location.

"It's important that we continue to explain to people about energy efficiency. Switching to the best tariff for them and implementing simple energy saving tips at home will ensure that no hard-earned cash is wasted unnecessarily."

The Community Legacy Fund was awarded to Birmingham Social Enterprise Energy Network (b-seen), Voluntary Action Coventry, Exeter Council for Voluntary Services, Knowsley Community and Voluntary Services, Beat the Cold (Stoke) and Staffordshire Housing Association.

For energy-saving advice from E.ON visit eonenergy.com/waystosave

Ends

Notes to editors:

E.ON is one of the UK's leading power and gas companies - generating electricity, retailing power and gas, developing gas storage and undertaking gas and oil exploration and production. It is part of the E.ON group, one of the world's largest investor-owned power and gas companies. E.ON employs around 12,000 people in the UK and more than 79,000 worldwide;
In the UK, E.ON supplies power and gas to around five million domestic, small and medium-sized enterprise and industrial customers - meaning the company has to buy approximately 122.7 billion kWh of power and gas each year to meet their needs. E.ON also offers innovative energy services and technologies tailored to meet its customers' needs, and is helping customers become energy efficient by encouraging them to insulate their homes, moderate their energy usage and even generate their own power;
E.ON's Reset Review continues to identify and discuss changes with customers through its 28,000-strong YourSay panel, its independent Customer Council comprising business leader Allan Leighton, ex-MP and Select Committee chair Paddy Tipping and E.ON Customer Service Advisor Joanne Sheridan, its 1,000-strong MySay employee panel and through discussions with consumer advocacy groups such as Which? and Consumer Focus. Changes made to date include: helping customers control their bills: fair prices, simple products, transparent profits, a fairer way of paying: providing stability to help households budget, improving customer service: consistency, easier contact, and the confidence to complain;
E.ON has topped several categories - including best for overall customer satisfaction, best value for money and best reward scheme - to be voted Britain's favourite energy supplier 2012 in the uSwitch.com Customer Satisfaction Awards. The independent report and awards are published annually and are based on a YouGov poll of over 5,000 energy customers;
E.ON's generation portfolio includes world-class gas-, coal- and oil-fired power stations. E.ON is a market leader in combined heat and power (CHP), and is one of the UK's leading green generators with 22 wind farms and the UK's first wave power generator, with another 1,500MW of renewable capacity under development;
One of the many ways E.ON leads the energy industry is through its commitment to market liquidity and transparency as evidenced by its actions on the day-ahead UK power markets including the N2EX auction. E.ON was the first company to sign a gross-bidding agreement with N2EX and leads the market with a volume equivalent to some 60% of E.ON UK's generation activity being traded so far this year.

For more information contact:

Jane Branscombe at E.ON on 02476 183 681 or jane.branscombe@eon-uk.com

E.ON’s Rampion Offshore Wind Farm application accepted for examination by Secretary of State

VictoriaBlake — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 08:48:00 GMT

Proposals for E.ON's Rampion Offshore Wind Farm have been accepted for consideration by the Planning Inspectorate.

Consultation feedback from over 1500 people and organisations in Sussex has been used to shape the wind farm proposals.

Chris Tomlinson, E.ON Development Manager for the project, said: "We're delighted to reach this important milestone and that the application will now be considered by the Planning Inspectorate. In finalising our proposals, we've been very grateful for the level of interest shown by the local community and the comments we have received. The feedback from the consultations has helped us shape the proposals and further reduce the impact on the local community, while maintaining a project capable of generating electricity for the needs of two thirds of the homes in Sussex¹."

Norman Baker MP for Lewes, said: "I'm pleased that matters are moving forward. This development, if given permission, will create an initial 85 jobs in Newhaven, as well as helping the UK both to become more energy self-sufficient and cut carbon emissions."

Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, said: "Following a period of further consultation by E.ON, I'm delighted that the proposals for the Rampion wind farm are now back on the table and hope the project will get the green light. This exciting clean energy development could provide secure and sustainable power for a huge number of homes in Brighton and Hove - as well as creating local jobs, slashing carbon emissions and boosting the region's reputation as a place for investment in green industries."

If built, the wind farm could have up to 175 turbines and a capacity of 700MW which could generate enough electricity to supply the equivalent of around 450,000 homes³.

Notices are now being placed in local and national newspapers under Section 56 of the Planning Act 2008, setting out how the community can register their opinions with the Planning Inspectorate. The public will be able to view E.ON's final proposals and register as an ‘interested party' with the Planning Inspectorate during the period from 3 April - 11 May 2013 at:http://infrastructure.planningportal.gov.uk/projects/south-east/rampion-offshore-wind-farm/

The main concerns highlighted through the consultation were the visual impact of the wind farm from the Sussex Heritage Coast, the impact on fishermen and sea users and the impact of the onshore cable route on the South Downs National Park.

E.ON has worked to reduce the wind farm area by almost a quarter of the area consulted upon and to around half that originally awarded by The Crown Estate in January 2010². This has been achieved by removing an area to the southeast of the site, therefore reducing the view of the wind farm visible from the Heritage Coast by over 35%.

This change has also led to a reduction in the maximum number of proposed turbines by 20, meaning the project could feature between 100 and 175 turbines depending on the model selected.

In response to concerns of the impact on the South Downs National Park, E.ON has put forward a number of solutions. These include a ducted method of cable installation to reduce the time required for trenching and restoration, tailored construction to reduce the impact on the chalk grasslands at Tottington Mount and a commitment to communicate with users, informing them of the impact on Public Rights of Way.

Following concerns raised about semi-natural ancient woodland, outside the National Park, minor realignments of the cable route have been introduced to avoid ecologically sensitive areas. E.ON has also listened to concerns about traffic on Bob Lane highlighted by residents living near the proposed new substation and has confirmed that there will be no construction access from Bob Lane after the initial construction site is established. In response to calls to lessen the visual impact of the substation, tree planting is planned along the northern and southern boundaries of the substation site to reduce visual impact.

E.ON has also undertaken further engineering work, resulting in a reduction in the maximum number of gravity base foundations that may be required. This will play a key part in minimising the impact on wave heights which the surfing and wave sports community were concerned about. With this change wave heights will only be impacted by around 3%, compared to the potential 22% featured in the original proposals.

A final decision on whether consent will be granted will not be made until summer 2014.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the proposed offshore wind farm should email rampion@eon.com or call 01273 603 721.

In other news, London Array - the world's largest offshore wind farm in which E.ON has a 30% stake -reached full capacity on 5 April, with the commissioning of the 175^th and final turbine. London Array is a significant achievement in renewable energy -it will be capable of generating enough energy to power nearly half a million homes and reduce harmful CO2 emissions by over 900,000 tonnes a year.

Ends

Notes to editors:

1. Office of National Statistics census data 2001
2. Site area calculations:
Zone 6 Area awarded by The Crown Estate = 271.1 km²
Agreement for lease area = 167.1 km²
Potential additional development area = 14.5 km²
DCO application area = 138.6 km²
Difference between Zone 6 and consulted area (Afl + additional area) = 100 - (((167.1+14.5)/271.1))*100) = 33%
Difference between consulted area and DCO application = 100 - ((138.6/(167.1+14.5))*100) = 23.7%
3. Based on an average annual domestic household electricity consumption of 4,700KWh (DECC) and wind speed data from E.ON's existing offshore wind farms in UK waters. This will be updated as Rampion site specific data is gathered.

E.ON is one of the UK's leading power and gas companies - generating electricity, retailing power and gas, developing gas storage and undertaking gas and oil exploration and production. It is part of the E.ON group, one of the world's largest investor-owned power and gas companies. E.ON employs around 12,000 people in the UK and more than 79,000 worldwide;
In the UK, E.ON supplies power and gas to around five million domestic, small and medium-sized enterprise and industrial customers - meaning the company has to buy approximately 122.7 billion kWh of power and gas each year to meet their needs. E.ON also offers innovative energy services and technologies tailored to meet its customers' needs, and is helping customers become energy efficient by encouraging them to insulate their homes, moderate their energy usage and even generate their own power;
E.ON's generation portfolio includes world-class gas-, coal- and oil-fired power stations. E.ON is a market leader in combined heat and power (CHP), and is one of the UK's leading green generators with 22 wind farms and the UK's first wave power generator, with another 1,500MW of renewable capacity under development.

For more information contact:

Janet Heald on 02476 183692/07766 512333 or janet.heald@eon-uk.com

Victoria Blake on 02476 181304 or victoria.blake@eonenergy.com

London Array fully powered and producing green electricity

VictoriaBlake — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 11:43:00 GMT

Full capacity has now been reached at the 630MW first phase of the world's largest offshore wind farm, the London Array. The commissioning of the 175^th and final turbine happened at 16.09 on Saturday, 6 April.

With all turbines now exporting power to the national grid, London Array is expected to produce enough green electricity to power nearly half a million homes a year.

Turbine installation was completed in December 2012; since then the project has focused on fully commissioning and putting into operation all 175 of the 3.6MW Siemens turbines by this spring.

"This is the final major milestone of the construction phase and the culmination of more than two years' offshore construction work which began in March 2011 with the installation of the first foundation," said Project Director Richard Rigg.

"It has been a complex operation but I am delighted that the commissioning of the wind farm has now been completed on schedule, despite the worst of the winter weather."

The project has started handing over to the Operations and Maintenance Team. This will be completed in the summer when the last shallow array cable has been buried.

Benj Sykes, Country Manager for DONG Energy's UK Wind business, said: "Building London Array, the world's largest offshore wind farm, is a great achievement.

"As we now look to our pipeline of future projects, DONG Energy is determined to drive down the costs of our offshore wind farms to €100 per megawatt hour for projects we'll be sanctioning in 2020.

"What we have learnt at London Array, together with our continuing focus on innovation in technologies and techniques, will help us achieve that."

Tony Cocker, Chief Executive Officer of E.ON UK, commented: "London Array is a significant achievement in renewable energy. The world's largest operational offshore wind farm will be capable of generating enough energy to power nearly half a million homes and reduce harmful CO2 emissions by over 900,000 tonnes a year.

"It's been a tough time for the team working on site. The recent bad weather and north easterly winds have whipped up the waves preventing access to the site so this milestone is true reward for their hard work."

Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar, said: "Just over two years ago, we celebrated the first of 177 foundation installations in this massive undertaking. Today, after overcoming challenges on both land and at sea, we celebrate the commissioning of the final turbine.

"As a partner in some of the world's most sophisticated and large-scale renewable energy projects, Masdar recognises the value of robust collaborative efforts as exemplified by the London Array. Masdar is proud to be contributing to the United Kingdom's clean energy mix and remains committed to growing offshore wind capacity in the UK and worldwide."

London Array is being built around 20km off the coasts of Kent and Essex on a 245km² site. Phase One covers an area of 90km² and includes 175 turbines with a combined capacity of 630MW. A possible second phase could add enough capacity to bring the total to 870MW.

The project consortium partners have the following shareholdings: DONG Energy owns 50%, E.ON has 30% and Masdar has a 20% stake.

Ends

Notes to editors:

DONG Energy is one of the leading offshore wind farm developers in the world, with more than 20 years' experience in the wind power industry and we have built every third wind farm in Europe. The UK is one of DONG Energy's primary markets for developing offshore wind and so far we have invested £3 billion in UK renewables since 2005. The London Array is the latest of five offshore wind farms to be commissioned by DONG Energy in the UK and we have Lincs and West of Duddon Sands under construction with partners. We are also constructing the Gunfleet Sands demonstration project to test the next generation of larger turbines and have started works on the Westermost Rough project off the East coast. DONG Energy is also constructing the 400 MW offshore wind farm, Anholt in Denmark and Borkum Riffgrund 1 in Germany.

We are headquartered in Denmark. Our business is based on procuring, producing, distributing and trading in energy and related products in Northern Europe. We have approximately 6,000 employees and generated DKK 57 billion (EUR 7.6 billion) in revenue in 2011. For further information, see http://www.dongenergy.com/.

E.ON is one of the world's leading power and gas companies. With annual sales of more than €82 billion and around 79,000 employees, it is one of the world's largest investor-owned power and gas companies. E.ON is active in onshore and offshore wind, concentrating solar power (CSP), solar PV and biomass and currently has over 4.2GW of renewable capacity in operation, which makes it a leading global renewable player.

E.ON is committed to being a leading player in the offshore wind industry and it already owns and operates three offshore wind farms in UK waters. The UK's first offshore wind farm near Blyth in Northumberland, Scroby Sands off the coast of Great Yarmouth and Robin Rigg in the Solway Firth.E.ON is currently carrying out detailed environmental studies on its proposed Rampion site off the Sussex Coast and has been granted planning approval to build the Humber Gateway offshore wind farm, which would be located off the Holderness Coast in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

E.ON is committed to growing its offshore wind fleet across Europe and it intends to invest €7 billion in its offshore programme over the next five years, through creating industrial-scale wind, solar and biomass power plants. http://www.eon.com/

Masdar is Abu Dhabi's renewable energy company advancing the development, commercialisation and deployment of clean energy technologies and solutions. The company serves as a link between today's fossil fuel economy and the energy economy of the future. Backed by the Mubadala Development Company, the strategic investment company of the government of Abu Dhabi, Masdar is dedicated to the Emirate's long-term vision for the future of energy.

Masdar entered into the London Array scheme when it purchased 40% of E.ON's half share of the London Array scheme, giving Masdar a 20% stake in the project overall. The London Array investment is part of Masdar's global alternative energy strategy which includes solar, wind and other renewable technologies. Masdar, which works with a range of innovative renewable energy companies and utilities, is continuously growing its portfolio of investments, partnerships and production capabilities in the renewable energy and clean technology sectors.

For more information contact:

Joanne Haddon Joanne.Haddon@eon-uk.com or 07738 604337

Janet Heald Janet.Heald@eon-uk.com or 02476 183692

Tween Bridge onshore wind farm officially opened

AndrewBarrow — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 10:21:00 GMT

Caroline Flint MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, has officially opened E.ON's Tween Bridge onshore wind farm.

Located in Thorne, Doncaster, the 22 turbine, 44MW wind farm is capable of providing the electricity needs of around 27,000 homes¹ a year² - that's about one in ten homes in Doncaster - with the potential to save 54,000 tonnes³ of carbon dioxide over its lifetime.

At the opening ceremony in Coulman Pavillion, Caroline Flint MP said: "I am delighted to open this wind farm. Wind - both on land and sea - has a huge part to play in powering communities and, as the windiest country in Europe, Britain must invest in wind power.

"I believe that wind power and renewable energy generally can provide vital manufacturing jobs in the UK in the future and I am very optimistic that Tween Bridge will demonstrate that wind farms can be good neighbours to those living closest to them."

Tony Cocker, Chief Executive of E.ON UK, said: "Tween Bridge is another important step in our development in the UK. We are developing renewable energy projects up and down the country; onshore and offshore wind farms as well as biomass plants. We will soon have over 1,000MW of renewable generation, enough to supply around 540,000 homes or all the homes in Doncaster twice over.

"This wind farm will provide around £1.25 million through community funding and has created multiple jobs during construction, with a smaller amount staying on site to provide a permanent maintenance team. Those are numbers to be proud of and my thanks goes to all those involved in making Tween Bridge a reality."

The Tween Bridge community fund is worth £55,000 per year and will be used to help local community groups. The fund has already supported local groups such as Thorne United football club who received £3,700 to train their coaches and to buy youth team football kits, goalposts and footballs. If you are interested in applying for the fund on behalf of a group you are involved in, please contact Karen Walke on 01142 429005.

Ends

1. A typical year of generation is based on predicted data for Tween Bridge Wind farm, using a capacity factor of 31.22%
2. Based on an average household electricity consumption of 4,370kWh. Source DECC.
3. Based on the Government's long term marginal plant figure of 449g CO2/kWh.
4. Figures based on DECC statistics from 2011 of an average annual household electricity consumption of 4266kWh and an average onshore wind load factor of 26.4%.

Notes to editors:

E.ON is one of the UK's leading power and gas companies - generating electricity, retailing power and gas, developing gas storage and undertaking gas and oil exploration and production. It is part of the E.ON group, one of the world's largest investor-owned power and gas companies. E.ON employs around 12,000 people in the UK and more than 79,000 worldwide;
In the UK, E.ON supplies power and gas to around five million domestic, small and medium-sized enterprise and industrial customers - meaning the company has to buy approximately 122.7 billion kWh of power and gas each year to meet their needs. E.ON also offers innovative energy services and technologies tailored to meet its customers' needs, and is helping customers become energy efficient by encouraging them to insulate their homes, moderate their energy usage and even generate their own power;
E.ON's Reset Review continues to identify and discuss changes with customers through its 28,000-strong YourSay panel, its independent Customer Council comprising business leader Allan Leighton, ex-MP and Select Committee chair Paddy Tipping and E.ON Customer Service Advisor Joanne Sheridan, its 1,000-strong MySay employee panel and through discussions with consumer advocacy groups such as Which? and Consumer Focus. Changes made to date include: helping customers control their bills: fair prices, simple products, transparent profits, a fairer way of paying: providing stability to help households budget, improving customer service: consistency, easier contact, and the confidence to complain;
E.ON has topped several categories - including best for overall customer satisfaction, best value for money and best reward scheme - to be voted Britain's favourite energy supplier 2012 in the uSwitch.com Customer Satisfaction Awards. The independent report and awards are published annually and are based on a YouGov poll of over 5,000 energy customers;
E.ON's generation portfolio includes world-class gas-, coal- and oil-fired power stations. E.ON is a market leader in combined heat and power (CHP), and is one of the UK's leading green generators with 22 wind farms and the UK's first wave power generator, with another 1,500MW of renewable capacity under development;
One of the many ways E.ON leads the energy industry is through its commitment to market liquidity and transparency as evidenced by its actions on the day-ahead UK power markets including the N2EX auction. E.ON was the first company to sign a gross-bidding agreement with N2EX and leads the market with a volume equivalent to some 60% of E.ON UK's generation activity being traded so far this year.

For more information and photographs contact:

Janet Heald on 07766512333 or janet.heald@eon-uk.com

UK pet owners indulge their hot-dogs and thermo-cats

AndrewBarrow — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:50:00 GMT

Over half of pet owners turn up the heating for their cat or dog when they go out
Men more likely than women to leave the heating on for pets
BBC Radio 1 station of choice for cats and dogs

Pampered cats and dogs enjoy the heating on high and the radio blaring - even when their owner is not at home, according to research from energy company E.ON¹.

Dog owners are most likely to bow-wow to their pets' love of the warm, with almost half (47%) leaving the thermostat turned up whenever they're out. Mollycoddled moggies also enjoy toasty temperatures as more than one in three cat owners (38%) adopt the same approach.

Taking it one step further, over half (52%) of cat and dog owners actually increase the temperature when they leave the home to ensure that their four-legged friend stays warm and fuzzy, with men being 20% more likely to reach for the thermostat than women².

Making sure their pets are kept entertained, owners leave the radio on so their pet can enjoy listening to ‘meeeowsic' - with BBC Radio 1 being the station of choice for both cat and dog owners³.

Cementing their reputation as the more independent of the two animals, just one in four cat owners (26%) feel they need to leave the radio playing for their pet, compared to almost half (47%) of those who have a dog. A quarter of those who keep the radio on do so to ensure their pet doesn't get lonely.

Other insights from the research show:

The master and his owner - men who have a dog are most likely to leave the heating on for their pet (53%);
It's reigning cats and dogs - one in 10 owners who leave the radio on do so just because their pet likes music;
Turn up the heat - those aged 18-24 are most likely to keep the heating on for their pet⁴;
Cat that got the cream - over two thirds of cat owners (68%) in the East Midlands increase the heating when their owner goes out;
Spoiler alert - East Midlands pooches are most likely to have the luxury of the radio or TV on when their owner leaves the house (62%).

To help owners balance the happiness of their pets and their energy bills, E.ON has teamed up with respected vet, author and TV personality, Dr Scott Miller to provide some simple tips.

Fiona Stark, Director of Corporate Affairs at E.ON and dog owner, said: "Our research shows that owners are thinking carefully about their pet's comfort when they leave the house, but it's important to remember that leaving the heating and radio on for long periods may also increase your energy bills.

"We'd advise pet owners to consider other ways they can keep their pet happy and warm while they wait for them to come home. As Dr. Scott's tips show it's often the simple things that will ensure your pets - and your energy bills - stay as healthy as possible."

Dr. Scott Miller's top tips when leaving your pet at home:

Exercise your pet well before leaving them. This should help them to be much happier to curl up in bed while you head out.
If your pet likes having the radio or TV on, try leaving it on a timer to reduce your energy consumption.
Leave chews or rubber toys stuffed with their normal food to give your pets some mental stimulation when you are out.
If you're worried about your pet getting cold, try leaving warm blankets in their basket rather than increasing the heating temperature.
Don't make a big fuss when you leave; if you keep calm your pet is likely to keep calm too.
When you get home, ignore your dog for the first ten minutes or so, then when they are calm give them attention and affection. Giving them attention immediately can encourage our canines to become over-excited whenever the front door opens.
Provide lots of fresh water for your pets during the winter months when leaving them indoors, as heating our homes can lead to a very dry and dehydrating indoor environment.

E.ON offers a range of tips and products to help people save energy. Please visit eonenergy.com to find out more.

Ends

Notes to editors:

¹All stats based on research carried out amongst 4,797 UK adults by OnePoll in March 2012;

²45% of women and 53% of men keep the heating on for their dog. 34% of women and 45% of men keep the heating on for their cat (OnePoll, March 2012);

² 64% of men who have a dog turn the heating up for their pet when they leave the house compared to 44% of women who have a dog (OnePoll, March 2012);

³ 45% of cat owners who leave the radio on for their pet tune into BBC Radio 1 and 34% of dog owners who leave the radio on for their pet tune into BBC Radio 1 (OnePoll, March 2012);

⁴

	18-24	25-34	35-44	45-54	55+
Percentage of people who keep the heating on for their dog	58.88%	54.80%	44.48%	37.56%	32.64%
Percentage of people who keep the heating on for their cat	45.08%	44.87%	31.94%	29.26%	31.25%

E.ON is one of the UK's leading power and gas companies - generating electricity, retailing power and gas, developing gas storage and undertaking gas and oil exploration and production. It is part of the E.ON group, one of the world's largest investor-owned power and gas companies. E.ON employs around 12,000 people in the UK and more than 79,000 worldwide;
In the UK, E.ON supplies power and gas to around five million domestic, small and medium-sized enterprise and industrial customers - meaning the company has to buy approximately 122.7 billion kWh of power and gas each year to meet their needs. E.ON also offers innovative energy services and technologies tailored to meet its customers' needs, and is helping customers become energy efficient by encouraging them to insulate their homes, moderate their energy usage and even generate their own power;
E.ON's Reset Review continues to identify and discuss changes with customers through its 28,000-strong YourSay panel, its independent Customer Council comprising business leader Allan Leighton, ex-MP and Select Committee chair Paddy Tipping and E.ON Customer Service Advisor Joanne Sheridan, its 1,000-strong MySay employee panel and through discussions with consumer advocacy groups such as Which? and Consumer Focus. Changes made to date include: Helping customers control their bills: Fair prices, simple products, transparent profits, A fairer way of paying: Providing stability to help households budget, Improving customer service: Consistency, easier contact, the confidence to complain;
E.ON's generation portfolio includes world-class gas-, coal- and oil-fired power stations. E.ON is a market leader in combined heat and power (CHP), and is one of the UK's leading green generators with 20 wind farms and the UK's first wave power generator, with another 1,500MW of renewable capacity under development;
One of the many ways E.ON leads the energy industry is through its commitment to market liquidity and transparency as evidenced by its actions on the day-ahead UK power markets including the N2EX auction. E.ON was the first company to sign a gross-bidding agreement with N2EX and leads the market with a volume equivalent to some 60% of E.ON UK's generation activity being traded so far this year.

For more information contact:

Jag Kahlon on 02476 181 308 or Jag.Kahlon@eonenergy.com

E.ON's UK Results 2012: Profits on electricity and gas sales fall as customer satisfaction and investment increased

AndrewBarrow — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 09:06:00 GMT

E.ON has today provided details of its financial performance in 2012 showing where its customers' money went. These figures are on the same basis as will be reported to Ofgem later in the year as part of its segmental accounts.

The company saw its profits from supplying businesses decline compared to a very good 2011. In its residential business that supplies around five million homes across the country customer numbers increased and costs were held almost flat. This was at a time when the costs of other parts of customers' bills outside of the company's control increased, for example network charges and the costs of government energy efficiency schemes. Overall, E.ON's profit margin on supplying residential customers increased slightly from 2% to 2.3%.

Key aspects of the 2012 figures demonstrate:

Customer supply business (Residential):

Estimated profit margin on supply of electricity and gas to domestic customers was 2.3% or just under £27 on an average weighted dual fuel residential bill (excl. VAT);
E.ON operating costs (including metering costs and profit) are around 17% of an average weighted dual fuel residential bill (excl. VAT);
E.ON reduced and held residential prices in 2012: Electricity cut by an average 6% in February 2012 and a price promise for 2012 put in place from May¹;
E.ON is working hard to improve the relationship it has with its residential and business customers. It was named as uSwitch customer satisfaction overall award winner, but knows that more still needs to be done.

Other E.ON businesses operating in the UK:

Significant investment continues as E.ON plays its part in keeping the lights on and protecting secure energy supplies for Britain;
Total 2012 UK investment almost twice what was made in profit.

Tony Cocker, Chief Executive, E.ON UK said: "Looking back at 2012 we worked hard to make sure that the choices we made were right for our customers and the efforts we made to freeze our prices and make our customer service better had a real and positive impact.

"As a result of the changes we have made, many of which were difficult and challenging, we were named by consumers and uSwitch as their ‘customer satisfaction overall winner' for the first time. Our own feedback data also shows an improving picture. We still have a long way to go in terms of how we'd like our customers to view us, I'm heartened by the progress we've made by doing things differently.

"This progress is down to our actions - not just words. We listened to what our customers told us and made over 30 significant changes in 2012 as part of our Reset Review. These included offering our best deal to all our residential customers, having fewer, simpler tariffs for our domestic customers and a clear code of conduct for third parties who sell to our SME customers. We made our bills easier to understand by making them just one page long, and made it cheaper to contact us by introducing local rate numbers to call us on. We continue to invest in providing support to the people who need most help. There are many more examples which are united by one common theme, a focus on our customers' needs.

"We continue to help our customers to control their energy use by providing them with smart meters. We believe we were also the first company to complete its Government CERT and CESP insulation schemes. We also undertook other major projects such as the construction of an energy centre at the Skypark in Exeter that will provide heat for homes and businesses in the area."

Other E.ON activities:

E.ON's supply activities are the core retail function which works with our customers every day. In addition, E.ON has a number of other businesses that operate in the UK. The aggregated results of these businesses, including power stations, renewables such as on and offshore wind farms, gas storage and exploration and production in the North Sea which operate separately, is as follows:

In 2012 E.ON earned £591m in profit from its other activities and invested almost double, £1,194m. 2012 investment highlights were a continued expansion of E.ON's onshore and offshore wind portfolio, including the further construction of the world's largest offshore windfarm, London Array. Money was also invested to convert a previously coal-fired power station at Ironbridge in Shropshire to have the ability to use up to 100% renewable biomass fuel pellets and to provide secure future energy supplies through the development of the Huntington and Babbage fields in the North Sea.

Commenting on E.ON's overall performance Tony Cocker continued:

"Across E.ON's different UK activities the tale of these numbers is one of a company which thinks of its customers first and invests in the future of the UK.

"Our contribution to the UK remains very significant. When looking across E.ON activities in the UK we have invested more than we made in profit both this year and in total across the last five years too. This investment in renewables, in power stations and in securing the energy we all need will continue to benefit Britain for years to come, both financially and in terms of keeping the lights on and our homes warm."

Ends

Notes to editors:

2011 v 2012 comparison: 2011 and 2012 fiscal results reported above show "Ofgem view". These are the figures that go towards segmental / statutory accounts. To ensure transparency and consistency E.ON UK will continue to report on this full basis not a projected internal view that may not give the full final figures due to a difference in reporting cycles.

1 = In May 2012 E.ON promised it would not raise prices for existing customers before at least December 31^st 2012. Only customers who were currently on a fixed term deal that ended during that time may have seen an increase.

For more information contact:

Scott Somerville (07889 771 804 or 02476 183 438)