Powershop Pro: FAQ's

Powershop Pro gives you the ability to see how much energy you’re using - and manage how much you pay for it. To maximise your savings, you’ll need to log into your account regularly, keep your meter readings up-to-date, and buy Powerpacks.

We don’t send out bills in the post. Instead, we will send you an Account Review email every month. This shows you how much energy you’ve used, how much it has cost and how much you have saved by buying Powerpacks.

If you have used more energy than you’ve bought, we’ll send you an email telling you by how much, giving you the opportunity to buy more before we purchase for you at our standard prices. If you don’t do anything, at Account Review time we’ll buy just enough energy to cover the period for you using your preferred payment method.

You can see all your transactions and Account Reviews online under the Transactions tab.

No, there’s no need for you to pay in advance to keep your electricity or gas going. We’ll automatically charge your account each month using your preferred payment method if you have not bought enough Powerpacks in advance to cover your usage. You won’t be cut off just because you haven’t logged in and bought power in advance during the month.

Don’t worry. Powershop Pro isn’t a prepay service so your power won’t run out or be cut off if you run out of pre-purchased power. Just carry on as normal and either:

• Wait until you can access the internet, so you can buy a Powerpack or
• Wait until we email you your Account Review statement, after which we will automatically debit your bank account or credit card to cover any shortfall. You will be given between 7 and 10 working days’ notice (depending on your payment method) before we take the shortfall.

If you’re going on holiday you may prefer to buy your Powerpacks before you go or make sure there are enough funds in your bank account to cover your usage.

Your electricity supply can be interrupted for many reasons, both planned and unplanned. Interruptions to electricity supply include fluctuations in the frequency and/or voltage of supply and surges caused by high-powered electrical appliances. You can also experience surges through your telephone and cable lines.

Because interruptions happen, we recommend you minimise the risk of damage to electric appliances, and especially to sensitive and expensive appliances like computers, televisions, stereos, washing machines and dryers, and heat pumps. To do this, you can install products such as:

• Surge protectors
• Power conditioners
• UPS (uninterrupted power supply)
• RCDs (residual current devices) and isolating transformers

Which of these you use depends on your circumstances. We recommend you talk to a local electrician or your local electrical outlet to help you choose the best solution for you.

If you’re at home and there’s an interruption to your electricity supply and you either have no electricity, or your supply voltage drops (you usually notice this if your lights dim), we recommend you switch off all electrical appliances at the wall outlet. This can help prevent damage if there is an electricity surge when the supply is restored. Just leave a light or two on so you know when supply is restored. We also recommend that you have insurance that covers you for loss or damage due to electricity supply interruptions or fluctuations.

First, check if there’s a real emergency, like a live wire, that needs immediate attention.

Keep well clear of any live wires. Do not touch any part of your meter.

Call your Network Distributor quickly and get the problem resolved straight away.

You can find out who your Network Distributor is by going to www.energynetworks.org/info/faqs/who-is-my-network-operator

Alternatively, you can find a map of the Network Distributors and their phone numbers at http://www.energynetworks.org/info/faqs/who-is-my-network-operator.html   

If your Network Distributor identifies there's no problem with your supply, there could be a fault internally and you’ll need to call a qualified electrician.

If you think you can smell gas and may have a gas leak, or are worried about one of your appliances, call the Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. You can also call this number if you’re worried about one of your appliances giving off carbon monoxide (CO), but remember that you cannot see, smell or hear CO.

If you smell gas but you are not in immediate danger:

• Call National Grid's Gas Emergency Service Freephone number 0800 111 999 – from a landline at a different property or using a mobile phone, away from the leak
• Open all the doors and windows
• Don’t smoke, light a match or any other naked flame
• Don’t turn lights on or off and avoid using other electrical switches and appliances as this could trigger an explosion.

If you or your family are in immediate danger, exit the premises immediately and call 0800 111 999.

We’re changing your current Standard Variable Rate Tariff to our new Baseline Tariff to give you greater certainty and protect you against rising energy prices. Unlike your old tariff, which went up and down based on market prices, the price you will now pay per unit of energy on our Baseline Tariff will be fixed for 12 months. So, if energy prices go up the unit price you pay won’t change.

Our new Baseline Tariff is a fixed rate tariff, so if energy market prices go up, the price you pay per unit of energy won’t change. All new tariff will have a fixed term of 12 months.

No, your monthly payments will continue to vary. Your monthly payments will reflect the amount of energy you have used that month and the powerpacks you’ve bought.

A Standard Variable Tariff goes up and down based on energy market prices. So, if the price we pay for our energy rises; the price we charge you may go up too. The length of the term is not fixed, and there’s no guaranteed end date.

Your new quote is based on the amount of energy you used last year. We multiply this by our new Baseline unit rate then add standing charges and VAT. This figure is how much your energy will cost if you use the same amount over the next twelve months.

The value of Powerpacks will remain the same. However, they may cover more or less of your total bill if your new baseline is higher or lower than your current tariff. For example, if you purchased a Powerpack to the value of £60 for a given month, and your annual bill amount at the old Baseline was £60, however your new monthly bill on your new Baseline is £70, the value of the Powerpack will remain £60. Conversely, if your bill reduces to £50, the value of your Powerpack will still remain at £60.

The price we charge you for your gas and electricity is based on the price we pay to purchase it on the wholesale market. Over the past twelve months, wholesale prices have risen, and this has had a knock-on effect on the amount charged by all energy suppliers. However, with Powershop Pro, you can still make savings against our Baseline rate by buying Powerpacks.

If you’ve got any more questions about our new Baseline Tariff give our customer service team a call on 0800 009 3719*, we’re a friendly bunch and always happy to help.