Energy firm pulls the plug on Edinburgh jobs
Last updated 14th Sep 2021
An Edinburgh-based energy provider which last year announced plans to create 100 new jobs in Selkirk has gone into administration.
People's Energy - which supplied gas and electricity to around 350,000 homes and businesses - employed 450 workers in the UK.
It's not clear how many Borders jobs are affected - but it's understood some workers had joined the company from rivals Ovo, which last year moved out of its offices at Ettrick Riverside.
In a statement, the directors of People’s Energy said: "We are truly saddened that People’s Energy has had to cease trading.
"We are sorry about any disruption or inconvenience caused for our members."
"We want to thank everyone who has supported the company’s mission to provide fair energy for all and support those in fuel poverty, and we also want to say a heartfelt thank you to our excellent team for all their hard work."
The Community Interest Company aimed to return 75 per cent of its profits to members - and was championed by the South of Scotland Enterprise agency.
One employee said they had been warned that People's Energy was having cashflow problems but the collapse came sooner than anticipated.
A statement on the company's website: "Please rest assured that your energy supply is secure and all account credit balances are protected for our domestic customers. This includes any recent top-ups that were made as part of the seasonal weighting initiative.
"Ofgem, the energy regulator, will be appointing a new supplier for all our customers. Their advice is not to switch, but to wait until they appoint a new supplier. This will reduce any risk of disruption in supply and facilitate the transfer of, and access to, domestic customers’ credit balances.
"Support and information can be found on the Ofgem website for both domestic customers and non-domestic customers. If customers need additional support, they can call Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 or email them via their webform."