Schuetz

Second price rise announcement in less than a week as EDF Energy follows ScottishPower
14.7% increase in gas prices and 4.7% for electricity from 13th March 2006
Fifth increase in gas prices, totalling 60%, by EDF Energy since 2004
Customers to pay an extra 84 a year for energy bills, taking the average annual energy bill from 778 to 862

EDF Energy has today become the second major supplier to announce that it is increasing its prices this year, with rises of 14.7% for gas and 4.7% for electricity, according to independent switching and comparison service uSwitch.com. This comes after EDF Energy increased their prices for gas by 25% and for electricity by 19% in 2005.

EDF Energy, whose brands include London Energy, Seeboard Energy and SWEB Energy, is raising its prices for the fifth time since January 2004, and just over six months after their last price rise announcement. Todays announcement will affect over 4.7 million people in the UK, who will see their gas bills rise by 69 and electricity bills by 15. The average annual energy bill for EDF Energy customers is set to increase from 778 to 862.

The increases will come into effect on 13th March 2006.

However, 300,000 EDF Energy customers who are already on capped or fixed plans will be unaffected by the increases. In addition, the internet-based tariff is to remain unchanged, and will continue to be one of the most competitive deals available from any of the Big 6 suppliers