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Wales 'pays 10% more' for electricity

17 December 2007

On average, Wales pays ten per cent more for electricity than other regions of the UK, according to the director of Energywatch Wales.

Wendy Davies told the Evening Post, a Welsh newspaper, that the energy watchdog is currently investigating the reason for the increase, particularly as there is more electricity production in the country now than there has been in previous years.

"In the past, energy companies told us it was because of a lack of electricity generation in Wales," she said, adding that this reason may have less justification now.

Ms Davies explained that a new Energywatch report has also found people on prepayment meter schemes are often being charged more for electricity and gas, which can create bigger headaches for those living in fuel poverty.

"Consumers in Wales already pay higher electricity prices than anyone else in Britain so this new revelation is particularly damning," she said.

According to Ms Davies, npower consumers on a prepayment scheme in Wales pay around £304 more per year than those on other payment plans, while British Gas prepayment customers pay an average of £231 extra.

Earlier this week, UK business secretary John Hutton pledged to increase Britain's wind power production to 33 gigawatts of electricity by 2020.

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