2024 Review

6 January 2025

2024 Review

By Adam Novakovic

In a year that began with falling energy prices, there were recurring catalysts that led to prices climbing steadily higher. Geopolitical uncertainty and the perennial threat of escalating conflicts meant fear would maintain a constant presence in the wholesale markets. We will look back at the key energy stories from 2024, and how the energy markets are likely to shape up in 2025.


Quarter 1

The year began with cautious optimism as the UK’s gas reserve levels were healthy and prices for the Summer’24 season were in freefall. In February, prices pulled back to their lowest levels since 2021, and for the first time in a while, we identified that there was greater potential for upside risk than for further downward price movement:
 “there now (exists) an asymmetrical element of risk should the market encounter a supply-side problem of significance.”


During February we had advised customers on flexible contracts that this was an ideal time for making purchases.

March would see prices begin to ascend again as international conflict would create problems with LNG imports, and we would highlight the geopolitical risks as an area for concern moving forwards:
“fears remain and there are potential negative catalysts that could lead to prices rising further, with the main factors to watch out for being based on geopolitical unrest.“


For a business that purchases their energy in advance, this quarter was the optimal time for purchasing during 2024. In February, electricity prices for Winter’25 were down to 7.75p/Kwh, and as low as 6.05p/Kwh for Summer’25. Winter’25 ended the year with prices above 11.1p/Kwh, with Summer’25 prices exceeding 9p/Kwh. 

For a company that uses 500,000Kwh of electricity per month, the difference between buying at the February low point compared to today’s prices would represent a yearly saving of over £200,000.

Quarter 2

A colder-than-forecast April, combined with Norwegian gas production outages, led to prices continuing to rise. The disruptions to gas supply from Norway would be a prominent factor in price rises throughout the quarter as the threat of global conflicts disrupting LNG supplies further impacted the supply-side of the market.

In May, we highlighted the impact that global conflicts could have on energy prices:
“news out of the Middle East should be watched closely, as further disruptions to imports from Qatar could see prices rise further.”

Prices continued to rise in June as concerns regarding these conflicts escalated.

Gas reserve levels remained high but the UK’s reliance on imports led to fears in the energy markets, and this harmed businesses with high-energy consumption more than anybody else. While prices kept increasing it became more important for businesses to take necessary steps in reducing their consumption. To aid with this, we released our guide on helping manufacturing businesses lower their energy consumption and keep costs low: SeeMore Energy - Giving businesses that 'Lightbulb' moment...

Quarter 3

It had seemed as though prices were set to drop as we entered the second half of the year, but Hurricane Beryl hitting the Freeport LNG plant in the US and Iran being dragged into conflict in the Middle East put a halt to any optimism.

In July, we had seen the risk posed by upcoming outages at Norwegian gas fields:
“A potential problem that could impact prices in August is the Norwegian gas fields scheduled maintenance”. This would prove to be a factor behind price rises over the following 6 weeks as other factors would limit alternative sources of supply:

In addition to these issues, Russian and Ukrainian forces would clash near the Sudzha gas metering station creating concerns about energy security in the region. While heatwaves in East Asia were causing countries in the region to purchase more LNG than expected, increasing competition and prices in the global gas market.

By the end of September we were reflecting on price movement for the remainder of the year, and when we could expect energy prices to come down:
“While prices may be set to go higher on the news of further conflicts, there are reasons to be optimistic about the direction of energy prices beyond the coming winter. In 2025 we should see more LNG available to the market as new supplies”


For a business that consumes 1,000,000Kwh of electricity during the Winter’24 period, purchasing at the time we had recommended in February (when prices were 6.85p/Kwh), compared to the peak price of August’24 (when prices hit 11.12p/Kwh), would represent an over £30,000 saving just for the winter period. Further highlighting the importance of timing purchases and how negotiating energy contracts at the right time can lead to significant savings.

Quarter 4

In the final quarter of the year the story of the ceasing Russian gas supply to Europe took prominence. Any hopes of the contract that expired on December 31st 2024 being renewed or a workaround being found faded as Ukraine refused to change their stance, despite increasing pressure from Slovakia.


Donald Trump’s election victory in the US opened up the prospect of increased US LNG exports from early 2025, but the more immediate threat of a colder than expected winter caused prices to continue rising.


In November we recommended that those with contracts due for renewal in 2025 try to hold off as long as possible as the supply picture would improve in the new year.

Outlook

The prices for electricity for the period of Winter’25 ended the year over 50% higher than they had been during the February low -- in spite of many fundamentals in the market being similar to this time. The threats of global conflict, erratic weather, and uncertainty about short-term gas supplies have kept wholesale prices high. However, with prices for future years being priced significantly below the current levels, this suggests that prices are set to drop in the near future.


As we move into 2025, it will be important to monitor the UK’s gas reserve levels as increasingly cold temperatures could cause short-term prices spikes. However, with Asia no longer in the midst of a heatwave and US LNG exports expected to ramp up quickly, the supply-side of the market should be more positive than it was for the bulk of 2024.

Global conflicts remain an X-factor, but with Europe no longer reliant upon Russian supplies this should have less of an impact than in recent years.


It seems likely that after the current winter there will be short-term buying to replenish the reserves, but once this is completed, we should see prices begin to steadily decline, and 2025 should see prices drop below the levels we saw in the 2nd half of 2024.


If your business requires advice with its energy procurement, management, or planning, then don’t hesitate to contact Seemore Energy to speak to experienced advisors who can help you with bespoke strategies and advice that is tailored to your needs.

The British Industry Supercharger

30 October 2025
With government-imposed charges making up an increasing percentage of business energy bills, it is becoming difficult for many UK industries to remain competitive in international markets. This led to the introduction of the British Industry Supercharger (BIS). A scheme for energy-intensive businesses that aims to counteract many of the government-imposed environmental levies and the rising transmission charges. In this article, we cover how it works and what your business needs to know to benefit from it. What is the British Industry Supercharger? Launched on the 1st April 2024, the British Industry Supercharger is a strategic package of relief measures aimed at energy‐intensive industries (EIIs) such as steel, metals, chemicals, cement, glass and paper. The aim is to reduce electricity non‐commodity costs so UK foundational industries can compete with businesses in nations with lower energy costs. The BIS is comprised of 3 sections: 1. Relief from Renewable Levies This provides businesses with exemptions from paying Renewables Obligation (RO), Feed-in Tariff (FiT), and Contracts for Difference (CfD). These charges were added to invoices in order to fund green-power generation. Under the Supercharger, eligible EIIs can receive up to 100% exemption from these charges. 2. Network Charging Cost Compensation This offers discounts on electricity network charges - including Transmission Network Use of System (TNUoS) and Distribution Use of System (DUoS) fees. These fees cover the cost of maintaining the national grid and distribution networks, but can represent a large proportion of industrial energy bills. The BIS introduces a Network Charging Compensation (NCC) mechanism, reimbursing eligible firms for around 60% of these costs. 3. Capacity Market Exemption The scheme offers eligible business a full exemption from Capacity Market charges. The Capacity Market is funded through indirect charges on electricity bills with the aim of funding generators to ensure they are available during supply-peaks.

Why UK Energy Prices Keep On Rising…

21 October 2025
Why UK Energy Prices Keep On Rising… And what it means to manufacturing and engineering companies over the next few years Over the past decade, UK energy prices have changed dramatically. Not only in terms of overall cost but also in how those costs are made up. Ten years ago, the largest part of a business electricity bill came from the commodity element: the wholesale price of electricity. Non-commodity charges -- often used to support the infrastructure of the electricity grid or government energy policies -- were relatively modest. In 2013, the typical breakdown of electricity costs for a business user was around 60–65% commodity and 35–40% non-commodity. Today, that picture has flipped. For many manufacturers, non-commodity charges now make up over 60% of the total bill, with the non-commodity percentage of the bill increasing each year. This shift explains why energy bills have remained stubbornly high, even during periods when wholesale prices fell. Grid reinforcement, renewable subsidies, and balancing costs have grown year on year, with these costs baked into every unit of power consumed, regardless of wholesale prices.

What happens when a supplier fails?

14 October 2025
In the last decade, over 50 UK energy suppliers have gone out of business. With Tomato Energy being issued with a provisional order this week, it seems as though their name will be the latest to be added to the list of defunct suppliers including Bulb, Avro, and Spark Energy. For customers of a supplier that is on the brink of going out of business, this can be a scary time, but there is a process in place to ensure they are not at risk of losing their supply. Who is responsible? OFGEM (The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets) are a non-ministerial government department tasked with regulating the energy markets and networks. In cases where a supplier goes out of business, OFGEM provide a safety net to ensure that customers supply won’t be disrupted. What is the process? OFGEM may elect to appoint an administrator. If this is the path they choose, then no action is necessary from the supplier’s customers. At some point, the administrator may choose to shut down the supplier, at which point, all existing customers will be moved to a new supplier of the administrator’s choosing.

MHHS: Market-Wide Half-Hourly Settlements

6 October 2025
Market-Wide Half-Hourly Settlement (MHHS) What is MHHS? MHHS stands for Market-Wide Half-Hourly Settlement. Currently, most electricity is billed based on estimates or meter reads that can be provided monthly, quarterly, or sporadically. With MHHS, electricity consumption will be accounted for and billed in 30-minute blocks. The idea is that with more precise, time-based data, suppliers and networks can match supply and demand more accurately. This helps reduce waste and allow more flexibility in how electricity is used across the system. Who does it apply to? Previously, only large industrial and commercial users needed to have half-hourly meters, but MHHS is intended to apply across the whole electricity market in Great Britain. This includes domestic consumers, small businesses, large industrial users, and everything in between. That means most electricity users will be indirectly affected, even if they don’t see anything change in how their meter looks, the rules behind billing and settlement will shift behind the scenes.

September 2025 Review

1 October 2025
September Review By Adam Novakovic We have reached the time of year where the summer months have started to fade and we begin to think about the colder seasons. This month saw the UK government recognise Palestine as a country, although they still seem unable to recognise the harm their energy policies are causing UK businesses. With further charges set to be added to UK energy bills and rising non-commodity costs, it was a relief that wholesale energy prices remained fairly flat throughout September. A recent report from independent analysts Cornwall Insights revealed that large energy users who aren’t covered by Government schemes could find that they are paying a further £450,000/year in non-commodity costs by 2030. With non-commodity costs such as DUOS and TUOS charges –which are used to fund the infrastructure responsible for the transmission of electricity – now accounting for over 2/3rds of total electricity costs for some businesses, it is of growing concern that these charges are set to continue rising. With the TUOS charges for 26/27 expected to increase significantly , the non-commodity charges are starting to have a negative impact on UK businesses ability to compete against foreign businesses with fewer governmental charges on their energy bills. This growing concern is yet to be addressed but could have a huge impact on many industries in the next year.

RIIO - ET3 and increasing costs

25 September 2025
Following on from our previous article about rising TNuOS costs , we look at the reasons behind energy price rises, and which other items on your bill are likely to increase in the near future. What is RIIO – ET3? RIIO: “Revenue = Incentives + Innovation + Outputs” is Ofgem’s regulatory framework for setting how much network operators can recover from users while delivering value, efficiency and innovation. The current RIIO-2 period ends 31 March 2026, and RIIO-ET3 (also called RIIO-3) will run from 1 April 2026 through 31 March 2031.

How TNUoS costs are set to rise

17 September 2025
How TNUoS costs are set to rise As the UK pushes towards a low-carbon energy system, there has been a sharp rise in costs for businesses connected to the grid. The National Energy System Operator (NESO) has released its latest five-year outlook on Transmission Network Use of System (TNUoS) charges, and -- from April 2026 – energy costs will rise significantly to fund the country’s energy transition. What Are TNUoS Charges? NESO uses the funds from TNUoS charges to build, operate, and maintain the high-voltage transmission network across Britain. The forecasts for 2026/27 have indicated that NESO will be looking to almost double the revenue generated in the previous year. While suppliers pass these charges on to both households and businesses, the scale of the increases ahead will be most acutely felt by large energy users.

ESOS Phase 4: What Businesses Need to Know

8 September 2025
ESOS Phase 4: What Businesses Need to Know The Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) Phase 4 is underway, starting on 6 December 2023, with a compliance deadline of 5 December 2027 . UK businesses must understand ESOS Phase 4 eligibility , key changes, and deadlines to ensure compliance and avoid penalties. This guide covers everything you need to know about ESOS Phase 4 for UK businesses . Who needs to comply with ESOS Phase 4? The ESOS Phase 4 eligibility criteria remain consistent with Phase 3. Your organisation qualifies as a “large undertaking” if, on the qualification date of 31 December 2026 , it meets all of these requirements: Based and registered in the UK Employs 250 or more people Has an annual turnover above £44 million Has an annual balance sheet total over £38 million To confirm your ESOS Phase 4 eligibility , visit our site and answer the questions to see if your business should be participating. Even if you don’t currently meet these criteria, crossing the threshold by the qualification date means you must submit a compliance notification by the ESOS Phase 4 deadline of 5 December 2027 . If your business qualified for Phase 3 but no longer meets the criteria, you must submit a “Do Not Qualify” (DNQ) notification via the Environment Agency’s MESOS portal. Key requirements for Phase 4 Phase 3 introduced the requirement for organisations to create an Action Plan that set out how you intend to cut energy use and when. That same principle continues in Phase 4, along with mandatory progress reporting in the years that follow. However, there are some updates to note: Action plan progress must now be included within your ESOS assessment. If commitments aren’t met, your business will need to explain why. Display Energy Certificates (DECs) and Green Deal Assessments (GDAs) are no longer valid routes to compliance. While net zero reporting will not yet be mandatory, you can choose to adopt the new PAS 51215 standards for voluntary energy and decarbonisation reporting. This could give your organisation a head start before net zero requirements arrive in Phase 5. These ESOS Phase 4 key changes ensure businesses focus on actionable energy efficiency measures and transparent reporting.

August 2025 Review

1 September 2025
August Review By Adam Novakovic August was a month that saw the return of domestic football and the return of one of the most prolific energy narratives of the last 5 years, as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine once again dominated the headlines.

Nuclear Regulated Asset Base Levy

29 August 2025
Nuclear Regulated Asset Base Levy: What It Means for Your Electricity Bills From this autumn, UK businesses will see a new charge appear on their electricity invoices: the Nuclear Regulated Asset Base (RAB) Levy. This charge will help finance new nuclear power stations such as Sizewell C, but it also means yet another non-commodity cost will be added to bills. What is the RAB model? The Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model is not new and has been used for decades to fund water networks, energy grids, and other large-scale infrastructure. Instead of waiting until projects are completed, it allows investors to receive steady returns during construction. The aim is to lower the overall cost of borrowing by sharing risk between developers, government, and consumers. In 2022, the Nuclear Energy Financing Act cleared the way for this model to be applied to nuclear energy. The logic is that by reducing financial risk, investors will be more willing to commit to long-term projects. For the government, it helps accelerate the nuclear build-out that is essential to the UK’s 2030 clean power targets. For consumers, however, it means paying towards new power plants years before they produce a single kilowatt-hour and before they can help lower unit rates.