Commenting on profit reports by Centrica today (Wednesday 27 February) showing the company's profits from domestic customers rose by 11 per cent last year, Friends of the Earth's Energy Campaigner Guy Shrubsole said:

“People will be furious to hear British Gas is raking in the cash after having put up with soaring fuel bills.

“The UK's energy market is dominated by six big companies hooked on increasingly expensive gas. We urgently need to fix the system to increase competition, tackle climate change and provide affordable power for the future.

“The Energy Bill is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to overhaul our power system and bring skyrocketing bills under control. The Government must set a decarbonisation target and develop the huge potential of clean British energy from the wind, waves and sun.”

ENDS

Notes to editor:

1. Centrica says it needed to put up bills and retain healthy profits to afford to invest in our energy system for the future. It says profit margins per person had dropped slightly last year. For more information on Centrica's profits announcement, see here.

2. Friends of the Earth is urging MPs to back a 'green jobs amendment' to the Energy Bill to set a legally-binding target to clean up our electricity by 2030. A clean power target will increase market certainty and drive forward investment in renewable energy, helping to tackle climate change and creating thousands of jobs. For more information on the Energy Bill, currently in Parliament, see here.

3. Friends of the Earth’s Clean British Energy campaign, backed by TV Dragons’ Den’s Deborah Meaden, is urging the Government to act now to fix our broken energy system by setting a target in the Energy Bill to clean up our electricity by 2030. Slashing energy waste and developing renewable power from our wind, sun and waves will tackle climate change, create thousands of UK jobs, and make our future fuel bills more predictable. To find out more and back the campaign visit www.cleanbritishenergy.co.uk.