Bristol Energy

Bristol Energy was a local-authority-owned energy supply business created by Bristol City Council as part of a wider effort to address climate change, energy security and local economic development. The council decided in principle to establish an energy company in 2010, approved a business plan in 2015, and founded Bristol Energy in September 2015. The company began accepting customers in February 2016 and supplied gas and electricity to domestic and business customers throughout the United Kingdom. The business was designed to combine commercial energy retailing with public-sector objectives, including support for renewable generation and the potential retention of profits for local investment. It also sought public-sector contracts, including the supply of energy to Bristol City Council. In 2018, British Gas narrowly won the council's supply contract on price, although Bristol Energy subsequently regained portions of the council's gas and electricity business. The company reported progress in renewable energy: in 2019 it stated that 79% of its supplied energy was generated from renewable sources. It also obtained a grant of approximately €1.9 million from the European Investment Bank and the European Commission for renewable-energy work undertaken with Plymouth City Council. Despite these initiatives, Bristol Energy required substantial financial support from its council owner and was not expected to become profitable until 2024 according to reporting cited in its public history. By August 2019, Bristol City Council had provided approximately £37.7 million in funding. The company also faced management changes and growing concern about the risks associated with the council's commercial investments. Peter Haigh, the first employee and chief executive, left in late 2018 and was replaced by finance director Marek Majewicz. Majewicz departed in March 2020 and was replaced by Allan Booth, described in contemporary reporting as a turnaround specialist. Bristol City Council placed the business for sale in May 2020. Its commercial customer accounts were sold to Yü Energy in August 2020. In September, the Bristol Energy brand and approximately 155,000 residential meter points were sold to Together Energy, while the renewable-generation portfolio and commercial feed-in-tariff customers were sold separately to F&S Energy in October. Bristol Energy therefore ceased to operate as an integrated municipal supplier, although the name continued as a domestic energy brand within Together Energy. The wider Together Energy business was unable to secure additional funding or a buyer during the wholesale energy-price crisis that intensified in late 2021. On 18 January 2022, Together Energy Retail announced that it was ceasing to trade. Its domestic customers, including customers associated with the Bristol Energy brand, were subsequently transferred to British Gas. Bristol Energy is consequently a defunct energy-supply brand rather than an active independent supplier. The corporate restructuring also separated the former Bristol Energy company and its liabilities from the entity that carried the Bristol Energy name after the transaction.

Bristol Energy originated in Bristol City Council's climate and energy policy. In 2010, the council decided in principle to establish an energy company as part of its Climate Change and Energy Security Framework. A formal business plan followed in February 2015 and was approved by the council cabinet in July of that year. Bristol Energy was founded in September 2015 as a wholly council-owned company, held through Bristol Holding Limited. It began accepting customers in February 2016. The company supplied gas and electricity to households and businesses across the United Kingdom. Its public-sector ownership distinguished it from conventional private suppliers, while its stated rationale included renewable-energy development, energy security and the possibility of creating a commercial return for local government. Bristol Energy also pursued council and other public-sector supply contracts. In spring 2018, it lost the contract to supply Bristol City Council after British Gas offered a slightly lower price. It later won back part of the council's gas business in November 2018 and regained the council's electricity contract in February 2019. Management changed during this period. Peter Haigh, Bristol Energy's first employee and chief executive, left in December 2018. Marek Majewicz, previously the finance director, succeeded him. In January 2019, the company announced a grant of about €1.9 million from the European Investment Bank and the European Commission for renewable-energy work undertaken with Plymouth City Council. Bristol Energy stated that 79% of its energy supply in 2019 came from renewable sources. In May of that year, it entered a partnership with The Big Issue, and the chief executive later said the company had employed two people who had previously experienced homelessness. The business nevertheless became a significant financial and governance issue for its owner. A July 2019 council risk register gave a high-risk rating to the category covering long-term commercial investments and major capital projects, including Bristol Energy. By August 2019, Bristol City Council had provided approximately £37.7 million in funding, and the company was not expected to become profitable until 2024 according to the cited public reporting. In March 2020, Majewicz left his managing and finance director roles and Allan Booth became managing director. Booth had been described as a turnaround specialist. Bristol City Council placed Bristol Energy on the market in May 2020. The company was subsequently dismantled through several transactions. In August, approximately 4,000 business customer accounts were sold to Yü Energy. In September, Together Energy acquired the Bristol Energy brand and approximately 155,000 residential meter points. The residential operation continued under the Bristol Energy name, but no longer represented the original integrated municipal business. Richard Orna, formerly Bristol Energy's head of information services, became managing director of the acquired operation. In October 2020, F&S Energy bought the renewable-generation portfolio, including power-purchase agreement contracts, as well as commercial feed-in-tariff customers. The transferred portfolio had approximately 91 MW of contracted capacity. Corporate legal entities were also reorganised: the former Bristol Energy Limited changed its name to BE 2020 Limited and retained the earlier company's debts and liabilities, while another entity was renamed Bristol Energy Limited for the post-sale brand operation without taking on those historical liabilities. The brand's final period was shaped by the United Kingdom wholesale energy crisis that began in autumn 2021. Together Energy was unable to secure sufficient additional funding or find a buyer. On 18 January 2022, Together Energy Retail announced that it would cease trading. Its domestic customers were subsequently transferred to British Gas. Bristol Energy therefore ended as an active retail brand, following the collapse of the wider supplier group and the earlier sale of its business, residential and renewable assets.

• 2022

  Brand ceases active trading

  [1]Bristol Energyen.wikipedia.org

  Together Energy Retail ceased trading and domestic customers were transferred to British Gas.

• 2020

  Business, residential and renewable assets separated

  [1]Bristol Energyen.wikipedia.org

  Yü Energy acquired business accounts, Together Energy acquired the residential brand and accounts, and F&S Energy acquired renewable-generation and feed-in-tariff assets.

• 2019

  Renewable-energy funding and council contract recovery

  [1]Bristol Energyen.wikipedia.org

  The company announced European grant support for renewable-energy work, regained council electricity supply and reported a predominantly renewable supply mix.

• 2018

  Council contract loss and management transition

  [1]Bristol Energyen.wikipedia.org

  British Gas won the council's supply contract on price, while Peter Haigh left and Marek Majewicz became chief executive.

• 2016

  Customer operations begin

  [1]Bristol Energyen.wikipedia.org

  Bristol Energy began accepting domestic and business customers in February.

• 2015

  Business plan approved and Bristol Energy founded

  [1]Bristol Energyen.wikipedia.org

  The council approved the business plan in July, and Bristol Energy was founded in September as a council-owned supplier.

• 2010

  Council decides in principle to create an energy company

  [1]Bristol Energyen.wikipedia.org

  Bristol City Council included the proposed company in its climate change and energy security planning.

A municipally owned, locally rooted energy supplier combining retail gas and electricity with renewable-energy objectives and public-sector partnerships.

• Residential utilities · 2016

  Domestic energy supply

  Bristol Energy supplied gas and electricity to residential customers across the United Kingdom. The residential customer book later became part of the Together Energy transaction and was operated under the Bristol Energy name until the wider supplier ceased trading in January 2022.

• Commercial utilities · 2016

  Business energy supply

  The company provided gas and electricity accounts for business customers. Approximately 4,000 business accounts were sold to Yü Energy in August 2020, separating this customer activity from the residential Bristol Energy brand.

• Renewable energy · 2019

  Renewable-energy arrangements

  Bristol Energy developed renewable-energy purchasing and generation-related arrangements, including power-purchase agreement contracts and commercial feed-in-tariff customers. Its renewable-generation portfolio was sold to F&S Energy in October 2020, with approximately 91 MW of contracted capacity reported as transferring.

• 2019The Big Issue partnership

  United Kingdom

  Bristol Energy began a partnership with The Big Issue. The company subsequently highlighted its employment of two people who had previously experienced homelessness.

  Outcome. The partnership was presented as part of the company's social-impact activity; no broader measured outcome is specified in the available reference material.

  Source

• 2022

  Customer transfer following Together Energy's failureOther

  Background

  Sharp wholesale gas and electricity price increases created financial pressure across the retail energy market, and Together Energy could not secure additional funding or a purchaser.

  Action taken

  Together Energy Retail ceased trading and the domestic customer base was transferred to British Gas.

  Aftermath

  Bristol Energy ceased to function as an active retail brand. Reporting indicated that the collapse exposed Warrington Borough Council to potentially substantial losses.

  • British Gas — British Gas became the appointed destination for the failed supplier's domestic customers.

  Source

• 2020

  Sale and separation of Bristol Energy operationsM&A

  Background

  Bristol City Council put the loss-making or financially pressured business up for sale amid concerns about the cost and risk of its commercial investment.

  Action taken

  Business accounts were sold to Yü Energy, the residential brand and accounts to Together Energy, and the renewable portfolio to F&S Energy.

  Aftermath

  Bristol Energy continued only as a domestic brand within Together Energy, while its former business and renewable activities moved to other operators.

  Residential transaction value. £14 million (September 2020)

  Source

• 2015

  Establishment of a municipally owned energy supplierStrategy

  Background

  Bristol City Council sought to connect energy supply with climate policy, energy security and local-government commercial objectives.

  Action taken

  The council approved a business plan and founded Bristol Energy as a wholly owned company.

  Aftermath

  The company began taking customers in 2016 but later required substantial council funding and was ultimately sold in parts.

  Source

1. 1Bristol Energyen.wikipedia.org