Our Power

Our Power was a United Kingdom energy supply company established in 2016 around a social-purpose and community-ownership model. Backed initially by the Scottish Government and created with housing associations, local authorities and community organisations as members, it sought to provide electricity and gas while directing economic benefits toward communities rather than distributing profits to conventional shareholders. The organisation was structured on an asset-locked basis through Our Power Community Benefit Society Limited, meaning that its assets were intended to remain dedicated to community benefit. The supplier began with 53 housing associations and local authorities. Its initial customer-acquisition strategy relied heavily on member organisations transferring the supply contracts for vacant social-housing properties to Our Power, with the expectation that new tenants would often retain the supplier. In October 2017, the company began serving the wider Scottish market, and it expanded into England and Wales in early 2018. Scotland remained its principal market: approximately 80% of its customers were located there near the end of its operation. By 2018, the organisation worked with 67 social housing providers, community organisations and local authorities and employed 68 people. Our Power broadened its funding base in late 2017 by raising £4.4 million from 301 investors through a social-purpose bond. Overall funding received by the community benefit society was reported at £16.6 million, including £9.8 million from the Scottish Government. Despite this support, the business did not achieve profitability. Reported trading losses were £1.9 million in 2016 and almost £5 million in 2017. In 2018, directors concluded that a further approximately £7 million of funding would be needed to continue the business. The company pursued several initiatives intended to combine affordability, ethical supply and renewable-energy development. In late 2017 it worked with Money Advice Scotland on a variable tariff for customers using restricted meters, a group that can face limited switching options and reduced access to standard single-rate tariffs. In February 2018, it introduced +IMPACT, described by the company as a 100% green tariff and its first offer available across the United Kingdom. The tariff was positioned as competitively priced and aimed at customers concerned about fuel poverty and ethical purchasing. Our Power also partnered with Mongoose Energy in 2018 to create Our Community Energy, a renewable-energy investment scheme linking community-owned generation with non-profit energy supply. The initiative was associated with wind projects at Pogbie in East Lothian and Brockholes in Berwickshire, which sought to raise £2.9 million through bond and equity offers. The wider objective was to use community-owned renewable generation to help reduce energy costs for households in need. The model ultimately proved financially unsustainable. Our Power Energy Supply Limited entered administration on 31 January 2019 after the supplier ceased trading on 25 January. At the time of administration, it had net debt of £29.9 million, including amounts owed to its parent community benefit society and to Utilita Energy. The community benefit society also entered administration. Ofgem subsequently arranged for Utilita Energy to take over approximately 31,000 Our Power customers. Our Power is therefore a defunct energy-supply brand whose significance lies in its attempt to combine regulated retail energy, social housing partnerships, community ownership and renewable-energy investment.

Our Power was founded in 2016 as an energy supplier with a distinctive community-benefit structure. Rather than being established as a conventional shareholder-owned utility, it was backed by social housing providers, community organisations and local authorities, with the Scottish Government providing significant financial support. Its legal and ownership arrangements were asset-locked, designed to keep the value generated by the organisation within the community-benefit system. The initial membership comprised 53 housing associations and local authorities. The supplier first used these institutional relationships as a route into the market: member organisations moved the electricity and gas accounts for vacant properties to Our Power, hoping that incoming tenants would remain customers after occupancy. This approach gave the business an initial customer base connected to social housing while reinforcing its social-purpose identity. Our Power began supplying the wider Scottish market in October 2017. It subsequently expanded into England and Wales in early 2018, although Scotland continued to account for the large majority of its customers. By 2018, membership had grown to 67 housing providers, community organisations and local authorities. The company also extended its membership to include a Welsh housing association as part of its broader geographic ambitions. Funding and product development progressed alongside the expansion. In late 2017, Our Power raised £4.4 million from 301 investors through a social-purpose bond. The community benefit society received £16.6 million in total funding, of which £9.8 million came from the Scottish Government. The supplier worked with Money Advice Scotland on a variable tariff for restricted-meter customers, who may be unable to switch supplier or obtain the tariffs available to standard-meter users. In February 2018, Our Power introduced +IMPACT, its first tariff offered across the United Kingdom. It described the tariff as 100% green and sought to combine competitive pricing with an ethical proposition. The company specifically linked its mission to fuel poverty, presenting lower energy costs and socially responsible supply as complementary objectives. A further initiative was developed with Mongoose Energy in 2018. Our Community Energy was intended to connect electricity supply with community-owned renewable generation. The scheme involved proposed investment in wind projects at Pogbie in East Lothian and Brockholes in Berwickshire, with the projects seeking £2.9 million through bond and equity offers. This initiative reflected Our Power's attempt to diversify beyond retail supply and create a direct relationship between local renewable generation, community ownership and energy affordability. The business did not reach profitability. Its reported trading loss was £1.9 million in 2016 and almost £5 million in 2017. During 2018, directors assessed that approximately £7 million in additional funding would be required. The organisation entered 2019 with continuing financial pressure and a workforce of 68 employees. Our Power ceased trading on 25 January 2019. Our Power Energy Supply Limited entered administration on 31 January, reporting net debt of £29.9 million, including £4.9 million owed to its parent community benefit society and £3.3 million owed to Utilita Energy. The community benefit society also entered administration. To protect customers, Ofgem arranged for Utilita Energy to take over approximately 31,000 accounts. Our Power's history illustrates both the appeal and the financial challenges of applying community-ownership and fuel-poverty objectives to a competitive, capital-intensive energy-retail market.

• 2019

  Trading stops and customers transfer to Utilita

  [1]Our Poweren.wikipedia.org

  Our Power ceases trading, enters administration shortly afterward, and has approximately 31,000 customers transferred to Utilita Energy under an Ofgem-arranged process.

• 2018

  Expansion to England and Wales

  [1]Our Poweren.wikipedia.org

  Our Power extends its supply operations into England and Wales, while Scotland remains its main customer market.

• 2018

  +IMPACT tariff launches

  [1]Our Poweren.wikipedia.org

  The company launches a United Kingdom-wide tariff positioned as 100% green and intended to support affordability and ethical energy purchasing.

• 2018

  Our Community Energy is developed

  [1]Our Poweren.wikipedia.org

  Our Power and Mongoose Energy establish a renewable-energy investment initiative linked to two Scottish community wind projects.

• 2017

  Social-purpose bond raises £4.4 million

  [1]Our Poweren.wikipedia.org

  Our Power raises £4.4 million from 301 investors through a social-purpose bond, broadening its funding base.

• 2017

  Expansion into the wider Scottish market

  [1]Our Poweren.wikipedia.org

  The supplier begins serving customers beyond member organisations and their vacant properties in Scotland.

• 2016

  Our Power is established

  [1]Our Poweren.wikipedia.org

  The company is established with 53 housing associations and local authorities as members and begins developing a community-benefit energy-supply model.

A community-owned, socially oriented energy supplier focused on non-profit distribution, fuel-poverty reduction, ethical energy purchasing and links to locally owned renewable generation.

• Energy retail · 2016

  Electricity supply

  Electricity was one of Our Power's core retail services. Supply initially focused on vacant properties managed by member housing providers and later expanded to the wider Scottish market and to customers in England and Wales. The service was presented within the company's community-benefit and affordability mission.

• Energy retail · 2016

  Natural gas supply

  Natural gas was offered alongside electricity as part of Our Power's domestic energy-supply proposition. The company served customers through retail tariffs rather than through ownership of generation or distribution infrastructure.

• Green energy tariff · 2018

  +IMPACT tariff

  Introduced in February 2018, +IMPACT was Our Power's first tariff marketed across the United Kingdom. The company described it as 100% green and positioned it for ethically minded customers, with an emphasis on competitive pricing and reducing energy-cost pressure for households affected by or vulnerable to fuel poverty.

• Renewable-energy investment · 2018

  Our Community Energy

  Developed with Mongoose Energy in 2018, Our Community Energy was intended to link renewable electricity generation with community ownership and non-profit supply. It was associated with proposed investment in the Pogbie and Brockholes community wind projects in Scotland, which sought funding through bond and equity offerings.

• 2018+IMPACT green-energy campaign

  United Kingdom

  Our Power promoted +IMPACT as a 100% green, competitively priced tariff designed to attract ethically minded customers while supporting the company's stated interest in reducing fuel poverty.

  Outcome. The tariff was launched, but the company ceased trading the following year.

  Source

• 2019

  Cease trading and enter administrationOther

  Background

  The supplier failed to achieve profitability and directors had concluded that substantial additional funding was required.

  Action taken

  Our Power ceased trading on 25 January 2019, followed by the administration of Our Power Energy Supply Limited on 31 January. The parent community benefit society also entered administration.

  Aftermath

  Ofgem arranged for Utilita Energy to take over approximately 31,000 customers.

  Net debt. £29.9 million at administration (31 January 2019)

  • Utilita Energy — Utilita Energy took over approximately 31,000 customers through an Ofgem-arranged customer-transfer process.

  Source

• 2018

  Launch the +IMPACT tariffProduct launch

  Background

  Our Power sought to combine a green-energy proposition with competitive pricing and a response to fuel poverty.

  Action taken

  The company introduced +IMPACT as its first United Kingdom-wide tariff and described it as 100% green.

  Aftermath

  The product became part of the company's final portfolio before the supplier ceased trading in January 2019.

  Source

• 2018

  Create a community renewable-energy investment modelStrategy

  Background

  The company wanted to connect its non-profit supply model with locally owned renewable generation and potentially improve affordability for customers.

  Action taken

  Our Power partnered with Mongoose Energy to develop Our Community Energy, linked to wind projects at Pogbie and Brockholes.

  Aftermath

  The scheme sought £2.9 million in bond and equity funding, but Our Power's wider business entered administration in early 2019.

  Source

• 2017

  Expand beyond member-property supplyStrategy

  Background

  The company initially relied on member organisations switching vacant social-housing properties to Our Power. It needed broader demand to grow its customer base.

  Action taken

  Our Power began supplying the wider Scottish market in October 2017 and later extended operations to England and Wales.

  Aftermath

  The expansion increased geographic reach, but approximately 80% of customers remained in Scotland near the end of the company's operation.

  Source

1. 1Our Poweren.wikipedia.org