Residents using Aberdeen’s low-cost district heating scheme will not face any rise in energy bills this winter.
Aberdeen Heat and Power currently supplies 4,000 homes in the city with heating and hot water.
The company had previously told the Press & Journal it was looking to cut ties with its Russian-state owned energy provider Gazprom UK due to the “terrible invasion of Ukraine and the suffering of its people”.
However, the UK arm of Gazprom has now changed its name to SEFE Energy and is under control of the German government.
No change to tariffs
The move means residents will see their heat tariffs remain unchanged.
The network also supplies many other public buildings including Marischal College, Aberdeen Sports Village and Aquatic Centre, Aberdeen Beach Leisure Centre and the Beach Ballroom.
A spokesman for Aberdeen Heat and Power said: “The British element of Gazprom was incorporated into SEFE Group, an entity under German federal trusteeship.
“We have remained in contract with SEFE to ensure our customers’ heat tariffs remain unchanged this winter period during this difficult time when utilities are being increased.”
Big presence in the city
Aberdeen Heat and Power was set up by Aberdeen City Council in 2002 and aims to alleviate fuel poverty in the city by supplying 4,000 homes with heating and hot water.
Savings of up to 40% have been secured for thousands of tenants under the not-for-profit system, which uses boilers and generators to heat and power several blocks of flats in one area.
North East Scotland College (Nescol) also switched to Aberdeen Heat and Power to deliver both heat and hot water to the city centre campus in Gallowgate in a deal worth £1 million.
A spokesman for North East Scotland College said: “As service users, we have supported Aberdeen Heat and Power in its decisions relating to this issue, as part of the wider response in the north-east to the war in Ukraine.
“We remain fully committed to supporting all those affected, with care and support available to students and staff.
“We welcome the new agreement and the work that has been done to ensure energy prices are not impacted.
“The college has a key role to play in providing warm, safe and welcoming spaces for students and staff through what will be an incredibly difficult winter for so many.”
Minimal to no changes
Manchester-based Gazprom UK supplies energy to thousands of companies across the UK and is one of the largest business energy suppliers in Britain.
SEFE Energy stated: “Our company name, previously Gazprom Marketing & Trading Retail Limited, has changed to SEFE Energy Limited and our London-based parent company is now SEFE Marketing & Trading Limited.
“The SEFE name shows how our group of companies is being repositioned and illustrates the new role of the SEFE Group in securing energy supply in Europe. The renaming further demonstrates SEFE Group’s goal to play a long-term role in the market.
“The impact on SEFE Energy’s customers, vendors, suppliers and partners is minimal to none.”
