Campaigners from the Highlands held showdown talks with power giant SSE over the cost of energy in the region yesterday.
A delegation demanded immediate action amid fury that families across northern Scotland are paying hundreds of pounds extra a year because of a regional charging system.
The Press and Journal launched a campaign last year for reform of the system, and SSE has backed a move to a national rate that would cut bills in the north.
The group which attended the meeting included Di Alexander, chairman of Lochaber Housing Association and father of Chief Treasury Secretary Danny Alexander, as well as Western Isles councillor Angus McCormack, John Maciver of Hebridean Housing Partnership, and Donnie Mackay from Skye and Lochalsh Housing Association.
They asked the company to investigate strengtheningthe Hydro Benefit Replacement Scheme, which was originally designed to equalise prices across the UK but is now dwarfed by the regional surcharge.
Councillor McCormack, who represents the Western Isles Poverty Action Group, said: “It is ridiculous that in an area which actually produces clean electricity that people are genuinely living in hardship and not being able to properly heat their homes.
“For a company that made £1.5billion pounds of profit last year to effectively wash their hands of this is unacceptable.
“We would ask SSE to take this matter seriously and do something from their own vast resources for their customers in the Highlands and islands.”
An SSE spokesman said: “We had a productive meeting where we discussed how we can work together to support those living in fuel poverty.
“SSE is keen to work closely with the groups going forward and share SSE’s expertise, ensure more people are aware of all measures available to those who may be worried about their energy bills.
“SSE also discussed the extensive work its carried out to make the case for national pricing with Ofgem, DECC, the Scottish Government and the Competition and Markets Authority.
“This is an industry wide issue and requires an industry wide solution and we urged those present to support us in making the case for moving to national pricing which will be a simpler and fairer way forward.”