Concerns about an “energy bill crisis” in the north and north-east will be raised at a conference in Aberdeen today.
Shadow Energy Minister Tom Greatrex is expected to use a speech in the Granite City to demand that regulators look again at regional price differences.
The move by the Labour MP follows criticism of the UK Government watchdog Ofgem and suppliers last week over a 2p-per-unit surcharge which is costing families in the north and north-east hundreds of pounds a year extra, compared to other parts of the country.
Speaking at the Energy Networks Association annual conference in Aberdeen today, Mr Greatrex will say: “Under (Prime Minister) David Cameron and (First Minister) Alex Salmond, Britain is facing an energy bills crisis, with millions of people struggling to heat their homes both in Scotland and across Britain.
“Consumers must have confidence that every charge is necessary and fair.
“In recent days, regional variations in transmission costs on customer bills have again been highlighted as a cause for concern, particularly when costs are often highest in some of the areas with the worst incidences of fuel poverty.
“As we move forward through the new regulatory framework under RIIO, this is an issue it seems to me the regulator needs to maintain a focus on to ensure fairness for the consumer is also at the heart of their decision making process.”
Outlining his own party’s plans, Mr Greatrex will add: “Labour has already set out radical plans to freeze energy prices until 2017, saving the average household £120, fix the energy market for the future, with a tough new regulator to curb rip-off bills, and insulate five million homes over 10 years.”
On Friday, SNP MSP Kevin Stewart tabled a motion at Holyrood demanding the devolution of energy market regulation to end the “scandalous” price differences.
Energy regulator Ofgem has defended regional pricing, highlighting the fact that about 23% of a dual fuel bill is made up of network costs.
Officials said the different rates “reflect the cost of running the network in that area, and the same methodology applies across Britain, resulting in regional variations”.
Richard Westoby, retail economics director at power giant SSE, said the company had been campaigning for a “flattened out” national approach to pricing, so every community in Britain pays the same amount.