Everything you need to know about SWALECOriginally known as South Wales Electricity Board or SWALEC, the electricity supplier was established after the merger of local authority and private electricity companies. However, its name was changed to SWALEC after being bought for £872m in 1996 after United Kingdom’s de-regulation of the electricity industry. Welsh Water, a drinking water supplier faced rebranding and named itself to Hyder, a gas, water, and electricity multi-utility. In February 2000, British Energy bought the retail gas and electricity of SWALEC for £105m while the SWALEC electricity distribution business remained and was renamed to Infralec. After a few months, Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) bought it from British Energy for £210m. In September 2000, Infralec was renamed to WPD South Wales while SWALEC remained as the brand name of SSE’s gas and electricity supply in Wales. Meanwhile, Hyder was bought by Western Power Distribution for 565 million. Energy Quotes And Products SWALEC offers various products for every unique home needs. New customers can either get a quote on their website or choose from these options: SSE 1 Year Fixed v10 The energy tariff provides the lowest fixed price for 12 months. This means that the tariff will remain the same for one year. Moreover, a £92 off each year will be given to those who will opt for Direct Debit and paperless bills. However, only new and existing customers can take advantage of this and a £30 is required for the exit fee. Fix 2020 For three years, this energy tariff will remain the same. Moreover, it comes with no charges and a £92 off each year for Direct Debit payment and paperless bills. However, an exit of £25 is required if the customer leaves before the 3-year duration. Fix & Shop v3 The customer gets a £92 off each year and the price remains the same for two years. Meanwhile, a £92 off each year is given to those who pays Direct debit and opt for paperless bills. Renewing A Tariff For Existing Customers Existing SWALEC customers can switch to a new rate even if they are registered to the Standard tariff. Meanwhile, those who have two more months before their tariff’s due can compare and switch to another energy products online provided that they will send the details of their account number, energy usage from the last bill and the customer’s bank account. Renewing the tariff is beneficial not only because the customer gets to try a new product. It also helps save up to £92 a year if the customer opts for paperless billing and Direct Debit payment. SWALEC customers also have the privilege to enjoy presale tickets to UK’s biggest events. Moreover, they will have the assistance from the UK-based call centers when they need it. Switching To SWALEC Customers from other energy providers can easily switch their gas and electricity to SWALEC for as quick as three weeks. After applying to the new energy supplier, a 14-day cooling off period begins once the welcome pack is received. The first week also allows the customer to decide whether they want to continue, change, or cancel the contract. For the second week, SWALEC will notify the current supplier about the switch. The customer will also be notified about the status of the energy switch and when the supply of the gas and energy supply starts. Choosing to pay by Direct Debit will ask the customer to verify their bank details and the start date of the Direct Debit payment from their bank account. The energy supplier will also ask for the opening meter readings prior to starting the energy supply. When the gas and electricity supply is about to start, SWALEC will send a confirmation letter to the customer. It contains all the necessary information about the company, its service, and the contact details so the customer will have all the information for future reference. Smart Meter SWALEC has started installing the smart meter for as early as now and until 2020. The new technology is an exciting way to reduce costs while saving time and energy at the same time. Every energy suppliers in the United Kingdom are required to have this installed in every home and SWALEC customers can have it together with the gas meter depending on the fuels used. The installation comes with no extra cost and it benefits the user in many ways. First, it sends meter readings to the energy supplier automatically so there’s no need for the customer to bother about sending it manually. It also ensures that the account is accurately updated, thus, avoiding estimated bills. A smart meter provides reliability and convenience and customers can stay on track about their energy consumption by using a handheld device, Smart Energy Tracker. The Smart Energy Tracker helps in getting every home member’s involvement in reducing the energy consumption and billing. How It Works The new technology works just like the traditional one, however, it has made meter reading a lot easier. The gas and electricity are measured every half-hour and it sends the data itself automatically to SWALEC. In addition, it shows exactly the amount that the customer is using and how each activity costs, thus, reducing any estimated bills. By registering to SWALEC’s website, the customer will get an invite about the meter’s installation. Moving The Energy Supply To A New Home Moving to a new place is stressful, however, SWALEC made it easier by taking care of everything that the customer need. Transferring the account into the new address is possible provided that the customer has the following: new address details, old meter readings, moving dates, and bank details. Phone & Broadband Packages SWALEC also offers phone and broadband packages and customers can check the availability online. Choosing the package will benefit the customer in numerous ways such as unlimited downloads, fixed priced contract, exclusive presale event tickets, and the 18-month access to the supplier’s Internet Security Suite. The company also provides and easy-to-use wireless router and a full support from dedicated UK-based customer support. Information, prices and numbers stated above are from research in May 2017 |