Industry Public Utility | Founded 2010 | |
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Type Business of an Industrial and Provident Society, registered under the Companies Acts Products Gas and electricity supply Website www.cooperativeenergy.coop Parent organization The Midcounties Co-operative | ||
The Co-operative Energy is a British energy supply company based in Warwick that began trading in 2010. It is an alternative to the Big Six energy firms and, given that its parent is Midcounties Co-operative, it is the only co-operative supplier in the market.
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History
Co-operative Energy launched in 2010 as an alternative to the Big Six energy suppliers. Any member of the Midcounties Co-operative can share in the profits from The Co-operative Energy.
The company currently has three sites with one office in Warwick and two offices in Walsall.
In 2012, Co-operative Energy was awarded the Which Positive Change Award, which recognises a company that has made significant changes to give its customers a better deal.
In 2014, User Chooser was launched by Co-operative Energy to allow customers to choose where their Electricity is sourced from. This service won the EU Sustainable Energy Europe Award in 2015.
In November 2016 Co-operative Energy announced that it will take on all 160,000 customers of collapsed firm GB Energy on their existing price tariff. Ofgem said it had chosen Co-operative Energy after "a competitive process to get the best deal possible". All GB Energy's staff are to be transferred on the same terms to Co-operative Energy.
Controversies
A problematic upgrade to its online customer service and billing system in 2015 resulted in numerous problems and a large backlog in dealing with issues. By the end of 2015 it was the most complained about utility company, measured in complaints per thousand customers. By the end of 2016 these issues had been resolved and the company was paying out £1.8 million pounds in compensation to customers.