Bristol Energy: Troubled company sells off domestic customer base

A troubled council-run energy supplier has been sold for £14m.

Bristol City Council has now sold Bristol Energy's residential customer base to Together Energy, after selling the business customer base last month.

The council has invested £36m into the failing Bristol Energy project since it was founded in 2015.

The council said it was "delighted" because Together Energy offered "not only a good deal for Bristol but also shares similar values".

The company, which posted losses of more than £32m, was put up for sale in June.

Its 4,000 business customer accounts were sold to Nottingham-based supplier Yü Energy for £1.34m in August.

Bristol Energy supplies green gas and electricity, and was founded during Bristol's year as European Green Capital.

In July, Bristol's mayor, Marvin Rees, said the decision to enter the energy market, taken under his predecessor George Ferguson, was a mistake.

The council said the sale meant Together Energy, based in Clydebank, would "acquire 155,000 residential meter points plus the Bristol Energy brand and systems".

It added "as part of the sale", the firm would "secure the jobs of 110 frontline workers".

Paul Richards, from Together Energy, said: "We are delighted to welcome Bristol Energy's customers into the Together family and want to assure them that nothing is changing - tariffs, terms and conditions and how you contact Bristol Energy will all remain consistent."

Warrington Borough Council, which is a 50% shareholder of Together Energy, said it was "pleased" the firm had bought Bristol Energy.