Energy Prices (Strictly NO referrals!)

[Relentless81]

Anyone on octopus moving from Flexible? They usually track lower than the ofgem rates and the 16M fixed currently shows as exactly the same as the Flexible so not sure if the difference will be worth fixing in preparation for April 1st

 

[stuman]

Is that a serious comment? The Themes tidal barrier and the proposed tidal lagoon near Swansea are literally are nothing alike.

The only similarity is literally (by its correct definition) the word tidal in the name.

You’re being dramatic.

But no, I was not saying the Swansea lagoon, I was saying the estuary.

A dam across where the old bridge is, and use the river basin as the storage. Slower flow rates across a larger area.

Hence, use the Thames as a test.

 

[Sho]

Anyone on octopus moving from Flexible? They usually track lower than the ofgem rates and the 16M fixed currently shows as exactly the same as the Flexible so not sure if the difference will be worth fixing in preparation for April 1st

No exit fees on 16m fixed.

 

[tlrBeta]

Moved over from Octopus tracker to 16m fixed yesterday.

It was a no brainer. 6.4% rise. Robbing ********

Standing charge is crazy - i don't understand why this is still allowed to happen.

Looks like ive been moved to Flexible already (i thought it was end of the month). I assume we are saying Fixed is cheaper due to price rises in April?

Anyone on octopus moving from Flexible? They usually track lower than the ofgem rates and the 16M fixed currently shows as exactly the same as the Flexible so not sure if the difference will be worth fixing in preparation for April 1st

Same query here really

 

[Relentless81]

No exit fees on 16m fixed.

Yeah but just not sure if it's worth the life admin. Doesn't seem like it'll make much of a difference Flexible vs 16M post April 1st

 

[b0rn2sk8]

You’re being dramatic.

But no, I was not saying the Swansea lagoon, I was saying the estuary.

A dam across where the old bridge is, and use the river basin as the storage. Slower flow rates across a larger area.

Hence, use the Thames as a test.

I’m not being dramatic, I’m politely pointing out you don’t know what you are posting about and you are pointing to random things which a) don’t work in the U.K. because we don’t have the geography or b) don’t work how you think they work.

The Swansea lagoon is the way you generate power in an estuary.

You need a difference in water height to create the water flow needed to generate electricity, hence the name, tidal lagoon. It fills up from the back at high tide and empties out the front at low tide. The location is the location because that area has a huge tidal range.

The themes does not have a huge tidal range, its half that of the Severn. The themes barrier exists because London is very low lying and vulnerable to flooding when tides are the highest or they are expecting a storm surge, otherwise it’s pretty much always open. Closing it means the water backs up behind the barrier so it can only close for a matter of hours to cover high tide.

What you are proposing would literally result in London flooding.

 

[GGizmo]

Labour are heading for their own poll tax riots.

They are taking away from people while at the same time bills are going up. At some point people won't be able to pay the bills.

 

[Nasher]

Labour are heading for their own poll tax riots.

They are taking away from people while at the same time bills are going up. At some point people won't be able to pay the bills.

And things like the NI tax hike, minimum wage increase means jobs are being cut on top of all that.

I usually put off paying the water bill for months, until they hound me for it (so basically I act like a business lol). As we don't sign a contract with them, you can get away with more. They took the **** for decades so they can put some effort in to get the money.

 

[stuman]

I’m not being dramatic, I’m politely pointing out you don’t know what you are posting about and you are pointing to random things which a) don’t work in the U.K. because we don’t have the geography or b) don’t work how you think they work.

The Swansea lagoon is the way you generate power in an estuary.

You need a difference in water height to create the water flow needed to generate electricity, hence the name, tidal lagoon. It fills up from the back at high tide and empties out the front at low tide. The location is the location because that area has a huge tidal range.

The themes does not have a huge tidal range, its half that of the Severn. The themes barrier exists because London is very low lying and vulnerable to flooding when tides are the highest or they are expecting a storm surge, otherwise it’s pretty much always open. Closing it means the water backs up behind the barrier so it can only close for a matter of hours to cover high tide.

What you are proposing would literally result in London flooding.

?

The difference is way less than you are making out.

Be the water storage a built lagoon or river basin the concept is how you make out.

So you would let the Thames fill during the rising tide, then just before falling tide shut the barrier, then once the tide has receded far enough open the flow through the generators. Open the rest of the barriers to equalise then rinse and repeat for the opposing tide.

It’s the same as the lagoon, just instead of man making the entire thing, you block the mouth of the estuary.

And yes, the Thames is not as drastic of tide height, but a large proportion of it is prebuilt… perfect for a proof of concept.

I would call it a tidal buffer.

 

[b0rn2sk8]

?

The difference is way less than you are making out.

Be the water storage a built lagoon or river basin the concept is how you make out.

So you would let the Thames fill during the rising tide, then just before falling tide shut the barrier, then once the tide has receded far enough open the flow through the generators. Open the rest of the barriers to equalise then rinse and repeat for the opposing tide.

It’s the same as the lagoon, just instead of man making the entire thing, you block the mouth of the estuary.

And yes, the Thames is not as drastic of tide height, but a large proportion of it is prebuilt… perfect for a proof of concept.

I would call it a tidal buffer.

I don’t mean any offence but it’s not a perfect proof of concept or is it prebuilt, it’s a silly idea what bares zero resemblance of reality.

The Themes barrier is there to stop water getting in, not to keep water from getting out. It’s not a dam, it doesn’t hold back water, it’s designed to do the opposite of what you think.

If the Themes barrier was used to hold back water, central London would become the central London reservoir.

It also doesn’t have the tidal range to create water that moves fast enough to spin a turbine in any meaningful way, particularly where the Themes barrier is which is well into the mouth of the river.

Hydroelectric dams need fast falling water to work and they need a big drop between the top and the bottom to work.

The Severn is unique in its total range and the scale it operates on.

 

[Trig]

I'm still showing the same estimates on the Octopus site for the 16M and Flexible, they not started factoring in the increases in yet?

 

[SDK^]

FYI : This is the pricing difference from Q1 2025 to Q2 2025 price cap ('Typical' bill cost used in the example)

The overall increase is £111 and £86 of this is due to wholesale gas cost increase.