4m switch energy providers

By THIS IS MONEY
Updated: 12:07 BST, 17 January 2007

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More than four million people switched their energy 供給者 last year, cutting their 法案s by around £150 each, new 人物／姿／数字s showed today.

The number of people changing their gas and electricity company was at least 750,000 higher than the previous year, によれば energy regulat or Ofgem.

The high 人物／姿／数字 is hitting some of the former monopoly 供給者s such as British Gas, whose market 株 has fallen below 50% for the first time, said the 報告（する）／憶測.

Ofgem said there was （疑いを）晴らす 証拠 that Britain has the most 競争の激しい energy market in the world.

Ofgem 長，指導者 (n)役員／(a)執行力のある, Alistair Buchanan, said: 'Energy 顧客s have given expensive 供給者s the boot with over four million moving to a cheaper 供給者 in the first ten months of 2006.

'This dynamic market is most 劇的な illustrated by British Gas seeing their 株 of the 世帯 gas market 落ちる below 50% for the first time.

'Our 競争の激しい energy markets have attracted over £10bn of 投資 in gas 輸入 事業／計画（する）s which are now beginning to take the heat out of 卸売 gas prices.

'While British Gas has already 示すd that they will be cutting prices this year, Ofgem will be watching all energy 供給者s to make sure they compete as 卸売物価s 落ちる as hard as they did when prices rose.

'However, there is no need to wait for prices to 落ちる - 顧客s who have never switched can 削減（する） their 法案s now by around £150 by getting a better 取引，協定 for their energy.'

Adam Scorer director of （選挙などの）運動をするs for 産業 監視者 Energywatch said last night: 'This high level of switching activity is welcome, but in part it is 負かす／撃墜する to 消費者s 猛烈に taking evasive 活動／戦闘 to find cheaper energy 取引，協定s.

'Energywatch, along with 消費者s, wants to see prices 落ちる with people 動機づけるd to switch by lower prices in a 落ちるing market, rather than 存在 driven to switching ーするために escape ever-増加するing 法案s.'