Scottish Hydro Electric Tariffs Review

Scottish Hydro Electric is part of the Scottish and Southern Group and supplies a range of utilities to homes in Scotland. Here’s our review.

As you can imagine, Scottish Hydro Electric’s tariffs are broadly based on those of the other companies Scottish and Southern owns, but they do have their own special deals. You can get quotes for electricity and gas energy supplies as well as telecommunication services such as broadband.

Although they are mainly for Scottish customers, if you enter a UK postcode on their website for a quote, you’ll get products from their sister companies.

Since 1998, Scottish Hydro merged with Southern Electric and is now part of Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) or SSE plc.

List of tariffs offered by Scottish Hydro Electric

There is a raft of tariff options from Scottish Hydro Electric, which could explain why consumers in Scotland find choosing and switching energy companies a bit of an ordeal. Research published by Consumer Focus suggested that switching suppliers was very low in Scotland. However, you’ll find all the relevant information on its website, and although it will take time to go through all the tariffs, we are sure that there is one for your home:

• Value energy deals – there are six tariffs in this group designed to keep costs as low as possible. Some tariffs come with a free energy monitor so you can see at a glance how much electricity you are using. Others offer discounts against other products that they offer. The tariffs are called better plan, Energyplus Argos (with discounts at Argos), fixed pricing, go direct, online account and standard energy.
• Eco Energy Deals – although not all of these tariffs come with 100% renewable energy, they are designed to help you be more energy efficient, and you get rewarded for the energy you save. The tariffs are called Better Plan, RSPB Energy (100% renewable energy), and Online Energy, where you manage your account online.
• Smart Energy Deals – a tariff based on the Better Plan rates with a free energy monitor.
• Supporting Energy Deals – where you get to support a charity with a small donation. Watch out for the prices, because they are all standard tariff rates. It’s probably better if you choose one of the discounted plans and then make the donation separately yourself.

Although the website has split the tariffs into groups, there are actually just a small few to choose from, and they are:

• Standard tariff with or without a daily standing charge
• Better plan tariff (same as standard tariff)
• Energy plus Argos (same as standard tariff)
• Energy plus pulse (same as standard tariff)
• Go direct 3
• Economy
• RSPB (higher than standard tariff, but it is from 100% renewable energy)

Although there are several tariff names, they are all on the same rates. You should use a price comparison website because they present the rates in a way that makes it easier for you to compare.

Main ways to save money at Scottish Hydro Electric

As with all utility companies, if you take administration away from them, they will reward you. Paying by monthly direct debit provides a 5% discount, and managing your account online gives you another 6.5% discount. There are also some small dual-fuel discounts on some deals.