The overspending RHI led to the collapse of powersharing at Stormont 13 months ago after former deputy first minister Martin McGuinness resigned over the DUP's handling of the affair.

British Gas owner Centrica is scrapping standard gas and electricity tariffs (SVT) for new customers ahead of British Government plans to impose a price cap on the costly energy products.

Centrica shares plunged to their lowest level since 2003 as the UK government plans to publish a draft law as early as next week to cap household energy prices.

E.ON has been told to pay £7 million to the UK's Carbon Trust for its “unacceptable” failure to supply enough advanced meters to business customers, British regulator Ofgem has revealed.

Energy supplier E.ON is to pay a record £12m to vulnerable customers in the UK after an investigation found it broke energy sales rules over a three-year period.

Britain remains at risk of more flooding as rain continues to plague the south of the country and tidal surges batter the coast.

David Cameron has insisted that the whole of the UK should accept fracking, claiming the controversial method of extracting gas will attract “real public support” when the benefits are explained.

Fears over the UK’s reliance on imported energy were fuelled today after a report claimed Britain was just six hours away from running out of stored gas in March.

British Gas firm Centrica sought to deflect flak over another jump in annual profits today by flagging up its importance to the UK economy.

The reporting method used by industry media in the British gas market to assess daily prices — which are at the centre of a regulatory probe — is flawed and easy to manipulate, some traders in the sector say.

Downing Street has called for a speedy inquiry into allegations that Britain’s £300bn (€374bn) wholesale gas market has been “regularly” manipulated by some of the big power companies.

Downing Street has called for a speedy inquiry into allegations that Britain's £300bn (€374.8bn) wholesale gas market has been "regularly" manipulated by some of the big power companies.

The wholesale gas market sees the purchase and sale of energy products - electricity and natural gas – by energy producers and energy retailers.

The furore over the G4S Olympics contract showed no signs of fading as the security firm’s shares fell another 6% today.

Banking stocks were driven lower today as jitters in the run-up to the sector’s results season added to worries over the US debt crisis.

Two more major energy suppliers in the UK plan big increases in the price of gas and electricity over the new two weeks, it was reported today.

British Gas was fined £1m today after it miscalculated how much of the electricity it supplied to business customers had come from renewable sources.

Gas and electricity suppliers in the UK have been ordered to give customers 30 days’ notice before bringing in price rises as part of a crackdown to force providers to “play it straight with consumers”.

The “big six” power suppliers should sell off up to a fifth of their electricity output in a move to “break the stranglehold” they have over the market in the UK, the British energy watchdog said today.

Energy giant Centrica stoked anger over energy bills today by revealing that its British Gas residential arm made record profits of £742m last year.

Around £32bn (€36.7bn) needs to be spent on “rewiring” Britain’s gas and electricity network in the next 10 years, the energy watchdog said today.

Richard Branson and other business leaders will warn this week that the world is hurtling towards an "oil crunch" to match the financial crisis within five years.

British Gas parent Centrica today said its residential utility arm was on track to see profits soar by an expected 43% this year, despite a 7% fall in energy consumption.

Investors shrugged off gloomy US output figures today as banking shares led a gain of more than 2% for the London market and swine flu fears took a back seat.

Energy prices in Britain have risen twice as fast as the European Union average, according to new figures.

Power distributor National Grid was today fined £41.6m (€55.1m) for restricting competition in the UK’s gas metering market.

Energy provider npower’s profits soared by 41% to €724m last year, its parent company said today.

Energy companies took a tumble today after regulator Ofgem opened an inquiry into the electricity and gas supply markets.

An investigation into the UK’s electricity and gas markets was launched by the regulator Ofgem today in the wake of growing customer concern.

Households in the UK received a fresh blow to their finances tonight after the countrys largest energy supplier announced double-digit price hikes.

British energy regulator Ofgem said today that there was no evidence that any of the recent gas and electricity price hikes are down to collusion between suppliers.

British Gas owner Centrica today cut prices for a second time this year, with electricity tariffs falling by 6% and gas bills down by 3%.

Energy group Powergen launched new products to undercut rival British Gas today, but is yet to pass on the savings to its wider customer base.

British Gas today said it was cutting its gas and electricity prices from next month.

A £1.2bn (€1.8bn) takeover of RHM by Premier Foods caused shares in the food sector to surge today.

The UK energy crisis took an unexpected twist today as it emerged that natural gas was being given away for nothing on the wholesale market.

GLARING disparities between the prices Irish householders are paying for gas and electricity compared with their British counterparts demand a major policy change in the public interest.

Households across the UK are now paying 87% more for gas and 56% more for electricity than they were in January 2003.

Jitters over interest rates impacted on world markets today as investors awaited the US Federal Reserve’s next move on borrowing costs.

The London market continued to hold steady today after a raft of takeover activity in the United States offset concerns over higher interest rates.

Investors were in nervous mood today ahead of the Federal Reserve’s decision on US interest rates later this week.

British households faced the threat of further increases in energy bills today after a regulator warned that gas supplies could be even tighter this winter.

Wholesale gas prices in the UK remained near record levels today after yesterday’s unprecedented warning that demand was outstripping supply.

British Gas owner Centrica will fuel anger today over spiralling energy bills by revealing it banked profits of around £1.5bn (€2.2bn) in 2005.