ScottishPower today announced increased gas and electricity prices plus an extension of its capped price offer, which allows customers to keep prices at current levels until January 2006.

Gas prices throughout the UK will rise by 11.8% and electricity prices by 8% in the traditional ScottishPower and Manweb areas and 9% in the rest of the UK. The increases, effective from 4 October, are in response to the continued rise in wholesale energy costs, which have increased by 25% since March this year.

However, customers can protect themselves from this and any further rise until January 2006 by switching to ScottishPower's capped 'dual fuel' offer which is cheaper than similar products on the market. In addition, ScottishPower's standard dual fuel prices, even after the increases, remain cheaper than those of many competitors.

Charles Berry, Executive Director UK, said: "Like all electricity and gas suppliers, ScottishPower has been affected by the exceptional increase in wholesale prices. We have managed to absorb the rise longer than most but unfortunately are now forced to pass on part of this increase to our customers.

"However the good news is that customers can benefit from switching to our existing capped price offer which guarantees no rise in current prices for 15 months. More than 600,000 are already enjoying this benefit."

ScottishPower announced last week that the price of electricity and gas for its existing 570,000 prepayment service customers would remain unchanged over the winter until next March. This demonstrates ScottishPower's continued commitment to helping some of its most vunerable customers.

ScottishPower has increased its customer base by 750,000 to more than 4.5 million in the last 12 months.

Further Information:

Simon McMillan, UK Media Relations Manager        0141 566 4875