ScottishPower today welcomed the opening of the IV post code area, the next stage in the opening of the UK electricity market to competition. Around 89,000 households in the Inverness-shire and Ross-shire will now be able to choose their energy supplier for the first time.

ScottishPower already supplies 3.1 million of the UK's 25 million domestic customers and is confident that is flagship Gas & Electricity Offer will attract new customers when this latest area is deregulated from November 11.

Charles Berry, Managing Director of Energy Supply at ScottishPower, said that he looked forward to providing as many customers as possible with ScottishPower's energy savings and additional customer benefits.

He said: "The Gas & Electricity Offer is a modern product for a modern lifestyle. It has been driven by our customers' needs and an increasingly dynamic marketplace. We view the electricity market opening as an opportunity and we are ready to compete with the best products to win new customers northern Scotland, as well as the rest of the UK."

ScottishPower is the first to market with the "one bill" opportunity which offers customers the convenience of one payment for both gas and electricity.

The company has invested more than £100 million in computer system development and customer service innovations to place it at the head of the competitive UK electricity market which is due to be completely deregulated by mid-1999.

Mr Berry added: "The average household electricity bill from ScottishPower is now £263.09 which, in real terms, is the lowest bill since 1974. Earlier this year, we also reduced costs further for out pre-payment customers and those who pay their bills promptly."

Further Information:
Ann Hood,            ScottishPower Press Office              0141 248 8200

Note to Editors

1. Average annual household electricity bill shown is based on an annual usage of 3300 kWh on ScottishPower's Domestic tariff and excludes VAT.
2. The area opening to cometition on 11 November includes:  Inverness, Isle of Skye, Dingwall, Ullapool.