Umair Gaines
SSE plc, formerly Scottish and Southern Energy plc, is a multinational energy company headquartered in Perth, Scotland. SSE was formed in September 1998 following a merger between Scottish Hydro-Electric and Southern Electric. SSE used the Southern Electric name and logo for retail distribution of gas and electricity in the south of England before replacing it with SSE branding. The Southern Electric name continues to be used by SSE's subsidiary Southern Electric Power Distribution plc, the distribution network operator in the south of England.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| SSE and Southern Electric | SSE used the "Southern Electric" name and logo for retail distribution of gas and electricity in the south of England |
| SSE | SSE is one of the 'big six' energy companies in the UK |
| Southern Electric | Southern Electric is a trading name of OVO Electricity Limited |
| SSE | SSE is headquartered in Perth, Scotland |
| Southern Electric | Southern Electric was created in 1948 to distribute electricity in Southern England |
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What You'll Learn
- SSE used the Southern Electric name for retail distribution of gas and electricity in southern England
- SSE and Southern Electric merged in 1998 to form Scottish and Southern Energy
- SSE is headquartered in Perth, Scotland, and is one of the 'big six' energy companies in the UK
- SSE's electricity distribution subsidiary, SSEN Distribution, delivers power to over 3.8 million homes and businesses
- SSE sold its retail supply division to OVO Energy in 2020
SSE used the Southern Electric name for retail distribution of gas and electricity in southern England
SSE plc, formerly known as Scottish and Southern Energy plc, is a multinational energy company that was formed in September 1998 following a merger between Scottish Hydro-Electric and Southern Electric. SSE used the "Southern Electric" name and logo for retail distribution of gas and electricity in southern England. The Southern Electric name is now used by SSE's subsidiary, Southern Electric Power Distribution plc, the distribution network operator in the south of England.
SSE has a rich heritage that spans almost 80 years, with its origins in two public sector electricity supply authorities. The Southern Electricity Board, created in 1948, was responsible for distributing electricity in Southern England, while the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board focused on hydroelectricity projects in the Highlands of Scotland.
Over the years, SSE has grown and expanded its business through various acquisitions. In 2000, they acquired the SWALEC energy supply business, which operates exclusively in Wales. Subsequently, they purchased several power stations, including Ferrybridge and Fiddlers Ferry in 2004, and Airtricity Holdings, an Irish wind farm business, in 2008. In 2010, SSE further diversified by acquiring natural gas exploration and production assets in the United Kingdom Continental Shelf.
In recent years, SSE has undergone some changes, including the sale of its retail supply division to OVO Energy in 2020. Despite these changes, SSE remains committed to its heritage of providing safe and reliable electricity to its customers, with a focus on renewable energy and achieving net zero. SSE continues to invest in upgrading and enhancing electricity networks across the UK, including in Southampton, Bordon, and Aberdeen, to ensure a more resilient and reliable supply of electricity for homes and businesses.
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SSE and Southern Electric merged in 1998 to form Scottish and Southern Energy
SSE and Southern Electric are the same company. Southern Electric was merged with SSE in 1998 and is no longer operating as an energy supplier. The merged entity was initially called Scottish and Southern Energy, formed following a merger between Scottish Hydro-Electric and Southern Electric.
Scottish and Southern Energy was formed in September 1998 and was a multinational energy company headquartered in Perth, Scotland. The company was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. Scottish and Southern Energy operated in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The origins of the company lie in two public sector electricity supply authorities. The North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board, founded in 1943, designed, constructed, and managed hydroelectricity projects in the Scottish Highlands. It also took on generation and distribution responsibilities when the electricity industry was nationalised in 1948. The Southern Electricity Board was created in 1948 to distribute electricity in Southern England.
In 1990, the Southern Electricity Board's assets were passed to Southern Electric plc. This was part of the energy privatisation introduced by Margaret Thatcher's government in 1989. Southern Electric was then acquired by SSE Energy Services in 1998, leading to the formation of Scottish and Southern Energy.
Scottish and Southern Energy continued to expand its business in the years following its creation. In August 2000, it acquired the SWALEC energy supply business, which operates exclusively in Wales. In July 2004, the company further expanded its portfolio by purchasing the Ferrybridge and Fiddlers Ferry power stations for £250 million.
In January 2008, Scottish and Southern Energy bought Airtricity Holdings, an Irish wind farm business. A year later, in August 2009, it agreed to purchase the Uskmouth power station from the Welsh Power Group. In April 2010, the company acquired natural gas exploration and production assets in three areas of the United Kingdom Continental Shelf from the Hess Corporation.
In January 2010, Scottish and Southern Energy shortened its name to SSE. SSE continued to face challenges and, in 2013, was fined by the industry regulator Ofgem for mis-selling gas and electricity. In 2014, SSE became the first company on the FTSE 100 to be awarded the Fair Tax Mark for transparency in tax affairs.
In November 2017, SSE announced its intention to separate from its retail subsidiary, which would then merge with the Npower division of riva. However, this merger was abandoned in December 2018 due to challenging market conditions. In September 2019, SSE sold its retail business to OVO Energy, and the Southern Electric brand became a trading name of OVO Electricity Limited.
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SSE is headquartered in Perth, Scotland, and is one of the 'big six' energy companies in the UK
SSE plc, formerly known as Scottish and Southern Energy plc, is headquartered in Perth, Scotland. The company was formed in 1998 after a merger between Scottish Hydro-Electric and Southern Electric. SSE is one of the 'Big Six' energy companies in the UK, with over 8 million customers.
SSE has a diverse range of businesses, including SSE Thermal, which operates a series of UK power stations, and SSE Renewables, which builds and operates wind farms in the UK and Ireland and has hydroelectric operations in Scotland. SSE also acquired the Ferrybridge and Fiddlers Ferry power stations in 2004 and the Irish wind farm business Airtricity Holdings in 2008.
SSE has a strong commitment to sustainability and has set four fundamental goals for 2030 to become a leading energy company in a low-carbon world. The company is investing over £20 billion in homegrown energy and is currently building the world's largest offshore wind farm. SSE is also transforming the grid and creating thousands of jobs in the process.
In terms of its brand names, SSE previously used the "Southern Electric" name and logo for retail distribution of gas and electricity in southern England. However, this was replaced with SSE branding. After the sale of SSE's retail business to OVO Energy in 2020, the Southern Electric brand became a trading name of OVO Electricity Limited. Despite this, the Southern Electric name continues to be used by SSE's subsidiary, Southern Electric Power Distribution plc, which is the distribution network operator in southern England.
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SSE's electricity distribution subsidiary, SSEN Distribution, delivers power to over 3.8 million homes and businesses
SSE, or Scottish and Southern Energy, is one of the 'big six' energy companies in the UK. It was formed in 1998 after a merger between Scottish Hydro-Electric and Southern Electric. SSE's electricity distribution subsidiary, SSEN Distribution, is responsible for delivering power to over 3.8 million homes and businesses across central southern England and the north of Scotland.
SSEN Distribution is the electricity Distribution Network Operator (DNO) that distributes electricity from the transmission network to homes and businesses across their distribution areas. They serve some of the most diverse and unique geographies across the UK, keeping customers and communities connected while developing a flexible electricity network that is vital to achieving net zero.
SSEN Distribution is committed to investing in the electricity network to ensure a more modern, robust, and reliable supply of electricity for its customers. For example, they are investing £10 million in Southampton and £2 million in the Craigton area of Aberdeen to upgrade the local primary substation. Additionally, they are working on a £5.2 million re-cabling scheme and investing £10.6 million to boost Bordon's electricity network.
The Southern Electric name was previously used by SSE as a brand name for retail distribution of gas and electricity in the south of England. However, after OVO Energy purchased SSE's retail business in 2020, the Southern Electric brand became a trading name of OVO Electricity Limited. Despite this change, SSE's subsidiary, Southern Electric Power Distribution plc, continues to use the Southern Electric name as the distribution network operator in the south of England.
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SSE sold its retail supply division to OVO Energy in 2020
SSE, or Scottish and Southern Energy, was formed in 1998 after a merger of Scottish Hydro-Electric and Southern Electric. SSE is one of the 'big six' energy companies in the UK, with just over 8 million customers. The company previously used the Southern Electric name and logo for retail distribution of gas and electricity in the south of England.
In 2019, SSE announced that it was looking for a buyer for its retail arm following a failed merger with Innogy. The company's retail energy business was struggling to retain customers amid fierce competition from smaller, nimbler rivals, and its operating profit fell 68% in the year to March 2019.
In September 2019, SSE agreed to sell its retail business to OVO Energy for £500 million. The deal was expected to be completed in late 2019 or early 2020, subject to regulatory approvals. SSE stated that there would be no immediate impact on customers after the completion of the deal, and the SSE brand would be operated by OVO under license for a period to ensure a smooth transition.
The sale of SSE's retail business to OVO created a new UK energy giant and allowed OVO to break into Britain's 'Big Six' energy suppliers. OVO's founder and CEO, Stephen Fitzpatrick, praised the deal, saying that SSE and OVO shared values on sustainability and serving customers. The proceeds from the transaction were used to reduce SSE's net debt and strengthen its focus on delivering low-carbon infrastructure to help the UK reach net-zero emissions.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, SSE and Southern Electric are the same. SSE stands for Scottish and Southern Energy, which was formed in 1998 after a merger between Scottish Hydro-Electric and Southern Electric.
SSE is headquartered in Perth, Scotland.
SSE has its origins in two public sector electricity supply authorities. The North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board was founded in 1943 to manage hydroelectricity projects in the Highlands of Scotland. The Southern Electricity Board was created in 1948 to distribute electricity in Southern England.
SSE has just over 8 million customers in the UK.
SSE's key subsidiaries include Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks Distribution (SSEN Distribution), which is the electricity Distribution Network Operator responsible for delivering power to over 3.8 million homes and businesses across central southern England and the north of Scotland.
