Which energy firms met Boris Johnson – and how big are their profits?
Boris Johnson met executives from some of Britain’s biggest energy companies on Thursday to discuss the cost of living crisis.
Johnson was flanked by the chancellor, Nadhim Zahawi, and the business and energy secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng. Zahawi said afterwards that the energy firms agreed to “do more to help the people who most need it” – but did not specify what that would entail.
The executives were from power-generation companies – which own assets including windfarms and nuclear power stations – rather than the oil and gas companies hit by the windfall tax, officially known as the Energy Profits Levy, after raking in bumper profits caused in part by the war in Ukraine.
However, there is a lingering threat that the levy may be extended to electricity generation companies amid accusations that they have also enjoyed a bonanza from high energy prices.
Below are the companies that attended the meeting, along with their profits and executive pay packages. While all operate in the UK, many are headquartered abroad.
Eon Profits: €4.06bn (£3.4bn) in first half 2022 Chief executive: Leonhard Birnbaum His pay: €1.2m (£1m) in 2021 Headquarters: Germany
National GridProfits: £3.4bn in 2021-22 Chief executive: John Pettigrew His pay: £6.5m in 2021-22 Headquarters: UK
RWEProfits: €2.6bn (£2.2bn) in first half 2022 Chief executive: Markus Krebber His pay: €4.3m (£3.6m) in 2021 Headquarters: Germany
ØrstedProfits: €1.75bn (£1.5bn) in first half 2022 Chief executive: Mads Nipper His pay: €2m (£1.7m) in 2021 Headquarters: Denmark
Centrica Profits: £1.3bn in first half 2022 Chief executive: Chris O’Shea His pay: £775,000 in 2021 (£1.1m bonus waived) Headquarters: UK
SSEProfits in 2021/22: £1.2bn Chief executive: Alistair Phillips-Davies His pay in
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