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FOI request (FOIR-799406870)
Energy Consumption and Costs
Requested Mon 16 February 2026
Responded Thu 05 March 2026Please could you provide the following information relating to your organisation’s energy usage:
- Copies of electricity and gas bills (or a summary equivalent) for the most recent 12-month period available.
- Total annual electricity consumption (kWh) for the same period.
- Total annual gas consumption (kWh) for the same period.
- Total annual cost (?) for electricity and gas, separately if available.
- The name of your current energy supplier(s).
- The contract end date(s) for electricity and gas supply.
If providing copies of bills is not possible, a summary of the above information in spreadsheet or PDF format would be sufficient.
Response
Copies of electricity and gas bills (or a summary equivalent) for the most recent 12-month period available. Bills not available.
The information below is a summary of these bills.
Total annual electricity consumption (kWh) for the same period. 1,034,251 kWh
Total annual gas consumption (kWh) for the same period. 1,671,623 kWh
Total annual cost (?) for electricity and gas, separately if available.
Electricity - £458,257.48
Gas - £103,315.63
The name of your current energy supplier(s).
NOTICE OF REFUSAL
The information you have requested in relation to our current energy supplier/s is commercially sensitive and falls under Section 43 of the Freedom of Information Act – Commercially Sensitive Information
Information prejudicing commercial interests – commercial interest relating to an organisations commercial activity and may include trading activity procurement and relationships with third parties.
The exemption afforded by Section 43 is subject to what is known as the ‘public interest test’. When applying the test in a particular case a public authority is deciding whether the public interest is better served by non-disclosure than by disclosure.
Although the Freedom of Information Act does not define ‘in the public interest’, there is a presumption under Freedom of Information that openness is in the public interest. In applying the public interest test a public authority will take into account the distinction that has been often made by courts between things that are in the public interest, and things that merely interest the public. Where applicants have not identified public interest considerations succinctly or accurately, the public authority has a responsibility under the Act to make their own assessment of the public interest considerations in the particular case.
We have identified the following public interest factors that may be seen as encouraging the disclosure of information:
a) accountability of public spending
We consider these factors to be of limited relevance in relation to the information in question.
Public interest factors seen as encouraging non-disclosure are, generally, the exemptions themselves. In consideration of this matter we came to the following conclusions:
a) ensuring that companies are able to compete for business fairly
b) damage to reputation and/or financial interests
In weighing the factors for and against disclosure we have concluded that the likely benefit to the applicant and the wider public of disclosure is outweighed by the likely prejudice caused by such disclosure and that therefore the public interest is better served by non-disclosure.
For the reasons given above we will not be communicating to you the information you have requested.
The contract end date(s) for electricity and gas supply. 30/09/2026
- Copies of electricity and gas bills (or a summary equivalent) for the most recent 12-month period available.
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Freedom of Information
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