Energy companies and consumer groups are being urged to take action to minimise the impact of power bill rises on customers.
First Minister Alex Salmond called on all interested parties yesterday to come together for a fuel summit before winter.
The call comes days after the last of the big six energy firms – EDF – announced an increase in prices.
Prices for domestic gas are going up by between 15 to 19% and electricity by five to 16%. The other five big energy firms are Scottish Power, Scottish and Southern Energy, Centrica, E.on and Npower.
Mr Salmond said it was a disgrace that 770,000 households in Scotland, who spend more than 10% of their income on power bills, were in fuel poverty.
“These price hikes mean up to 170,000 more families are likely to fall into this category and we are open to all options to tackle that,” added the Aberdeenshire East MSP.
“Scottish ministers have been in talks with energy providers, our Fuel Poverty and Energy Efficiency programmes have helped almost 200,000 households, and the spending review will give further details of the new Warm Homes Fund.
“But winter is about to bite and these price hikes are going to make it even more difficult for people to afford to heat their homes.
“That’s why I am today joining with Consumer Focus Scotland to call on the big six fuel companies to join us in a fuel summit. We all understand they have to compete in a global energy marketplace, but they must also take consumers’ interests into account.”
Consumer Focus Scotland chairman Douglas Sinclair said he hoped that representatives from all six companies would attend the summit.
“We accept that fuel prices have gone up – but so have the profits of the energy companies, and this has to be about people not just profits,” he added.
“The companies have a major role to play, alongside all of us, in helping to make Scotland’s housing as energy efficient as possible.”
SNP ministers have yet to set a date and location for the summit.
