NATURAL Resources Minister Carl Sargeant has written to the UK’s “big six” energy firms asking them to work with the Welsh Government to tackle fuel poverty.

The Welsh Government is making an additional £80 million available between 2013 and 2016 to help support the 30 per cent of households in Wales that are in fuel poverty.

The funding will leverage investment from the energy company obligation (ECO), which places legal obligations on the larger energy suppliers to deliver energy efficiency measures to domestic energy users.

Mr Sargeant said: “In Wales we have been successful in delivering multiple benefits through our energy efficiency programmes, such as Arbed, including jobs, wider community benefits, training and advice for residents.

“The Arbed 2 programme is delivering an estimated return to the Welsh economy of £2 for every £1 invested. We are achieving this saving through the creation of apprenticeships, through supplier partnerships in the shared apprentice scheme, and through collaboration across the whole supply chain.

“Our additional investment for the next financial year is £35 million. I want the energy companies to see how effective our approach in Wales is and discuss how working together we can maximise the amount of ECO that they invest in these schemes in Wales.”