Thursday 12 March 2026 13:24 GMT Bookmark Support Now From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more Elon Musk’s Tesla could soon be powering homes in the UK after the company was given the green light to launch a household energy supplier in Britain. The decision to grant the company’s subsidiary, Tesla Energy Ventures, a licence introduces a potentially significant new competitor into the UK energy market, arriving at a time when concerns over escalating utility bills are particularly acute. Several smaller energy firms in the UK have gone bust over the past few years, as rising wholesale costs clashed with the energy price cap and left them unable to bridge that gap. open image in gallery The decision to grant the licence comes despite energy secretary Ed Miliband’s criticism of Tesla owner Elon Musk (AFP/Getty) The arrival of a new player in the arena should, in theory, be a boost to British households as greater competition can lead to better tariffs being on offer. However, unlike some energy firms, Tesla will not be offering dual tariffs as it does not have licences to distribute gas, only electricity. In the UK, the present “big six” suppliers in order of size according to Uswitch are: Octopus Energy, British Gas, E.ON Next, Ovo Energy, EDF Energy and Scottish Power.