OVO will acquire the retail business of energy company SSE for £ 500 million ( $ 100 m ) , at which time it will become the UK 's second - biggest energy supplier behind British Gas . "I'm confident that this is the best outcome for the SSE Energy Services business. The transaction should enhance competition for consumers , with OVO , Total , Bulb and Octopus rivalling the Big Six companies , said Andrew Murray of Moneysupermarket . The deal is expected to close in Q4 2019 or Q1 2020 .
OVO will acquire the retail business of energy company SSE for £ 500 million ( $ 100 m ) , at which time it will become the UK 's second - biggest energy supplier behind British Gas . The transaction should enhance competition for consumers , with OVO , Total , Bulb and Octopus rivalling the Big Six companies , said Andrew Murray of Moneysupermarket . The deal is expected to close in Q4 2019 or Q1 2020 .