Energy companies are calling for a halt to consumer bill increases as average energy bills could pass £5,000 next April.
The leaders of three energy firms - Ecotricity, Octopus Energy and Utilia - want to see the Ofgem price cap stay at its current level of £1,971 a year.
This price cap limits how much the average home on a variable-rate deal will pay for energy by direct debit.
The three energy firms back a plan from trade body Energy UK, which is calling for a state-backed pot of cash to keep gas and electricity bills down.
This pot would be funded by banks and used by energy firms to freeze bills for consumers for two years.
This debt would then be repaid through tax or through higher energy bills in the future. The scheme is known as the tariff deficit fund.
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Octopus Energy chief executive Greg Jackson told BBC Radio 4's Today programme : "Essentially we freeze the price cap roughly where it is and fund that during times when energy prices are very high, and pay it back when it's coming down.
"That would see prices around where they are now, which is still, by the way, two thirds above where they were a year ago."
Dale Vince, founder of Ecotricity, told the BBC : "We need £40billion to get through this winter - that's 10% of what was spent during the pandemic.
"That's the only thing that will really sort this problem out."
Bill Bullen, chief executive of Utilita, said: “All through the summer, we’ve been hearing about customers in distress, customers who are worried that they’re not able to heat their homes over this coming winter.
“That’s why we’re saying to the Government - you’ve got to take this decision to freeze prices at their current level right now."
Energy bills could reach £5,815 from next April as inflation is due to hit 18.6%, experts say.
Investment firm Citi thinks inflation will rise from 10.1% currently to above 18% in January 2023.
Citi has forecast that a surge in wholesale energy prices will lead to inflation “entering the stratosphere” in the new year, according to the Financial Times.
The company believes that the energy bill price cap could go up from £1,971 a year currently to £4,567 in January 2023 and £5,816 in April.
Consultancy Auxilione previously said Ofgem could set its price cap at £4,467 in January 2023, rising to £6,089 in April.
Consultants at Cornwall Insight, who correctly predicted the last big energy bill rise, expects the price cap to rise to £4,266 in January.
Citi chief UK economist Benjamin Nabarro said: "We now expect CPI inflation to peak at over 18% in January."
