Like a lover scorned whose painful split is being acted out on the public stage, Owen Paterson, the former Environment Secretary has taken to the offensive. Describing Greenpeace as ‘wicked’, climate change campaigners as the ‘green blob’ and calling for the 2007 Climate Change Act to be scrapped it’s fair to say that Paterson hasn’t […]
The Big 6 foreign invasion turns sour
When the boss of your nation’s biggest energy company describes their and your situation as “poor” and “under pressure” you might need some light relief, why not look at the neighbours and cheer yourself up with their “disaster”. That appears to have been the tactic from EDF Energy boss Henri Proglio who said: “When it comes […]
Energy’s Nuclear Winter Approaches
Cracks in bricks might not be a traditional headline grabber but the fracturing of these particular bricks are really rather important and worrying. Following the enforced closure of the Heysham and Hartlepool nuclear reactors by EDF Energy because of boiler problems, their Hunterston B power station, one of the 14 AGR reactors they operate, has […]
EEF slams government energy policy
The EEF, the Manufacturers Organisation, has laid bare the effect high energy prices are having on UK industry and the impact that a projected 50% rise in electricity prices by 2020 will have. The EEF’s research claims: 25% of manufacturers would have to reconsider overseas investment 73% say the projected rise would have “a noticeable impact […]
When is a blackout not a blackout?
A lesson in spin from the energy markets. As the capacity crunch for Winter 2014/15 nears and politicians, industry bosses and the regulator come under renewed pressure there have been some bold statements put out in recent days. National Grid have announced that the margin over Winter 2014/15, the gap between the amount of electricity […]
PAC Warning for the Smart Meter Roll Out
The smart meter roll out scheduled for 2015-2020 and the centrepiece of the government’s long term ‘solution’ for the energy market is just about the last major infrastructure project that the coalition would want to see hit trouble, think a Millennium Dome, on every street corner, complete with requisite upheaval. Many commentators have questioned the […]
Blackouts, who’s said what
A lot has been spoken about blackouts and the risk or otherwise of their occurrence, we’ve put together some of the most instructive comments from leading players in the debate including government, the regulator Ofgem, National Grid and market commentators. The contradiction is palpable, as is the sense that a lot of hope underpins the […]
Ofgem Plans New Interconnectors
Ofgem, the much maligned energy regulator and rarely the bearer of positive news, has announced plans to build new interconnectors between the UK and continental Europe with a view to cutting energy costs. The proposed interconnectors with France, Norway, Denmark, Belgium and Ireland, if all went to plan, would be built by 2020 and the […]
Big 6 Face New Freedom Of Information Disclosures
The Liberal Democrats have proposed the biggest change to the Freedom of Information Act since its formation in 2000 heralding a major new era of transparency for the Big 6 energy companies. Announcing the proposal Simon Hughes, the Lib Dem Justice Minister said: “I want to . . . open up the information about the way public services, and […]
Capacity Auction Lifeline for Gas-Fired Plant
£1tn. That’s the forecasted investment required to enable the recovery of the remaining North Sea Oil and Gas reserves. Oil & Gas UK the UK Offshore Oil and Gas trade body claims in a new report that in order to extract the potential out of the remaining reserves contained in the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) a £1tn investment is […]