EXTENDED: You've got another week to add your travel & holiday deals questions for expert MSE Oli as part of the latest Ask An Expert event.

MSE News: Government electricity plans 'provide price hike insurance'

in Energy
13 replies 1.7K views
Former_MSE_GuyFormer_MSE_Guy Former MSE
1.7K Posts
I've been Money Tipped! Newshound! Chutzpah Haggler
This is the discussion thread for the following MSE News Story:

"The Energy Secretary insists reforms will protect consumers against the steep price rises seen in recent days ..."
«1

Replies

  • backfootbackfoot Forumite
    2.7K Posts
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    Misleading headline :(
  • ConsumeristConsumerist Forumite
    6.3K Posts
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Forumite
    . . . and what guarantee do we have that it won't be "All Change" after the next general election.
    >:)Warning: In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
  • Butterfly_BrainButterfly_Brain Forumite
    8.9K Posts
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts I've been Money Tipped! Post of the Month
    Forumite
    Another hit on the poorest in society :mad:
    Blessed are the cracked for they are the ones that let in the light
    C.R.A.P R.O.L.L.Z. Member #35 Butterfly Brain + OH - Foraging Fixers
    Not Buying it 2015!
  • J_i_mJ_i_m Forumite
    1.3K Posts
    Obviously it was too much expect the energy & oil companies to invest some of their extortionate profit into investing into future power supply.... nope push it on to the already struggling consumer as always.
    :www: Progress Report :www:
    Offer accepted: £107'000
    Deposit: £23'000
    Mortgage approved for: £84'000
    Exchanged: 2/3/16
    :T ... complete on 9/3/16 ... :T
  • Joe_BloggsJoe_Bloggs Forumite
    4.5K Posts
    Forumite
    Is this some kind of energy derivative announcement ? What guarantees/safeguards are available for the unwitting consumers who are going to pay for it ?

    J_B.
  • magyarmagyar Forumite
    18.9K Posts
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    . . . and what guarantee do we have that it won't be "All Change" after the next general election.

    No government can legally bind a future government, so what they do in circumstances like this is to set up a company which would enter into contracts (which would be legally binding) with energy suppliers and generators.
    Says James, in my opinion, there's nothing in this world
    Beats a '52 Vincent and a red headed girl
  • magyarmagyar Forumite
    18.9K Posts
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    Joe_Bloggs wrote: »
    Is this some kind of energy derivative announcement ? What guarantees/safeguards are available for the unwitting consumers who are going to pay for it ?

    J_B.

    There are few safeguards, which is why as I system I don't like it. There is ample opportunity for a company which owned a nuclear station and a gas station to simply run the nuke when power prices were low (and thus get topped up) and run the gas station when prices were high, which - since gas stations aren't in the CFD - would not result in payment back.

    The system is good for attracting investment in new stations and if you're after several nuclear stations costing £50bn, you need that.

    So I can see the benefits, but I fear that there will be gaming of the system which as you say the customer will be paying for.
    Says James, in my opinion, there's nothing in this world
    Beats a '52 Vincent and a red headed girl
  • magyarmagyar Forumite
    18.9K Posts
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    J_i_m wrote: »
    Obviously it was too much expect the energy & oil companies to invest some of their extortionate profit into investing into future power supply.... nope push it on to the already struggling consumer as always.

    Duh! The energy and oil companies DO pay for the investments.
    Says James, in my opinion, there's nothing in this world
    Beats a '52 Vincent and a red headed girl
  • PincherPincher
    6.6K Posts
    Forumite
    High upfront costs?

    No one wants to take on the risk and responsibility of major projects, which is what running a business in a capitalist system is supposed to be. You raise capital, by borrowing or putting up your own money, you build it, and the profit or loss is yours.

    Tony Blair has created a welfare state for businesses.
    Private Public Initiatives are money pits.
    The government, i.e. tax payers, take on all the risk,
    and the private company is virtually guaranteed long term profit.

    Why would any company build a power station out of their own pocket, when they just have to hang around long enough, and the government will come up with yet another handout, which always come out of our pockets.

    What we should do is wait till America nearly defaults,
    hoover up on US Treasury bills, and then demand Alaska in payment.
    BP already has a base in Perdue, so we just have to change the flag to the Union Jack. The inhabitants already speak English, so it's a ready made colony.
  • Joe_BloggsJoe_Bloggs Forumite
    4.5K Posts
    Forumite
    I wish to thank magyar for their informed comments.
    I am worried that the public is being milked by systematic market behaviour that rewards corporate speculators who dabble in the seasonal energy market. Could this this 'dabbling' ultimately increase the price of energy as seen by the consumer ?
    J_B.
This discussion has been closed.
Latest MSE News and Guides

Energy Price Cap change

Martin Lewis on what it means for you

MSE News

Best £1 you've ever spent?

Share your most impressive bargains

MSE Forum