Energy watchdog Ofgem chief warns of bill rises

solorize

From the BBC website:

Consumers are being warned they face higher energy bills as the UK becomes more reliant on energy imports.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21501878

penrhyn

This cannot be correct. We now have windmills as far as the eye can see, are blinded by the sun reflected of solar roof panels. Shirley these more than provide enough energy for us all to enjoy when the evil coal burning power stations are turned off by EU dictat.

welshee

solorize wrote: »

From the BBC website:

Consumers are being warned they face higher energy bills as the UK becomes more reliant on energy imports.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21501878

Short and Curlies comes to mind !!

We just cannot win !!:mad:

undaunted

So, if they build more power stations we pay for it & if they don't we pay for it?

When will these clowns start to regulate the industry rather than act like some kind of PR office for energy suppliers?

wakeupalarm

penrhyn wrote: »

This cannot be correct. We now have windmills as far as the eye can see, are blinded by the sun reflected of solar roof panels. Shirley these more than provide enough energy for us all to enjoy when the evil coal burning power stations are turned off by EU dictat.

On one side, due to global warming the temperature will rise so there will be less need for heating. We will have more extreame weather so wind and tidal energy will solve all our energy needs as we are located in the windiest part of Europe with massive costlines. Shale gas will solve are gas needs. EDF will build clean Nuclear power stations with Government guarantees for 50 years so all our electricity needs will be met.

We have lots of interconnects with Norway, Ireland, France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Germany (in future) and sells arms to corrupt governments in the Middle-east and elsewhere who supply us with LNG so can easily ship in extras gas and electricity when needed. A lot of customers have reduced their average consumption with energy efficient measures and price increases have forced the rest to choose between heating and eating.

On the other, the energy companies must have their massive bonuses and profits and OFGEM must keep up the pretence that they exist for a purpose.

So yes, expect prices to increase.

Bark01

undaunted wrote: »

So, if they build more power stations we pay for it & if they don't we pay for it?

When will these clowns start to regulate the industry rather than act like some kind of PR office for energy suppliers?

And if the government pays for it through regulation where does the government get the money from?

undaunted

Bark01 wrote: »

And if the government pays for it through regulation where does the government get the money from?

The Government (or rather we are) is already paying for the regulation. It just doesn't achieve the results or value for money that it should / expects everyone else to deliver!

Energy co.s make a fortune, if they need to build new power stations to continue that success that money needs to come from their profits not just constantly increasing prices or expecting Government subsidy.

To my mind, if "the Government" / tax payer pays for it then we may as well re nationalise - and I am not generally an advocate of this either!

jd87

Everyone keeps saying that the government/regulator need to "keep the lights on", but the last time I checked this was a privatised industry. Private companies should be concerned about keeping the lights on, they should be investing in new infrastructure from their own profits. The question is what is wrong with the industry at the moment that seems to mean that private companies don't care?

The government should be promoting investment, not by offering subsidies, but by threatening private companies with sanctions if they fail to maintain supplies at a reasonable cost.

rogerblack

jd87 wrote: »

Everyone keeps saying that the government/regulator need to "keep the lights on", but the last time I checked this was a privatised industry. Private companies should be concerned about keeping the lights on, they should be investing in new infrastructure from their own profits. The question is what is wrong with the industry at the moment that seems to mean that private companies don't care?

Because the private companies that manage the network have often very low profit margins, and the network is not upgraded past what will barely work in emergencies, and what can be reasonably arguable meets the minimum regulations.

Putting in extra redundancy costs.

Is everyone willing to add £100/year onto bills to add an extra 9 onto the uptime of the average houses electricity, and go from 99.9% to 99.99%?

This all works fine - and 99.9% reliability is pretty much OK on average - until something goes badly wrong, and Birmingham goes dark for a couple of weeks.

(Figures clearly made up - but reliability increases are rarely free)

GlynD

I don't know why this press release has gone out the day after a new gas field was discovered in the North Sea, and if my memory serves me right that's the second new discovery in a month. Not to mention the fact that three new nuclear power stations are to be built.

My cynical mind tells me this has been released to cover something else - but what?

penrhyn

Nick Cleggs' home and contents tax.