Power shortage risks by 2015, Ofgem warns

[Chippiewill]

Britain risks running out of energy generating capacity in the winter of 2015-16, according to the energy regulator Ofgem.

Its report predicted that the amount of spare capacity could fall from 14% now to only 4% in three years.

Ofgem said this would leave Britain relying more on imported gas, which would make price rises more likely.

The government said that its forthcoming Energy Bill would ensure that there was secure supply.

Ofgem blames the risk on coal-fired power stations being closed sooner than expected and EU environmental legislation.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19842401

Now, I support moving to sustainable fuels and all, however we have to remain practical about it. We shouldn't just close places down because the EU wants us to and then suffer power shortages, we should make a move to close non-sustainable power stations as and when it makes sense.

[-:Undertaker:-]

Only predicting what UKIP have been saying for years,

http://www.ukip.org/content/latest-news/2785-power-regulator-confirms-ukip-blackout-fears

[-:Undertaker:-]

I'd also add on to what you've touched upon that does it not show how much control we have lost over our own country when our government cannot even stop the lights going off because of EU energy policy? I keep saying it time and time again; from fishieries to agriculture, from energy to social regulations, to courts of law and foreign policy - the EU is now our supreme government.

It is not a figment of the imagination nor a nightmare, read the treaties/history of it and the powers which have gone and which will go in time. The process of 'ever closer union' and the acquis communautaire doctrine mean that the process is non-reversible and is not up for negotiation.

The only way is out, anything else promised or pledged is either a lie or delusional drivel.

[Wig44.]

I don't understand this at all. Geothermal electricity could power the world many times over, is easy to produce and doesn't fill the land with eye sores. Nuclear fusion should be possible by now, I'm sure the economic incentive to come up with an engineering solution isn't there thus no solution. Importing gas obviously isn't the solution either, if we're going to face shortages soon we should adapt instead of importing more gas and needing to adapt anyway when it runs out.

[-:Undertaker:-]

I don't understand this at all. Geothermal electricity could power the world many times over, is easy to produce and doesn't fill the land with eye sores. Nuclear fusion should be possible by now, I'm sure the economic incentive to come up with an engineering solution isn't there thus no solution. Importing gas obviously isn't the solution either, if we're going to face shortages soon we should adapt instead of importing more gas and needing to adapt anyway when it runs out.

I have felt coal is our best source of energy for a long time. The reasons being that although it is too expensive to mine in this country at the moment, it's cheap and reliable (imports from China etc) and works - unlike the likes of 'green' fuels and doesn't have the decommissioning costs of nuclear power. And its a secure energy source as well - Britain is, afterall, an island essentially made up from coal.