Energy support not the ‘solution’ to the gas crisis, energy boss says
ScottishPower’s boss said that the Government needs to insulate homes and help with a massive roll-out of renewable energy.
The Government has bought itself two years to insulate millions of British homes, plant solar and wind farms across the country and install heat pumps, the boss of a major energy supplier has said.
Keith Anderson, who leads ScottishPower, said that the Government had helped customers with an announcement that bills will be guaranteed not to rise above £2,500 for the average household.
“Hats off to the Government, they have made a big, big intervention,” he told the PA news agency.
“They have taken away a huge amount of worry and concern for customers, and that’s a good thing. A really, really good thing. That’s what we wanted.”
But he said this is not the end of the road in the energy crisis.
“No matter what policy they picked, it was never going to be the end solution.
“The policy today buys us two years to go and fix a whole load of problems at source.
“That is a mixture of building renewables like hell, and going hell for leather building it faster and faster.”
He said offshore and onshore wind are needed, as are solar. He also called for a “massive investment and acceleration in heat pump deployment to stop us burning gas”.
“The next one is going hammer and tongs at energy efficiency. You have a two-year window now to do a massive roll-out programme, properly insulating homes and helping people save energy and save money.”
He also called for the price of electricity to be decoupled from the price of gas.
“If you do those four things that’s what allows you to stop the price freeze,” Mr Anderson said.
Chris O’Shea, chief executive of British Gas owner Centrica, promised to continue donating 10% of profits to help vulnerable households.
These households are still facing doubled energy bills despite the support announced on Thursday.
“We know people are deeply worried about the increase in their energy bills this winter,” Mr O’Shea said.
“Extraordinary circumstances call for us all to think differently and we know this bold customer support package from the new Prime Minister and Chancellor will bring immediate relief to hard-pressed households.”
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