UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has outlined a package of measures regarding national energy security as a response to events in the Middle East.
Miliband has set out an accelerated package of energy interventions to boost the UK’s energy security, including low cost plug-in solar panels available in retail spaces such as supermarkets; bringing forward the next renewables auction; and learning the lessons from the nuclear power review into the renewables space.
The Government has also worked with the Competition and Markets Authority to ensure that fuel suppliers cannot engage in unfair practices towards consumers such as price gouging.
The CMA has set out plans to step up monitoring of the road fuel sector to rapidly identify any signs that fuel stations are exploiting the situation, it said. It has also written to heating oil firms to obtain further evidence and assess whether their practices raise consumer protection concerns.
The CMA has the power to fine companies if it finds consumer or competition law has been broken, and the Government “fully supports the CMA’s statement that it will not hesitate to do so,” it added.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:
“Global events demonstrate there’s not a moment to waste in our drive for clean power because there can be no energy security while we are so dependent on fossil fuels.
“So today I’m announcing a series of initiatives to speed up our clean power mission: bringing forward the next renewables auction just months after our most successful ever, announcing that plug in solar will be available for the first time in Britain and speeding up our warm homes plan.
“Everything we are doing is about one purpose: fighting the corner of the British people by taking back control of our energy.”
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