Coldest winter for decade could spark energy crisis
Written by The Times
Thursday, 13 October 2005
THE Government has summoned industrialists and generating companies to
an emergency meeting next month amid fears of an energy crisis if
Britain suffers a harsh winter.
Long-distance forecasters are predicting that the country is facing its
coldest weather for a decade, putting lives at risk and forcing
businesses to lay off workers.
The CBI said that there were only 11 days’ gas held in reserve. In
comparison, other European countries keep an average of 55 days in
reserve. The Met Office has already put the energy industry, the NHS
and the Government on high alert. Now there are fears that Britain
could run out of fuel.
Sir Digby Jones, the Director-General of the CBI, said: “If we have a
cold winter, we are going to throw the switch; businesses will shut
down.”
The National Grid has identified emergency measures to ensure that
power is maintained to homeowners. Under the plans, manufacturers who
use large amounts of gas for industrial processes would be required to
shut down factories on very cold days.
Britain has not had a particularly cold winter for ten years, but some
experts believe that temperatures over the coming months could plummet
as low as the winters of the 1970s.
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Complete article The Times
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