GMB condemns lack of strategic plan for gas

London - With demand for gas is outstripping supply in the current cold weather highlights the lack of a strategic plan for the gas industry, the GMB trade unio has called for a new gas supply strategy. The current “laissez fare approach” to energy, it argues, has left the country vulnerable and bereft of a long term vision for gas. Whilst there has been a focus on “clean” electricity from renewables and nuclear, gas has been neglected.

Gary Smith, GMB national secretary said “The government has not paid enough attention to the gas industry, the problem is more deep rooted than simply about storage, though that remains a problem. You get the feeling that officials see the role of gas declining in the years to come with clean electricity coming to prominence. The fact is this is nonsense.”

According to Smith, most people in the UK heat their homes with gas and it would be hugely expensive for householders to convert to electricity. Moreover the subsidies for renewables, the cost of building more electricity generating capacity and the massive investment that will go into the creation of the smart grid will mean that electricity prices are set to soar.

“OFGEM estimates energy prices could double by 2020 we think this is extremely conservative with electricity prices escalating hugely. At the moment electricity is the smallest part of most house holds energy bills and that is why there has not been an even greater public outcry,” said Smith.

“We need a discussion on a strategic plan for gas taking into consideration the upkeep of our current infrastructure, massive development of storage, utilising technological developments to ensure we are get the maximum amount of gas out of the current gas fields and even the possibility of using UK indigenous coal to produce gas.”