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“Pressure will mount on government to lower bills”
With the summer recess over, the Westminster machine is firing up again, and the inboxes of the various secretaries of state and ministers are bulging.
The two-week return before parliament breaks again gives the ministerial team a chance to set the tone for the rest of the year and to firm up their positions ahead of the party conference – and for Labour, their next five years as the party elects its new leader (see p10).
Power, as always, will not be far from the minds of those in power, especially as Hinkley Point C crawls towards a final investment decision.
The need for a new power station – even if it is the most expensive one in the world – is great. The closure of old coal-fired plant, and the removal of unprofitable gas stations from the fleet, will see the UK lose 21,400MW of dispatchable generation by next March, with only 6,000MW created. Cue cries for support and stability in policy to avoid a capacity crunch and keep the lights on.
Pressure is certain to mount on government to act to lower energy bills as heating season comes around. With green levies already cut and the Green Deal panned, what wiggle room will Amber Rudd find to help force suppliers to reduce bills?
Water minister Rory Stewart will need to keep his eye on the process of market reform, as the details start to become clearer. He will be eager for the process to go smoothly – not only for the customers that are set to benefit from being able to switch, but to avoid a stain on his political copybook.
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