Warming to his subject

Malcolm Wicks says he likes a challenge. This is fortunate, because the Energy Minister faces interconnected problems that seem at best baffling and at worst irreconcilable. First, is the question of gas supplies through an infrastructure bottleneck this winter – and the impact on prices. Next come concerns over the future security of UK energy supplies, exacerbated by the decision of Russia’s producer, Gazprom, to cut exports through Ukraine. Meanwhile, Gazprom has expressed an interest in buying Centrica, which has fields in the Irish and North Seas and is Britain’s biggest domestic supplier.

Finally, he is in charge of a government energy review consistent with securing supply while reducing CO2 emissions by 60 per cent by 2050 and not overriding the market.

guardian