We’re about to say welcome to Winter 2024, a season that makes
the Blitz look like a summer picnic when it comes to electricity. With
freezing temperatures outside and eye-watering bills inside, it feels
like rationing is back—only this time, there’s no government-printed
book with neat little coupons. Instead, we have a new kind of
“rationing,” courtesy of the invisible hand of the energy market.
You
can forget those comforting symbols of sacrifice for the greater good.
No community spirit or wartime camaraderie here—just flashing screens,
digital nudges, and a sickening feeling every time you glance at your
smart meter. The buzzword this winter is “voluntary load shedding,” a
phrase that sounds like the name of a dreary indie band but means one
thing: if you want to keep the lights on, you’d better be prepared to
turn them off yourself.
Let’s be clear: we’re not short of
energy. No, no. We’re short of affordable energy. The raw cost of the
fuels needed to generate electricity—oil and gas—has actually dropped.
That’s right. While you’re here, huddled under a blanket, suppliers are
buying up barrels at prices we haven’t seen this low in years. So why
aren’t your bills reflecting this?
Simple. Energy companies are
playing a rigged game. They’re cashing in on lower raw prices, then
throttling the supply to create the illusion of scarcity. By limiting
the amount of electricity fed into the grid, they’re keeping the prices
sky-high. It’s the oldest trick in the book: create a shortage, charge a
premium. They might as well be selling you bottled tap water for
champagne prices, only instead of hydration, you’re getting a precious
trickle of heat...<<<Read More>>>...