Further Reading

Sunday, 13 October 2024

The Government’s given you a “Ration Book” for Electricity. You just don’t know it….

 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>>>...