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Press Release

Britain needs an urgent debate on energy

21 October 2011

Unite, Britain's biggest union, has called for an urgent debate on the UK's future energy needs as the Westminster government's decision on Longannet highlights a complacency which is driving the UK towards an energy crisis.

After 2015 energy demand threatens to outstrip supply, meaning even higher electricity bills for industry and for consumers.

Several coal fired power stations need to close before EU emissions regulations come into force in 2015 and Centrica has just announced the closure of two gas powered stations in King's Lynn and Barry, with the possibility of mothballing other stations.

Matters were made even worse yesterday (19 October) when the government failed to back ScottishPower's Longannet Carbon Capture Storage (CCS) project which would have delivered huge commercial benefits, and even larger environmental benefits by removing carbon from fossil-fuel burning and burying it under the seabed. This would have made it possible to rely on coal, gas and oil burning for power. Instead there is not enough energy capacity to fill the gap between demand and supply over the coming years.

Kevin Coyne, Unite national officer for energy said: "Sky high energy bills are fuelling inflation but things could get even worse. The coalition government's complacency on energy policy and innovation is driving the country towards an energy crisis.

"Power stations up and down the country are closing and the government has shelved a world beating, enviromentally friendy, carbon storage project which would have eased the pressure. The technology would have also created thousands of jobs in the sector and its manufacturing supply chain.

"Energy costs are already sky high and as demand begins to outstrip supply electricity bills will become even more expensive. The coalition government has completely failed to get a grip on energy policy and displayed incompetence when it comes to supporting world-beating enviromental technology which would ease the pressure. There needs to be urgent action."

Unite is Britain's biggest union for workers in the energy sector.



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