Britain's increasing reliance on "intermittent" renewable energy means that the country is facing an unprecedented supply crisis, a senior Ofgem executive has warned.
Andrew Wright, a senior partner at Ofgem and former interim chief executive, warned that households could be forced to pay extra to keep their lights on while their neighbours “sit in the dark” because “not everyone will be able to use as much as electricity as they want”.
He warned that in future richer customers will be able to “pay for a higher level of reliability” while other households are left without electricity.
Electricity pylons rising through mist at dawn, view of The Marshwood Vale from Lambert's Castle, Dorset, England
Electricity pylons rising through mist at dawn, view of The Marshwood Vale from Lambert's Castle, Dorset, England Credit: Alamy
Mr Wright said that because Britain has lost fuel capacity because of the closure of coal mines, there is now “much less flexibility” for suppliers.
In a stark warning about the future of energy supply in Britain, Mr Wright said that consumers could be forced to pay more if they want to ensure they always have power.
“At the moment everyone has the same network - with some difference between rural and urban - but this is changing and these changes will produce some choices for society,” he told a recent conference.
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