The Scottish Chief Minister Nicola Sturgeon, assured this Sunday that the United Kingdom must consider the “renationalization” of energy companies to stop the escalation of prices. Sturgeon, who is also leader of the Scottish National Party, warned today that the “disaster” facing Scottish families could get even worse if Britain’s sector regulator, Ofgem (The Office of the Gas and Electricity Markets), raises the energy price limit in October.
“I want us to join together to ask the United Kingdom Government to take the measures that only he can take»Sturgeon told BBC Scotland television.
Ofgem plans to announce this coming Friday a new energy price cap, which is estimated to be 2,800 pounds per year (3,297 euros), a measure that will affect 906,000 households in Scotland.
As indicated by the Autonomous Government of Edinburgh, the increase in the bill will condemn 36% of households in the region to a winter of energy poverty.
Sturgeon will meet this week with energy companies to improve communication between them and their consumers in these moments of crisis, although the First Minister has acknowledged that her Executive has no powers to intervene its operations. For this reason, he insisted that the possibility of nationalizing the sector “must be on the table” and that only the London Government can act in this regard.
No news from London
In reference to this, the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnsonhas pledged to start a dialogue with the autonomous regions of the country to address the rising cost of livingalthough a date has not yet been set.
Nor has the Central Government in London detailed what kind of measures it will adopt to alleviate the crisis, beyond that has promised aid for citizens this winter
While waiting for Ofgem’s announcement this Friday, other independent consultancies have warned that energy prices will continue to rise in the coming months.
The British consultancy Auxilione advanced this Saturday that energy bills in the United Kingdom next April they can reach 6,000 pounds (7,071 euros) per year per household on average, against the average 1,971 pounds (2,322 euros) it pays now.