Electricity and gas system operators Winter Outlooks: comment

Commenting, Jess Ralston, Energy Analyst at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), said: “The analyses from both our electricity and gas grid operators are a reminder that, while the UK's energy systems are projected to run smoothly this winter, we are still highly dependent on imported gas for both heating and electricity generation.

"Jackdaw may have been approved but it's important to remember it will provide relatively little gas and that North Sea deposits are already around 90% depleted [2], meaning there’s no amount of new drilling licences that could ever give Britain a path to energy self-sufficiency. UK households will be exposed to volatile international gas prices this winter - and every winter - until we have a power grid running on homegrown renewables with that electricity used to keep our homes warm with heat pumps.

“The Prime Minister has talked this week about combining short-term pragmatism with long-term prudent planning for the transition away from oil and gas; all eyes are on next week’s budget for a potential demonstration of that. If the Government is to achieve its aim of stabilising bills, keeping households protected from rocketing prices, there is no alternative to switching away from gas heating and towards heat pumps to keep our homes warm, in turn permanently reducing our dependence on gas imports as a country."