Energy

Government scrambles to avoid further price hikes amid emergency power supply plans

The state will have to double the importation of planned emergency power generators in 2023 to prevent blackouts, but is looking for alternative ways to pay for it rather than passing on costs to homes and businesses

The prospect of consumers’ bills being increased to pay for the emergency measures to prevent winter blackouts at a time of already high energy inflation would be ‘politically explosive’. Picture: Getty

The government is scrambling to find alternative ways to pay for emergency power generators that would avoid the costs being passed on to homes and businesses, the Business Post can reveal.

One source said that the prospect of consumers’ bills being increased to pay for the emergency measures to prevent winter blackouts at a time of already high energy inflation would be “politically explosive” and that work was under way to prevent it.

Earlier this ...