FT: Centrica raises power cut fears

Energy supplier Centrica says it will not build any gas plants in the UK for at least four years, reinforcing fears of a looming power shortage.

Sam Laidlaw, chief executive, said that with ageing coal plants due to shut down in the coming months, new generating capacity was essential if the UK was to avoid blackouts. But new plants would only be built once the government’s energy bill was implemented – a process that could take up to two years – and would take a further two years to come on line.  MORE