Power to the People

It has been a mixed bag of weather today. On the way to Greenock I decided to take a trip up to Loch Thom.

I have been interested in taking a shot of the power lines that cut across this amazing landscape. Even in the wet conditions they are so dominating.

It is a bit ironic in the last week with the huge increase in prices from British Gas, just days after Scottish Southern Electric announced they will raise tariffs by 8.2 per cent from the 15 November.

Regional variations mean some Scottish customers will see prices rise on average by as much as 11.2 per cent, while those in London will suffer a 10.6 per cent increase and households in Yorkshire will have a 10.5 per cent lift.

The move comes despite a pledge by British Gas earlier this year to use an annual earnings windfall from the cold weather to keep a lid on tariffs. They hiked tariffs by 6 per cent last November ahead of a bitterly cold period when gas consumption rose 18 per cent in the first four months of this year compared to 2012.

In the past two years alone, gas bills surged by 19 per cent and electricity by 11 per cent.

According to the study by the House of Commons Library, the worst offenders were British Gas and the former regional electricity monopolies.

It is about time that the people take the power away from these greedy power companies. What do you think?