'The great gas rip-off'

Members of Greenpeace have enacted a bold display of protest by scaling two 75-meter chimney stacks at Staythorpe Power Station, the largest gas-fired facility in England, located in Nottinghamshire. This daring act took place on a Monday morning, with eight climbers utilizing maintenance ladders to reach their lofty perch.

Prominently displayed from their lofty vantage point was a large banner proclaiming: “The Great Gas Rip-Off: Now on!”

Prices

Greenpeace’s action is designed to draw public attention to the underlying causes of the UK’s escalating electricity costs, principally driven by fluctuating wholesale gas prices. These prices are particularly susceptible to global disruptions like conflicts and trade limitations, despite gas contributing only a portion of the country’s electricity mix, alongside renewables like wind, solar, and nuclear.

To illustrate, gas-fired power stations generated about 43% of Great Britain’s electricity in 2021 but were responsible for setting the wholesale electricity price 97% of the time. This peculiar pricing mechanism occurs because the energy market pays all operating power plants the same price, determined by the last generator needed to meet demand, a role often filled by gas facilities due to their rapid response capability.

In a rather alarming financial reality, the UK has incurred an additional £90 billion in gas expenses between 2021 and 2024 due to spikes in global prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This increase translates to roughly £1,300 for every individual in the UK, as reported by the Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU).

Heat

Furthermore, Greenpeace highlighted that certain energy firms have reaped substantial profits during periods of heightened demand. They referenced a particularly frigid evening in January of the current year when two gas-fired power station owners received at least £12 million to supply just three hours of electricity, a situation exacerbated by soaring market prices.

Vincent McGoldrick, a 68-year-old pensioner and part of the climbers’ contingent, candidly stated, “I’m a pensioner; I shouldn’t be climbing on power stations. But something has to happen; something has to change. We’re all being ripped off by these greedy gas companies, and it’s the poorest in society that are bearing the brunt of these exorbitant electricity rates.”

He continued, “Millions of families are struggling to keep the lights on or heat their homes, which adversely affects our health, our children’s education, and costs the NHS millions.”

Disruption

McGoldrick also expressed his concern for future generations, saying, “I have six grandchildren; I want a better future for them than what’s currently on offer. I can’t just sit by and do nothing.”

Lily-Rose Ellis, a campaigner with Greenpeace UK, remarked, “All over the country, people are grappling with exorbitant bills, while the gas giants that operate our power stations are reaping massive profits. The government could put an end to this today by abolishing the system that allows gas prices to dictate electricity costs. By reclaiming control over our energy systems, we can lower bills, combat climate change, and ensure that our energy serves the public good, not corporate interests.”

The activists emphasized that they deliberately chose this moment to stage their demonstration, given the current ample energy supply, aiming to minimize disruption. Moreover, they pledged to only remain on the stacks long enough to amplify awareness regarding the inflated role of gas in electricity pricing.

Shield

This protest follows Greenpeace’s recent report modeling a scenario where the government could prevent gas power stations from selling energy on the open market. Instead, these plants could function as a “strategic reserve of electricity” sold at fixed prices, deployed to meet surging demand as needed.

The campaign group estimates that this alternative approach could yield annual savings of £5.1 billion for households and businesses, while also shielding them from the volatility of gas prices, as witnessed during the recent energy crisis.

PA has reached out to the Energy Department and RWE for their comments on this issue.

This Author

Rebecca Speare-Cole is a reporter focused on sustainability for PA.