Goldman warns EU power worth freeze may backfire

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The Wall Avenue funding financial institution warned at the moment that freezing power costs by the UK and European governments may depart the continent much less weak to an electrical energy blackout.

Goldman Sachs mentioned in a observe to clients that retaining power payments artificially low will doubtless enhance demand for power, which may dry up provide.

“Whereas interventionist insurance policies introduced to date have prioritized reducing power prices over demand cuts, the priority has at all times been that such measures encourage increased power consumption, resulting in gasoline shortages and better power consumption,” the financial institution mentioned. It will get worse too.”

“the extra reduce [in energy consumption] We see, particularly in the summertime … much less doubtless that Europe will undergo a blackout or an absence of heating within the winter,” Goldman mentioned.

Final week, UK Prime Minister Liz Truss introduced The power invoice for the 2 years from October can be pegged at £2,500, at a price of round £150 billion.

“A decrease restrict on power payments that can be carried out within the UK this winter (and for the following two years) may additionally preserve power consumption at the next stage than the next stage,” Goldman mentioned.

Europe’s largest economies have launched related market interventions to stop households struggling historic blows to their way of life.

Whereas these measures will offset power worth shocks, they’re more likely to cut back incentives to cut back power expenditure.

UK and European power markets are grappling with gasoline shortages after Russia squeezed flows in response to Western sanctions in retaliation for Ukraine’s unlawful invasion.

The Kremlin shut off all movement via the Nord Stream I pipeline – the principle route carrying Russian gasoline to Europe for upkeep.

Moscow has since mentioned that flows is not going to resume till Western sanctions are lifted.

Weaker-than-usual provides have pushed gasoline costs to document highs, triggering a life disaster in Britain and throughout the continent, prompting governments to step in.

RELATED: How the scenario in Ukraine may very well be much more harmful

Goldman mentioned the UK and European authorities not implementing power rationing measures would require companies to reply to rising power prices by curbing financial exercise.

UK gasoline futures contracts for December fell practically six per cent at the moment, as did Dutch gasoline futures, the European benchmark.

UK gasoline future costs cool off document excessive

UK gasoline provide worth in December (Supply: ICE)

by CityAM

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