Energy oligarchs now in green suits

Sir,– It’s a few short years since the 2014 referendum vote when oil and gas were hailed as the source of never-ending money streams to fund SNP grandiose plans, given that oil was valued at $115 per barrel and North Sea gas would be firing up power stations for cheap electricity production.

All was looking rosy and income would fund much of Scotland’s needs whilst no nuclear or coal-fired plants would be needed. Now, though, less than 10 years later, the much vaunted manna from North Sea heaven is paradoxically the very same ingredients fuelling the exorbitant cost of domestic gas, electricity and every vehicle’s fuel tank, as global pricing of oil is pushing many Scots in all circumstances into fuel poverty, and the knock-on to food production and distribution is causing others to be in food poverty.

The global energy companies, as reported in the P&J, May 24, are committing £250 billion to green energy investment by 2030, and this equates to £201bn from 2012 to 2021, but the elephant in the room is “how will energy prices be regulated?” and “what replaces the oil and gas tax take?” The answer is not clear and no one is suggesting price-capping to protect consumers.

What is clear is the move of oil and gas oligarchs transitioning to wind, wave and hydrogen oligarchs in green suits, and they will have us paying their volatile prices leaving ordinary customers as powerless as ever in our energy choices.

Over to you energy minister – your undivided attention to the day job to help out the millions who appear to be held to energy ransom.

Angus McNair, Clochan,

Buckie.