Telegraph: Russian bear could punch our lights out - by Liam Halligan

For the complete report in the Telegraph click on this link

Russian bear could punch our lights out - - by Liam Halligan

With the clocks now back and the cold weather drawing in, our leaders' minds are turning to the possibility of an energy shortage this winter. Last week, while all eyes were on Sir Nicholas Stern's climate change report, the Commons debated whether we were in for a repeat of January's energy scare, when gas supplies ran dangerously low, causing consumer prices to spike.

In 1990 gas accounted for only 1 per cent of British electricity generation. That figure is now 39 per cent – outstripping all other fuels. With North Sea reserves declining, we now import 10 per cent of our gas. But by 2020 official estimates put the UK's gas import dependence at – get this – no less than 80 per cent. "Most of the Gas supplies generating power are presently coming from Russia."