10 June 2005
A new report has shown that electricity grids are having difficulty keeping up with soaring demand.
The report, 'Saving Electricity In A Hurry', from the International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts that outages will become more frequent if action is not taken to curb demand.
"Saving electricity in a hurry is not an elegant localised operation like building a new power plant; it is a messy chaotic activity with groups scrambling all over (and sometimes bumping into each other)," the report suggests.
"It can be expensive in unfamiliar directions, such as for advertising, rebates, and other subsidies. But this may be the only alternative to much more severe economic dislocation and disruption."
The IEA report concludes that: "In a crisis, it is acceptable to request consumers to make themselves more uncomfortable, hotter in the summer, colder in the winter, and be inconvenienced."
The report suggests that electricity prices could also rise in the short term, making it more important to be careful when choosing one's electricity provider.
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