Energy costs - Cold winter lurks as prices soar

BELEAGUERED consumers have good reason to brace themselves for the worst as the price of oil, electricity and gas soar in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Fuelling an already volatile situation, the price of gas in Ireland is set to escalate by over 25% with electricity increasing by over 4%. Ominously, the cost of crude oil went up yesterday for the second day running, confirming fears that the coming winter will bring the highest energy costs for a decade.

In this dire scenario, it is deplorable that customers are being ripped off at petrol stations where charges have soared to a whopping €1.30 a litre. There can be no excuse for such exorbitant prices.