Dash for gas risky says Liverpool MEP

12.00.00am GMT Sat 16th Jan 2010

A North West Euro-MP wants European action to stop the UK running out of gas in future cold snaps.

The National Grid last week started reducing gas supplies to industry as supplies of gas run low.

Britain's gas reserves beneath the North Sea are now producing reduced volumes, and greater reliance is being placed on supplies from Norway and Eastern Europe.

But Liberal Democrat MEP Chris Davies says that the Government's decision to approve plans for many new gas power stations make Britain more vulnerable.

He claims that in future years the country may be left dependent on the goodwill of Russia for vital energy supplies.

And he wants the European Union to step up its efforts to improve energy security.

Across Europe, 50% of planned new power stations will run on gas, 24% on coal and only 8% will use renewable energy sources.

Davies said: "We are putting all our eggs in one basket by building too many gas power stations. It's a cheap option now, but we shall pay a high price for it in the future.

"If there is ever a cut back on supplies the UK is at the end of a long pipeline from Russia. We must have strong European rules to ensure fair play between EU countries."

The MEP is the leading supporter in the European Parliament of developing carbon capture and storage technology that will allow the use of coal fired power stations without releasing CO2 into the atmosphere.