A UK newspaper report has previewed official government figures to be released shortly that are expected to show a dramatic rise in the UK's consumption of imported energy.
The Daily Mail reports that government figures show a GBP4.2 billion surplus in oil and gas has been converted into a GBP5 billion deficit in the space of just two years.
Likewise in coal, the rate of attrition saw a GBP527 million deficit in 2003 balloon to GBP1.6 billion by 2005. The report adds that this surging dependence on imported fuel has severely impacted the residential supply market by pushing up prices for the end user.