UK to cap energy bills with massive subsidy package as crisis escalates: reports
High gas prices in Europe are set to surge even further
The United Kingdom is reportedly planning a monumental spending package aimed at providing relief for households and businesses as sky-high European energy prices are set to surge even further in the continent's ongoing crisis.
New Prime Minister Liz Truss makes a speech outside 10 Downing Street, London, after meeting Queen Elizabeth II and accepting her invitation to become Prime Minister and form a new government. (Aaron Chown/PA Images via Getty Images / Getty Images)
New British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who took the reins from Boris Johnson on Tuesday, is expected to cap household energy bills at around £2,500 ($2,887), according to the BBC.
News of the purported plan comes after the U.K.'s energy regulator Ofgem said average bills are set to rise from £1,971 ($2,276) to £3,549 ($4,098) over the next month or so, and climb again in January.
PUTIN ‘CONTINUES TO USE ENERGY AS A WEAPON’: DAVID NELSON
The plan for helping consumers is estimated to cost U.K. taxpayers roughly £100 billion ($116 billion) via government-backed loans to suppliers, with full details slated to be revealed on Thursday.
British households are facing an eye-watering 80-percent average hike in electricity and gas bills from next month, in a dramatic worsening of the cost-of-living crisis before winter. (LINDSEY PARNABY/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
A subsequent scheme to help businesses will follow, but those details are still being worked out, one source told Reuters.
RUSSIA'S GAZPROM SIGNS GAS DEAL WITH CHINA TO CONVERT PAYMENTS TO RUBLE, YUAN
Europe has been grappling with soaring energy prices ever since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, after which Western sanctions against the Kremlin curbed global supply. Several nations that were heavily reliant on Russian oil and gas ahead of the invasion have been scrambling to wean themselves off Russian energy by seeking other suppliers and alternative energy sources.
The headquarters of Gazprom, in Moscow (Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin / Reuters)
The crisis escalated further when Russia's state-run energy company Gazprom shut down Nord Stream 1, a key gas pipeline to the continent.
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
Benchmark European gas prices have soared roughly 340% in the past year, and spiked 35% on Monday after Gazprom announced the pipeline would be down indefinitely.
Reuters contributed to this report.