Britons seek a switch to gas

Press, 4 December 1979, Page 20

Britons seek a switch to gas

From KEN COATES in London Huge numbers of British householders want to switch to gas after the recent sharp rise in oil prices. British Gas has had to tum away three times as much new business as it has taken on this year, because it cannot cope with the rise in demand. As it is, about 330,000 new customers will be taken on this year, but onlv those within 25m of a gas main can ask to be connected, and new commercial customers will be limited to a maximum supply of 25,000 therms a vear. The chairman of British Gas (Sir Dennis Rooke) said: "Some people seem <4

to be under the impression that to increase supplies, we just have to turn up the tap a little and the North Sea’s wealth will come rushing in.” However. according to Sir Dennis, they forget the huge engineering works necessary to expand gas supply. British Gas intends to raise domestic gas prices next year to narrow the gap with industrial charges. Industrial users sav that their rates are the highest in Europe, but the corporation disputes this.

The British Government favours rises of between 20 per cent and 25 per cent in two stages, the first in April and the second in the northern autumn.