What happened?
Greenpeace climbers scaled two 75m-high chimney stacks at Staythorpe – England’s largest gas-fired power station. The protest highlights the Great Gas Rip-Off: where expensive gas is pushing up bills by setting the price we pay for electricity – even though it produces just a fraction of our power.
Greenpeace is calling on the government to tackle the problem by taking more control of gas power stations, allowing cleaner British power sources to deliver lower, more stable energy bills and help tackle climate change.
Why we took action
- Most people have no idea that gas – which is the most expensive form of energy – is still setting the price we pay for electricity, even though it produces just a fraction of our power.
- In the last five years, gas-driven electricity prices have averaged 130% higher than solar, 29% higher than onshore wind, and 13% higher than offshore wind.
- The companies who run these power stations are making huge profits – being paid millions to produce just a few hours of power at times. Meanwhile, hard-working people right across the country are struggling to pay their bills. It’s simply not fair.
- Last winter, two gas plants were paid almost £12m for generating just three hours worth of power, exploiting their ability to set high prices when supply is tight.
- During the recent energy crisis, the huge spike in global gas prices added an estimated £90 billion onto UK gas bills between 2021 and 2024, equivalent to £1,300 per person.
- UK electricity prices are now among the highest in Europe – and far higher than in the US. For energy-intensive industries, they’re some of the highest in the world.
What we’re calling for
- Greenpeace wants gas power stations to stop setting the price of power and profiteering at the expense of billpayers, so that we’re all able to reap the benefits of cheaper, more stable, home grown renewable energy.
- The government can do this by removing gas-fired power stations – like Staythorpe – from the wholesale electricity market and placing them into a strategic reserve. This would stop expensive gas from setting electricity prices, protect UK billpayers from gas price volatility and save households and businesses more than £5bn a year on their energy bills.
Greenpeace’s solution to the Great Gas Rip-Off: read the full report
Greenpeace’s approach to protest
For Greenpeace, actions like this are a last resort, and the decision to stage a protest is never taken lightly.
When you see a government or company being targeted by our activists, it’s a sure sign that they’re refusing to stop harming people and nature, despite coming under huge pressure to do so.
As well as industry-standard climbing safety gear, the activists are all wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) including facemasks and respirators, and are equipped with gas monitors to ensure their safety.