Drax unveils £20bn plans for new data centre – powered by burning wood Energy Energy company Drax has unveiled plans to build a new data centre at the site of its North Yorkshire power plant, which uses wood as fuel. The FTSE 250 firm’s biomass plant is predominantly powered by wood pellets, but also uses straw and sunflower pellets. The company said it intends to use surplus energy capacity [...]
BP shares lift as oil giant cheers surge in profit Energy BP has reported a surge in profit after the disruption to fuel supplies caused by the war in Iran turbocharged its margins. The FTSE 100 firm reported earnings of $8.5bn (£6.3bn) for the third quarter, a near-quadrupling compared to the same period last year, smashing analyst estimates. The company has halved its debt over the [...]
Drax CEO: Britain needs reliable energy whatever the weather Opinion Britain’s future economic growth and leadership in industries like artificial intelligence depend critically on securing reliable, affordable energy infrastructure and making better use of existing assets, says Will Gardiner Britain needs stronger growth, and the investment and jobs that come with it. The UK has the talent, technology and ambition to become a world leader [...]
Healey scraps ‘unfair’ standing charges from gas bills October 28, 2026 John Healey has said he will scrap “outdated and unfair” standing charges from gas bills, in a move which could save households £45 per year. The Chancellor said these fees – which are charged on top of the daily rate to cover the cost of connecting to a supply – are part of “an energy [...]
Bank of England set to overshadow Healey’s Budget with interest rate hike October 21, 2026 The Bank of England is expected to overshadow John Healey’s maiden Budget with a “done deal” interest rate hike aiming to tame soaring inflation while risking economic growth. Top City economists predict the central bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will raise the base rate at its November meeting, just one week after the Autumn Budget. [...]
UK government approves Jackdaw production in North Sea boost October 21, 2026 A major gas field in the North Sea has been re-approved by the government following years of legal rows with environment campaigners. The Jackdaw site, a large offshore natural gas field 150 miles east of Aberdeen, has received the official stamp of approval from the government and is expected to supply gas to the UK [...]
BP braces for hit of up to $4.5bn in pivot from green energy October 13, 2026 BP is bracing for a hit of up to $4.5bn after a hefty write-down in its energy transition unit, as the firm pivots away from aggressive green targets. The FTSE 100 energy giant told markets on Tuesday its third quarter update – set for the end of the month – would include a post-tax impairment [...]
Retailers demand energy bill cuts as costs rise by £440m October 8, 2026 Retailers have urged John Healey to slash green policy costs from energy bills, warning that their electricity costs are set to soar by £440m this year. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) – which represents top retailers including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer – has warned that rising “policy costs” on energy bills will inevitably [...]
G7 agrees to release diesel reserves after crisis meeting October 2, 2026 Leaders from the G7 have agreed to tap into 100m of diesel and oil from their reserves in a bid to stave off a soaring supply crisis and end an escalating feud between the Euope and the US. The club of wealthy democracies said on Friday that they would work with the International Energy Agency [...]
Diesel crisis: UK minister holds emergency talks with US energy secretary October 2, 2026 Energy secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh is holding crunch talks with her American counterpart about an escalating diesel spat that has seen Treasury secretary Scott Bessent urge Europe to release emergency reserves “immediately”. City AM understands that Fahnbulleh is in direct contact with US energy secretary Chris Wright to discuss a US move to potentially choke off [...]