More smoke than fire

1st July 2006
By Anthony White

Anyone trying to map the shape of the European energy markets a quarter century hence does not have history on his side. After all, few in 1980 would have contemplated the dramatic rise in gas-fired generation and the effective moratorium on new nuclear that has defined today’s mix of electricity generation plant. Perhaps an even smaller minority would have anticipated the advent of liberalisation.

Nevertheless, some crystal-ball-gazing exercises may be fruitful, especially w…