Heavy snowfall brings daily lives to a standstill in Serbia. Thousands of people are struggling without electricity. Several flights have also been cancelled out.

Heavy snowfall wreaks havoc in Serbia as thousands remain without electricity

Kososvo has one of the lowest electricity prices in Europe. 97% of its energy needs are met through coal, the dependence on coals has taken a heavy toll on locals now who have been battling pollution-related illness.

Heavy price for cheap electricity in Europe's Kosovo

Due to diminishing local gas sources and the failure of the Imran Khan administration to obtain a sufficient quantity of Liquified Natural Gas, Pakistan is on the approach of a severe gas crisis and rationing (LNG).

Following an increase in fuel prices, Pakistan's energy production costs have risen.

According to The Tribune, fossil fuels account for about two-thirds of the country's electrical generation.

Crude oil prices have risen to their highest level in three years, reaching USD 86 per barrel, according to the newspaper.

The growing cost of LNG is exacerbating the energy situation.

This year, Pakistan appears to be on the verge of experiencing its third consecutive winter energy crisis.&nbsp;

Pakistan is currently in the midst of an existential crisis.

Climate change is endangering not just one industry or area of the country, but the whole population's lives and livelihoods.

Pakistan has only been importing liquefied natural gas for six years, but the country's growing reliance on the super-cooled fuel is turning into a nightmare.

Due to a rise in worldwide gas prices as a result of European gas shortages, Asian LNG prices have reached all-time highs for this time of year.

As a result, Pakistan has been compelled to pay the highest prices ever for spot shipments to supplement supplies under long-term commitments, or perhaps to forego them entirely.&nbsp;

(With input from agencies)

Due to diminishing local gas sources and the failure of the Imran Khan administration to obtain a sufficient quantity of Liquified Natural Gas, Pakistan is on the approach of a severe gas crisis and rationing (LNG).

Due to diminishing local gas sources and the failure of the Imran Khan administration to obtain a sufficient quantity of Liquified Natural Gas, Pakistan is on the approach of a severe gas crisis and rationing (LNG). Following an increase in fuel prices, Pakistan's energy production costs have risen. According to The Tribune, fossil fuels account for about two-thirds of the country's electrical generation. Crude oil prices have risen to their highest level in three years, reaching USD 86 per barrel, according to the newspaper. The growing cost of LNG is exacerbating the energy situation. This year, Pakistan appears to be on the verge of experiencing its third consecutive winter energy crisis. Pakistan is currently in the midst of an existential crisis. Climate change is endangering not just one industry or area of the country, but the whole population's lives and livelihoods. Pakistan has only been importing liquefied natural gas for six years, but the country's growing reliance on the super-cooled fuel is turning into a nightmare. Due to a rise in worldwide gas prices as a result of European gas shortages, Asian LNG prices have reached all-time highs for this time of year. As a result, Pakistan has been compelled to pay the highest prices ever for spot shipments to supplement supplies under long-term commitments, or perhaps to forego them entirely. (With input from agencies)

For the third winter in a row, Pakistan faces severe energy crisis

The city of Kabul, home to 4.5 million people is currently in dark after an explosion on Thursday brought down electricity lines and cut off power in the capital, the cause of the blast remains unclear. WION's Anas Mallick brings you more details.

Blast cuts power to Afghanistan's capital Kabul, restoration work underway

Steel mills have faced power cuts. Computer chip shortages have slowed car production. Troubled property companies have purchased less construction material. Floods have disrupted business in north-central China.

It has all taken a toll on China’s economy, an essential engine for global growth.

The National Bureau of Statistics announced Monday that China’s economy increased by 4.9% in the third quarter, compared to the same period last year; the period was markedly slower than the 7.9% increase the country notched in the previous quarter. Industrial output, the mainstay of China’s growth, since the early days of the pandemic.

Two bright spots prevented the economy from stalling. Exports remained strong. And families, particularly prosperous ones, resumed spending money on restaurant meals and other services in September, as China succeeded once again in quelling small outbreaks of the coronavirus. Retail sales were up 4.4% in September from a year ago.

Chinese officials are showing signs of concern, although they have refrained from unleashing a big economic stimulus. Their own efforts, though, are part of the current economic challenges.

“Though the government’s economic policies during the past months have some social benefits, they have also somewhat trimmed economic growth lately,” said George Yu, an economist at Renmin University in Beijing.

In recent months, the government has unleashed a raft of measures to address income inequality and tame businesses, in part with the goal of protecting the health of the economy. But those efforts, including penalizing tech companies and discouraging real estate speculation, have also weighed on growth in the current quarter.

The government had also imposed limits on energy use as a part of a broader response to climate change concerns. Now, the power shortages are hurting industry, and the country is rushing to burn more coal.

“The economy is sluggish,” said Yang Qingjun, the owner of a corner grocery store in an aging industrial neighborhood of shoe factories in Dongguan, near Hong Kong. Power cuts have prompted nearby factories to reduce operations and eliminate overtime pay. Local workers are living more frugally.

“Money is hard to earn,” Yang said.

<h2>Trying to Solve the Real Estate Question</h2>

Urbanization was once a great engine of growth for China. The country built spacious apartments in modern high-rises for hundreds of millions of people, with China producing as much steel and cement as the rest of the world output combined, if not more.

Now, real estate — in particular, the debt that developers and homebuyers amassed — is a major threat to growth. The country’s biggest developer, China Evergrande Group, faces a serious cash shortage that is already rippling through the economy.

Construction has ground to a halt at some of the company’s 800 projects as suppliers wait to be paid. Several smaller developers have had to scramble to meet bond payments.

This could create a vicious cycle for the housing market. The worry is that developers may dump large numbers of unsold apartments on the market, keeping homebuyers away as they watch to see how far prices may fall.

“Some developers have encountered certain difficulties, which may further affect the mood and confidence of buyers, causing everyone to postpone buying a house,” said Ning Zhang, a senior economist at UBS.

The fate of Evergrande has broader import for the long-term health of the economy.

Officials want to send a message that bond buyers and other investors should be more wary about lending money to debt-laden companies like Evergrande and that they should not assume that the government will always be there to bail them out. But the authorities also need to make sure that suppliers, builders, homebuyers and other groups are not badly burned financially.

These groups “will get made more whole than the bondholders, that’s for sure,” predicted David Yu, a finance professor at the Shanghai campus of New York University.

<h2>Addressing Difficulties in Heavy Industry</h2>

As electricity shortages have spread across eastern China in recent weeks, regulators have cut power to energy-intensive operations like chemical factories and steel mills to avoid leaving households in the dark. It has been a double whammy for industrial production, which has also been whacked by weakness in construction.

Industrial production in September was up only 3.1% from a year earlier, the lowest since March of last year, when the city of Wuhan was still under lockdown because of the pandemic.

“The power cuts are more concerning to some extent than the Evergrande crisis,” said Sara Hsu, a visiting fellow at Fudan University in Shanghai.

The Energy Bureau in Zhejiang province, a heavily industrialized region of coastal China, reduced power this autumn for eight energy-intensive industries that process raw materials into industrial materials like steel, cement and chemicals. Together, they consume nearly half the province’s electricity but account for only an eighth of its economic output.

Turning down the power to these industries risks creating shortages in industrial materials, which could ripple through supply chains.

Assembly plants in industries that use less electricity, like car manufacturing, have not faced the same demands for power cuts. But they face other challenges.

Ongoing coronavirus outbreaks in Southeast Asia have interrupted supplies of some auto parts. There is also a global shortfall of semiconductors, a critical component in cars.

Volkswagen, the market leader in China, said on Friday that its production and sales were falling in the country because of an ever worsening chip shortage and problems in Southeast Asia.

<h2>Finding Strength in Exports</h2>

For months, economists have made the same prediction: the fast growth of China’s exports cannot last.

The economists were wrong.

China’s exports kept surging through the third quarter and finished strong, up 28.1% in September compared with the same month last year. China posted its third-highest monthly trade surplus ever last month.

China has essentially maintained its strength in exports ever since its economy emerged from the pandemic in the spring of last year. As much of the world hunkered down at home, families splurged on consumer electronics, furniture, clothing and other goods that China manufactures in abundance.

The export boom, though, is creating another source of tension between the United States and China.

Katherine Tai, the U.S. trade representative, suggested in a speech two weeks ago that China’s export prowess was partly the result of subsidies and other unfair practices. “For too long, China’s lack of adherence to global trading norms has undercut the prosperity of Americans and others around the world,” she said.

But Chinese officials and experts contend that the country’s success is the result of a strong work ethic and consistent, large investments in manufacturing. They are quick to point out that by bringing the pandemic firmly under control within several weeks early last year, China was able to reopen its factories and offices quickly.

“We have very strong supply, but weak demand,” said Tu Xinquan, the executive dean of the China Institute for World Trade Organization Studies at the University of International Business and Technology in Beijing. “So companies have to export.”

Steel mills have faced power cuts. Computer chip shortages have slowed car production. Troubled property companies have purchased less construction material. Floods have disrupted business in north-central China.

Steel mills have faced power cuts. Computer chip shortages have slowed car production. Troubled property companies have purchased less construction material. Floods have disrupted business in north-central China. It has all taken a toll on China’s economy, an essential engine for global growth. The National Bureau of Statistics announced Monday that China’s economy increased by 4.9% in the third quarter, compared to the same period last year; the period was markedly slower than the 7.9% increase the country notched in the previous quarter. Industrial output, the mainstay of China’s growth, since the early days of the pandemic. Two bright spots prevented the economy from stalling. Exports remained strong. And families, particularly prosperous ones, resumed spending money on restaurant meals and other services in September, as China succeeded once again in quelling small outbreaks of the coronavirus. Retail sales were up 4.4% in September from a year ago. Chinese officials are showing signs of concern, although they have refrained from unleashing a big economic stimulus. Their own efforts, though, are part of the current economic challenges. “Though the government’s economic policies during the past months have some social benefits, they have also somewhat trimmed economic growth lately,” said George Yu, an economist at Renmin University in Beijing. In recent months, the government has unleashed a raft of measures to address income inequality and tame businesses, in part with the goal of protecting the health of the economy. But those efforts, including penalizing tech companies and discouraging real estate speculation, have also weighed on growth in the current quarter. The government had also imposed limits on energy use as a part of a broader response to climate change concerns. Now, the power shortages are hurting industry, and the country is rushing to burn more coal. “The economy is sluggish,” said Yang Qingjun, the owner of a corner grocery store in an aging industrial neighborhood of shoe factories in Dongguan, near Hong Kong. Power cuts have prompted nearby factories to reduce operations and eliminate overtime pay. Local workers are living more frugally. “Money is hard to earn,” Yang said. Trying to Solve the Real Estate Question Urbanization was once a great engine of growth for China. The country built spacious apartments in modern high-rises for hundreds of millions of people, with China producing as much steel and cement as the rest of the world output combined, if not more. Now, real estate — in particular, the debt that developers and homebuyers amassed — is a major threat to growth. The country’s biggest developer, China Evergrande Group, faces a serious cash shortage that is already rippling through the economy. Construction has ground to a halt at some of the company’s 800 projects as suppliers wait to be paid. Several smaller developers have had to scramble to meet bond payments. This could create a vicious cycle for the housing market. The worry is that developers may dump large numbers of unsold apartments on the market, keeping homebuyers away as they watch to see how far prices may fall. “Some developers have encountered certain difficulties, which may further affect the mood and confidence of buyers, causing everyone to postpone buying a house,” said Ning Zhang, a senior economist at UBS. The fate of Evergrande has broader import for the long-term health of the economy. Officials want to send a message that bond buyers and other investors should be more wary about lending money to debt-laden companies like Evergrande and that they should not assume that the government will always be there to bail them out. But the authorities also need to make sure that suppliers, builders, homebuyers and other groups are not badly burned financially. These groups “will get made more whole than the bondholders, that’s for sure,” predicted David Yu, a finance professor at the Shanghai campus of New York University. Addressing Difficulties in Heavy Industry As electricity shortages have spread across eastern China in recent weeks, regulators have cut power to energy-intensive operations like chemical factories and steel mills to avoid leaving households in the dark. It has been a double whammy for industrial production, which has also been whacked by weakness in construction. Industrial production in September was up only 3.1% from a year earlier, the lowest since March of last year, when the city of Wuhan was still under lockdown because of the pandemic. “The power cuts are more concerning to some extent than the Evergrande crisis,” said Sara Hsu, a visiting fellow at Fudan University in Shanghai. The Energy Bureau in Zhejiang province, a heavily industrialized region of coastal China, reduced power this autumn for eight energy-intensive industries that process raw materials into industrial materials like steel, cement and chemicals. Together, they consume nearly half the province’s electricity but account for only an eighth of its economic output. Turning down the power to these industries risks creating shortages in industrial materials, which could ripple through supply chains. Assembly plants in industries that use less electricity, like car manufacturing, have not faced the same demands for power cuts. But they face other challenges. Ongoing coronavirus outbreaks in Southeast Asia have interrupted supplies of some auto parts. There is also a global shortfall of semiconductors, a critical component in cars. Volkswagen, the market leader in China, said on Friday that its production and sales were falling in the country because of an ever worsening chip shortage and problems in Southeast Asia. Finding Strength in Exports For months, economists have made the same prediction: the fast growth of China’s exports cannot last. The economists were wrong. China’s exports kept surging through the third quarter and finished strong, up 28.1% in September compared with the same month last year. China posted its third-highest monthly trade surplus ever last month. China has essentially maintained its strength in exports ever since its economy emerged from the pandemic in the spring of last year. As much of the world hunkered down at home, families splurged on consumer electronics, furniture, clothing and other goods that China manufactures in abundance. The export boom, though, is creating another source of tension between the United States and China. Katherine Tai, the U.S. trade representative, suggested in a speech two weeks ago that China’s export prowess was partly the result of subsidies and other unfair practices. “For too long, China’s lack of adherence to global trading norms has undercut the prosperity of Americans and others around the world,” she said. But Chinese officials and experts contend that the country’s success is the result of a strong work ethic and consistent, large investments in manufacturing. They are quick to point out that by bringing the pandemic firmly under control within several weeks early last year, China was able to reopen its factories and offices quickly. “We have very strong supply, but weak demand,” said Tu Xinquan, the executive dean of the China Institute for World Trade Organization Studies at the University of International Business and Technology in Beijing. “So companies have to export.”

China’s economy continues to slow, rattled by real estate and energy

India's electricity demand grew 4.9 per cent&nbsp;during the first half of October, with supply falling short of demand by 1.4 per cent despite a 3.2 per cent rise in coal-fired generation and 30 per cent rise in solar output, a Reuters analysis of government data showed.

Increased economic activity after the second wave of the coronavirus has driven up electricity demand, resulting in a supply deficit due to a coal shortage that has forced northern states to cut power this month for up to 14 hours a day.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-set-to-achieve-450-gw-renewable-energy-installed-capacity-by-2030-centre-420061">India set to achieve 450 GW renewable energy installed capacity by 2030: Centre</a>

The rapid surge in power demand and high global coal prices have left utilities scampering for coal - India's dominant source of power generation - despite record supplies from state-run Coal India, a near-monopoly in coal production compared with an average of 66.5&nbsp;per cent during the whole of September, an analysis of data from federal grid regulator POSOCO showed.

Nearly three-fifths of India's coal-fired capacities currently have coal inventories that would last three days or less, federal power ministry data shows.

The average coal inventory held by power plants would last four days, two-thirds lower than an average of 12 days two months ago.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/why-is-india-poised-to-become-the-next-superpower-421146">Why is India poised to become the next superpower?</a>

The energy hungry nation's power minister had in early September asked officials to consider diverting coal to power plants with extremely depleted stocks, and reduce inventory targets to 10 days from 14 days, to allow coal to be moved to areas of greatest shortage.

A reallocation in coal supplies over the last two months has led to an increase in the number of power plants with 1-3 days of fuel, while the number of power plants with over a week of stock has declined, the power ministry data shows.

Still, the number of utilities with no coal left increased to 18 on October 12 from 1 on August 12.

India's electricity demand grew 4.9 per cent during the first half of October, with supply falling short of demand by 1.4 per cent despite a 3.2 per cent rise in coal-fired generation and 30 per cent rise in solar output, a Reuters analysis of government data showed.

India's electricity demand grew 4.9 per cent during the first half of October, with supply falling short of demand by 1.4 per cent despite a 3.2 per cent rise in coal-fired generation and 30 per cent rise in solar output, a Reuters analysis of government data showed. Increased economic activity after the second wave of the coronavirus has driven up electricity demand, resulting in a supply deficit due to a coal shortage that has forced northern states to cut power this month for up to 14 hours a day. Also Read | India set to achieve 450 GW renewable energy installed capacity by 2030: Centre The rapid surge in power demand and high global coal prices have left utilities scampering for coal - India's dominant source of power generation - despite record supplies from state-run Coal India, a near-monopoly in coal production compared with an average of 66.5 per cent during the whole of September, an analysis of data from federal grid regulator POSOCO showed. Nearly three-fifths of India's coal-fired capacities currently have coal inventories that would last three days or less, federal power ministry data shows. The average coal inventory held by power plants would last four days, two-thirds lower than an average of 12 days two months ago. Also Read | Why is India poised to become the next superpower? The energy hungry nation's power minister had in early September asked officials to consider diverting coal to power plants with extremely depleted stocks, and reduce inventory targets to 10 days from 14 days, to allow coal to be moved to areas of greatest shortage. A reallocation in coal supplies over the last two months has led to an increase in the number of power plants with 1-3 days of fuel, while the number of power plants with over a week of stock has declined, the power ministry data shows. Still, the number of utilities with no coal left increased to 18 on October 12 from 1 on August 12.

India's electricity demand picks up in October as coal shortage lingers

The German government will drastically lower a levy on electricity consumption from 2022 to help ease the burden on consumers as Europe battles soaring energy prices, grid operators announced Friday.

The Renewable Energy Act (EEG) surcharge, used to fund the expansion of solar and wind plants, will fall by more than 40 percent to 3.723 cents ($0.043) per kilowatt hour from January 1, according to a statement by 50Herz Transmission, Amprion, TenneT TSO and TransnetBW.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/whats-behind-the-energy-crunch-in-britain-and-europe-420945">What’s behind the energy crunch in Britain and Europe</a>

It is the largest reduction yet since the green levy was introduced in 2000 to help Europe's top economy transition away from fossil fuels towards cleaner energy sources.

Economy Minister Peter Altmaier described the reduction as "good news for German consumers" and repeated a call for the EEG surcharge to be phased out "as soon as possible to relieve the current situation."

The shortfall will be offset by higher government subsidies, partly thanks to a tax on carbon emissions introduced at the start of 2021.

Germans already have the highest electricity bills in the European Union and as winter approaches, pressure is growing for the government to help mitigate a looming energy price crisis.

Gas prices have surged in Europe in recent months as demand has soared with economies emerging from their Covid-induced restrictions. Stocks were also left low after a long, cold winter.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-eu-finland-lobbies-to-get-nuclear-energy-labelled-as-sustainable-source-420124">In EU, Finland lobbies to get nuclear energy labelled as sustainable source &nbsp;</a>

Wholesale natural gas prices, the lead indicator for overall energy prices in Europe, have more than tripled this year. Oil and coal prices have also jumped, fuelling fears over spiking inflation and rocketing energy bills.&nbsp;

EU leaders will discuss the energy issue at a summit next week.&nbsp;

The European Commission has proposed that member states temporarily reduce taxes and levies to help lower energy bills for households and businesses.

In France, the government has pledged to block any further price increases for gas and electricity until April.

The German government will drastically lower a levy on electricity consumption from 2022 to help ease the burden on consumers as Europe battles soaring energy prices, grid operators announced Friday.

The German government will drastically lower a levy on electricity consumption from 2022 to help ease the burden on consumers as Europe battles soaring energy prices, grid operators announced Friday. The Renewable Energy Act (EEG) surcharge, used to fund the expansion of solar and wind plants, will fall by more than 40 percent to 3.723 cents ($0.043) per kilowatt hour from January 1, according to a statement by 50Herz Transmission, Amprion, TenneT TSO and TransnetBW. Also Read | What’s behind the energy crunch in Britain and Europe It is the largest reduction yet since the green levy was introduced in 2000 to help Europe's top economy transition away from fossil fuels towards cleaner energy sources. Economy Minister Peter Altmaier described the reduction as "good news for German consumers" and repeated a call for the EEG surcharge to be phased out "as soon as possible to relieve the current situation." The shortfall will be offset by higher government subsidies, partly thanks to a tax on carbon emissions introduced at the start of 2021. Germans already have the highest electricity bills in the European Union and as winter approaches, pressure is growing for the government to help mitigate a looming energy price crisis. Gas prices have surged in Europe in recent months as demand has soared with economies emerging from their Covid-induced restrictions. Stocks were also left low after a long, cold winter. Also Read | In EU, Finland lobbies to get nuclear energy labelled as sustainable source Wholesale natural gas prices, the lead indicator for overall energy prices in Europe, have more than tripled this year. Oil and coal prices have also jumped, fuelling fears over spiking inflation and rocketing energy bills. EU leaders will discuss the energy issue at a summit next week. The European Commission has proposed that member states temporarily reduce taxes and levies to help lower energy bills for households and businesses. In France, the government has pledged to block any further price increases for gas and electricity until April.

Germany cuts electricity levy as energy prices surge

Flooding in northern China has severely damaged a key coal production hub, sending coal prices skyrocketing and hampering Beijing's efforts to address persistent power shortages.

According to a statement published Saturday by the provincial government's Emergency Management Bureau, heavy rains have forced the closure of 60 coal mines in Shanxi province, China's largest coal mining centre.

The province produces one-quarter of the country's coal.&nbsp;

The floods hamper China's efforts to expand fuel supply in order to alleviate the country's increasing energy crisis.&nbsp;

Torrential rains this week caused home collapses and landslides in more than 70 districts and towns across the northern province.

Even before the disaster, China was experiencing an energy crisis, resulting in power outages in vast sections of the nation.&nbsp;

A succession of power outages has prompted industries to reduce production or shut down altogether since last month.

Northeast China's manufacturing hubs have been particularly badly impacted.

The latest increase in thermal coal prices comes on top of a 12% increase on Monday.

Energy prices have been rising globally as the global economy begins to recover from the epidemic.

On Monday, the price of Brent crude reached its highest level since October 2018, while the price of US-traded oil reached a new seven-year high.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Flooding in northern China has severely damaged a key coal production hub, sending coal prices skyrocketing and hampering Beijing's efforts to address persistent power shortages.

Flooding in northern China has severely damaged a key coal production hub, sending coal prices skyrocketing and hampering Beijing's efforts to address persistent power shortages. According to a statement published Saturday by the provincial government's Emergency Management Bureau, heavy rains have forced the closure of 60 coal mines in Shanxi province, China's largest coal mining centre. The province produces one-quarter of the country's coal. The floods hamper China's efforts to expand fuel supply in order to alleviate the country's increasing energy crisis. Torrential rains this week caused home collapses and landslides in more than 70 districts and towns across the northern province. Even before the disaster, China was experiencing an energy crisis, resulting in power outages in vast sections of the nation. A succession of power outages has prompted industries to reduce production or shut down altogether since last month. Northeast China's manufacturing hubs have been particularly badly impacted. The latest increase in thermal coal prices comes on top of a 12% increase on Monday. Energy prices have been rising globally as the global economy begins to recover from the epidemic. On Monday, the price of Brent crude reached its highest level since October 2018, while the price of US-traded oil reached a new seven-year high. (With inputs from agencies)

Chinese coal prices reach an all-time high, power outages persist 

Lebanon’s sputtering national electricity grid went back online Sunday after the army provided emergency fuel supplies to the government, temporarily easing a daylong outage that served as the latest ramification of the country’s economic collapse.

The two main power plants, chronically short of fuel, had been providing only a few hours of electricity per day before Saturday, when they ran out of fuel and stopped working completely.

Walid Fayyad, the energy minister, said in a statement Sunday that the army had supplied fuel from its reserves to the power plants, Zahrani and Deir Ammar, and that the network had resumed “normal” operation — suggesting it would go back to producing a few hours of power per day.

Even so, the emergency supplies are expected to last only a few days. Fayyad said that Lebanon’s central bank had freed up $100 million to be used to import fuel, which would help raise electricity generation by the end of the month.

He thanked the defense minister, the army commander and the leaders of Electricité du Liban, the national energy company, for their “rapid response to reconnecting the electrical network.”

The outage Saturday had little immediate effect on the lives of most Lebanese, who have grown accustomed to blackouts and fuel shortages as the country suffers one of the gravest economic crises in recent history. The government has struggled to import fuel as the national currency has shed 90% of its value in the past two years. Prices for many goods have tripled.

“We have forgotten what electricity means,” said Abdul-Hadi al-Sibai, a 70-year-old taxi driver in southern Beirut.

He lives with his sister, who decided to cut off her generator connection after a bill of 1.8 million Lebanese pounds, which is about $100 on the black market but more than the monthly salaries of many Lebanese.

The currency crash and resulting inflation has forced the family to give up refrigerated foods, so they eat mostly on lentils and grains. Al-Sibai charges his cellphone using his car’s battery.

The crisis has presented an opportunity for Iran, and its proxy in Lebanon, the militant group Hezbollah, to portray themselves as stepping in where other powers have failed.

In recent weeks, Iran has sent fuel by tanker ship to Syria, where Hezbollah organized caravans to drive it into Lebanon. The whole operation defies sanctions by the United States on the purchase of Iranian oil and has happened entirely outside of the Lebanese state.

Visiting Lebanon last week, Iran’s foreign minister, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, said Iran was ready to build two new power plants in Beirut and southern Lebanon able to meet a third of the country’s electricity demands.

Critics say Iran and its allies are more interested in media stunts than in real aid, that the fuel it has sent is little in comparison to Lebanon’s needs and that the proposed Iranian power plants are unlikely to ever be built.

The United States has thrown its support behind plans to have natural gas sent via pipeline from Jordan through Syria to Lebanon, or to have electricity generated in Jordan transmitted to Lebanon. But many details of those plans have yet to be worked out, including who will pay to fix the necessary infrastructure, so any benefit for Lebanon is at best months away.

Most Lebanese rely on private generators for electricity, but many have been forced to cut back on that, too, or give it up altogether, as fuel costs have soared.

Fatima Baydoun, a 50-year-old mother of three in Beirut, said her family had not been able to afford electricity from a generator because her husband, a security guard, has been out of work for more than a year. Without government-supplied electricity, she can’t use the washing machine, and her family’s taps have run dry because the water pump relies on power.

“We try to sleep as early as possible,” she said.

Lebanon’s sputtering national electricity grid went back online Sunday after the army provided emergency fuel supplies to the government, temporarily easing a daylong outage that served as the latest ramification of the country’s economic collapse.

Lebanon’s sputtering national electricity grid went back online Sunday after the army provided emergency fuel supplies to the government, temporarily easing a daylong outage that served as the latest ramification of the country’s economic collapse. The two main power plants, chronically short of fuel, had been providing only a few hours of electricity per day before Saturday, when they ran out of fuel and stopped working completely. Walid Fayyad, the energy minister, said in a statement Sunday that the army had supplied fuel from its reserves to the power plants, Zahrani and Deir Ammar, and that the network had resumed “normal” operation — suggesting it would go back to producing a few hours of power per day. Even so, the emergency supplies are expected to last only a few days. Fayyad said that Lebanon’s central bank had freed up $100 million to be used to import fuel, which would help raise electricity generation by the end of the month. He thanked the defense minister, the army commander and the leaders of Electricité du Liban, the national energy company, for their “rapid response to reconnecting the electrical network.” The outage Saturday had little immediate effect on the lives of most Lebanese, who have grown accustomed to blackouts and fuel shortages as the country suffers one of the gravest economic crises in recent history. The government has struggled to import fuel as the national currency has shed 90% of its value in the past two years. Prices for many goods have tripled. “We have forgotten what electricity means,” said Abdul-Hadi al-Sibai, a 70-year-old taxi driver in southern Beirut. He lives with his sister, who decided to cut off her generator connection after a bill of 1.8 million Lebanese pounds, which is about $100 on the black market but more than the monthly salaries of many Lebanese. The currency crash and resulting inflation has forced the family to give up refrigerated foods, so they eat mostly on lentils and grains. Al-Sibai charges his cellphone using his car’s battery. The crisis has presented an opportunity for Iran, and its proxy in Lebanon, the militant group Hezbollah, to portray themselves as stepping in where other powers have failed. In recent weeks, Iran has sent fuel by tanker ship to Syria, where Hezbollah organized caravans to drive it into Lebanon. The whole operation defies sanctions by the United States on the purchase of Iranian oil and has happened entirely outside of the Lebanese state. Visiting Lebanon last week, Iran’s foreign minister, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, said Iran was ready to build two new power plants in Beirut and southern Lebanon able to meet a third of the country’s electricity demands. Critics say Iran and its allies are more interested in media stunts than in real aid, that the fuel it has sent is little in comparison to Lebanon’s needs and that the proposed Iranian power plants are unlikely to ever be built. The United States has thrown its support behind plans to have natural gas sent via pipeline from Jordan through Syria to Lebanon, or to have electricity generated in Jordan transmitted to Lebanon. But many details of those plans have yet to be worked out, including who will pay to fix the necessary infrastructure, so any benefit for Lebanon is at best months away. Most Lebanese rely on private generators for electricity, but many have been forced to cut back on that, too, or give it up altogether, as fuel costs have soared. Fatima Baydoun, a 50-year-old mother of three in Beirut, said her family had not been able to afford electricity from a generator because her husband, a security guard, has been out of work for more than a year. Without government-supplied electricity, she can’t use the washing machine, and her family’s taps have run dry because the water pump relies on power. “We try to sleep as early as possible,” she said.

Electricity is restored in Lebanon as army supplies emergency fuel

According to local media, Lebanon's two major power stations have resulted in shut down on Saturday due to fuel shortage. It has resulted in power outages in most parts of the country. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Authorities are working "to partially restore electricity to various Lebanese regions, by supplying production stations with fuel from the reserves available for extreme necessities," reported state-run NNA news. &nbsp;&nbsp;

"Electricity will gradually return in the coming hours," it reported. &nbsp;

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The local residents have also started cutting off roads in several areas to protest the deteriorating living conditions following the power outages. It has resulted in water shortages, the reports said. &nbsp;

On Friday, Minister of Energy and Water Walid Fayyad said, "Everyone is seriously working on this issue in order to secure additional... electricity for Lebanon."

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"The matter is related to the expected financing from the World Bank. I met with an official from the World Bank for the Middle East, and he conveyed to me the determination to end the process by providing all the necessary facilities to Lebanon," Fayyad added. &nbsp;

Although in short supply, many Lebanese rely on private generators that run on diesel. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

According to local media, Lebanon's two major power stations have resulted in shut down on Saturday due to fuel shortage. It has resulted in power outages in most parts of the country.

According to local media, Lebanon's two major power stations have resulted in shut down on Saturday due to fuel shortage. It has resulted in power outages in most parts of the country. Authorities are working "to partially restore electricity to various Lebanese regions, by supplying production stations with fuel from the reserves available for extreme necessities," reported state-run NNA news. "Electricity will gradually return in the coming hours," it reported. Also Read: India, 135 Other Nations Agree On Landmark Global Corporate Tax Deal The local residents have also started cutting off roads in several areas to protest the deteriorating living conditions following the power outages. It has resulted in water shortages, the reports said. On Friday, Minister of Energy and Water Walid Fayyad said, "Everyone is seriously working on this issue in order to secure additional... electricity for Lebanon." Also Read | Two killed in Israel strike on Syria base: Monitor "The matter is related to the expected financing from the World Bank. I met with an official from the World Bank for the Middle East, and he conveyed to me the determination to end the process by providing all the necessary facilities to Lebanon," Fayyad added. Although in short supply, many Lebanese rely on private generators that run on diesel. (With inputs from agencies)

Lebanon loses electricity as 2 power stations face shut down amid fuel crisis

When Taliban took over Afghanistan on August 16, 2021, people all around the world were worried that darkness would take over the country, but metaphorically. However, seems like this is about to happen literally now.<o:p></o:p>

Afghanistan faces the danger of losing all of its electricity as majority of the electricity bills remain unpaid since Taliban took control of the country.<o:p></o:p>

The neighbouring countries of Afghanistan help the country by supplying nearly 78 per cent of its power needs. However, the Taliban’s new government is failing to pay the bills.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/did-ashraf-ghani-flee-afghanistan-with-a-lot-of-money-us-watchdog-to-investigate-418802">Did Ashraf Ghani flee Afghanistan with a lot of money? US watchdog to investigate</a>

<o:p></o:p>

This is turning into yet another problem for the Taliban government that is already struggling to bring order and peace in Afghanistan. Adding to the existing cash crunch and a downward spiral of the economy, electricity bills remain unpaid due to which companies and international governments are refusing to help the struggling nation.<o:p></o:p>

Before Taliban took over, Afghanistan used to pay nearly $20 to 25 million every month to neighbouring countries such as Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Iran. When Taliban took over the country, majority of the international governments have stopped all kinds of financial aids for the country. In addition to this, the US and other allies have frozen Afghanistan’s overseas reserves.<o:p></o:p>

Due to this, Afghanistan now has unpaid electricity bills of nearly $62 million, due to which the supplier countries can cut power supply any time they want, acting CEO of Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat told Al Jazeera.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/afghanistan-taliban-desperate-to-get-international-recognition-419010">WATCH |</a>

<o:p></o:p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/afghanistan-taliban-desperate-to-get-international-recognition-419010/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"We've asked the UNAMA in Kabul to assist the people of Afghanistan to pay the country’s power suppliers as part of their humanitarian aid," Ahmadzai said. He has also predicted that the amount of the unpaid bills is expected to increase to nearly $85 million in the next week and has therefore requested for $90 million from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.<o:p></o:p>

While the Taliban government waits for a reply and assistance from the UN mission, only 38 per cent of the Afghan population have proper access to electricity now.<o:p></o:p>

Taliban, meanwhile, is assuring locals that the neighbouring countries will not cut off the power supply as "we have a good relationship with them and we don’t expect them to stop providing us power,"&nbsp;assured Bilal Karimi, a spokesman for the terrorist group.<o:p></o:p>

When Taliban took over Afghanistan on August 16, 2021, people all around the world were worried that darkness would take over the country, but metaphorically. However, seems like this is about to happen literally now.

When Taliban took over Afghanistan on August 16, 2021, people all around the world were worried that darkness would take over the country, but metaphorically. However, seems like this is about to happen literally now. Afghanistan faces the danger of losing all of its electricity as majority of the electricity bills remain unpaid since Taliban took control of the country. The neighbouring countries of Afghanistan help the country by supplying nearly 78 per cent of its power needs. However, the Taliban’s new government is failing to pay the bills. Also read | Did Ashraf Ghani flee Afghanistan with a lot of money? US watchdog to investigate This is turning into yet another problem for the Taliban government that is already struggling to bring order and peace in Afghanistan. Adding to the existing cash crunch and a downward spiral of the economy, electricity bills remain unpaid due to which companies and international governments are refusing to help the struggling nation. Before Taliban took over, Afghanistan used to pay nearly $20 to 25 million every month to neighbouring countries such as Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Iran. When Taliban took over the country, majority of the international governments have stopped all kinds of financial aids for the country. In addition to this, the US and other allies have frozen Afghanistan’s overseas reserves. Due to this, Afghanistan now has unpaid electricity bills of nearly $62 million, due to which the supplier countries can cut power supply any time they want, acting CEO of Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat told Al Jazeera. WATCH | "We've asked the UNAMA in Kabul to assist the people of Afghanistan to pay the country’s power suppliers as part of their humanitarian aid," Ahmadzai said. He has also predicted that the amount of the unpaid bills is expected to increase to nearly $85 million in the next week and has therefore requested for $90 million from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. While the Taliban government waits for a reply and assistance from the UN mission, only 38 per cent of the Afghan population have proper access to electricity now. Taliban, meanwhile, is assuring locals that the neighbouring countries will not cut off the power supply as "we have a good relationship with them and we don’t expect them to stop providing us power," assured Bilal Karimi, a spokesman for the terrorist group.

Afghanistan's unpaid electricity bills cross $62 million as Taliban struggles to get financial aid

Britain on Friday powered up the world's longest subsea electricity cable with Norway in order to share hydro and wind power, amid ongoing turmoil in the UK energy market.

National Grid, which distributes energy to UK homes and businesses, said the 1.6-billion-euro ($1.9-billion) North Sea Link will start commercial operations on Friday.&nbsp;

"The UK and Norway are now able to share renewable energy for the first time," the company added in a statement.

This marked a "major milestone" in Britain's target to reach net zero carbon emissions.

The cable's maximum capacity will initially stand at 700 megawatts, but will be increased to 1,400 MW over three months.

NSL will eventually provide enough clean electricity to power 1.4 million homes.

The 720-kilometre-long (447-mile-long) NSL is a joint venture with Norwegian power grid operator Statnett.

The cable links Blyth in northeast England with Kvilldal in southwestern Norway.

All but four kilometres of the cable are underwater.&nbsp;

"When wind generation is high and electricity demand low in Britain, NSL will enable renewable power to be exported from the UK, conserving water in Norway's reservoirs," National Grid added in the statement.

"When demand is high in Britain and there is low wind generation, hydro power can be imported from Norway, helping to ensure secure, affordable and sustainable electricity supplies for UK consumers."

Britain, which will host the COP26 United Nations climate summit in Glasgow in November, aims to reduce its carbon emissions to net zero by 2050.

Friday's news comes as the British domestic energy sector buckles under record high natural gas prices.

That has sparked fears of rocketing household energy bills during the upcoming peak-demand northern hemisphere winter.

Almost 2.0 million UK consumers have seen their domestic energy suppliers go bust in recent weeks as a result of the spiking cost of gas.

Britain is particularly exposed to Europe's ongoing energy crisis because of its reliance on natural gas to generate electricity. 
&nbsp;

Britain on Friday powered up the world's longest subsea electricity cable with Norway in order to share hydro and wind power, amid ongoing turmoil in the UK energy market.

Britain on Friday powered up the world's longest subsea electricity cable with Norway in order to share hydro and wind power, amid ongoing turmoil in the UK energy market. National Grid, which distributes energy to UK homes and businesses, said the 1.6-billion-euro ($1.9-billion) North Sea Link will start commercial operations on Friday. "The UK and Norway are now able to share renewable energy for the first time," the company added in a statement. This marked a "major milestone" in Britain's target to reach net zero carbon emissions. The cable's maximum capacity will initially stand at 700 megawatts, but will be increased to 1,400 MW over three months. NSL will eventually provide enough clean electricity to power 1.4 million homes. The 720-kilometre-long (447-mile-long) NSL is a joint venture with Norwegian power grid operator Statnett. The cable links Blyth in northeast England with Kvilldal in southwestern Norway. All but four kilometres of the cable are underwater. "When wind generation is high and electricity demand low in Britain, NSL will enable renewable power to be exported from the UK, conserving water in Norway's reservoirs," National Grid added in the statement. "When demand is high in Britain and there is low wind generation, hydro power can be imported from Norway, helping to ensure secure, affordable and sustainable electricity supplies for UK consumers." Britain, which will host the COP26 United Nations climate summit in Glasgow in November, aims to reduce its carbon emissions to net zero by 2050. Friday's news comes as the British domestic energy sector buckles under record high natural gas prices. That has sparked fears of rocketing household energy bills during the upcoming peak-demand northern hemisphere winter. Almost 2.0 million UK consumers have seen their domestic energy suppliers go bust in recent weeks as a result of the spiking cost of gas. Britain is particularly exposed to Europe's ongoing energy crisis because of its reliance on natural gas to generate electricity.

UK starts up subsea renewable power link to Norway

People ate breakfast by the light of smartphones and shopkeepers turned on generators as cities across China enforced power cuts Wednesday to meet official conservation targets and ease shortages in some areas.

News reports blame high coal prices they say make power companies reluctant to meet booming demand, while economists say the real motive is political: Officials are under pressure to curtail energy use to meet official targets.

In Shenyang, the northeast's most populous city, restaurant owner Li Yufeng used a battery from an electric bicycle to run a pot for noodles after seeing a notice power would be switched off at 7:30 am. Li said he started work two hours early, at 6 am, to prepare chicken, sauces and other dishes. There are some impacts, but not a big impact,&nbsp;said Li as customers ate by smartphone lights.

Factories in China's busiest manufacturing provinces have been ordered to suspend production for up to a week, prompting concern global supplies of smartphones and other goods might be disrupted. Now, urban neighbourhoods are being blacked out, triggering pleas on social media for the government to solve the problem.

China's power consumption is growing at almost double its usual rate, while the ruling Communist Party is trying to reduce energy intensity, or the amount used per unit of economic output.

The power cuts come as global leaders prepare to attend a UN environmental conference by video link on October 12-13 in the southwestern city of Kunming. That increases pressure on President Xi Jinping's government, as the meeting's host, to show it is sticking to emissions and energy efficiency targets.

The cuts are largely driven by energy consumption control measures, with power shortages affecting another few provinces,&nbsp;Lara Dong of IHS Markit said in an e-mail.

This is in line with China's decarbonisation ambitions, she said.

Watch

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-us-edition-china-turns-off-traffic-lights-amid-power-crunch-416466/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The Cabinet's planning agency warned in August that 20 regions had exceeded energy use and pollution targets after manufacturing rebounded from the pandemic. The government has ambitious plans to make the economy cleaner and more energy-efficient, so failing to meet those targets can be a career-ending blunder.

The power cuts could be more disruptive than previous shortages,&nbsp;Bank of America said in a report. Due to shortages in some areas, it said, "a relaxation of the government's energy consumption goals may not immediately alleviate the power crunch.

China is one of the world's biggest emitters of climate-changing industrial gases and consumes more energy per unit of economic output than developed countries. Given its huge population, on a per capita basis it ranks much lower.

China also is preparing for the Winter Olympics in the capital, Beijing, and the nearby city of Shijiazhuang in February, a period when it will want clear blue skies.

Officials in Jiangsu province, a manufacturing hub northwest of Shanghai, told state media some cities there have used up 90 per cent of this year's quota for power use. The officials of the provincial planning agency were cited as saying individual city governments had to decide how to meet their targets.

The government of Guangdong province, China's biggest manufacturing centre, has cited both official energy use limits and low water levels in hydropower reservoirs that provide a big share of its electricity.

In Liaoning province, where Shenyang is the capital, the government said in a statement Sunday that power demand hit a record high in the first eight months of the year. It said Liaoning has suffered shortages since then due to a decline in wind power and other sources.

The government of neighbouring Jilin province blamed a shortage of coal. It said in a statement Monday its governor would visit miners in nearby Inner Mongolia to line up additional supplies.

Some advance warnings of power cuts to residents in Shenyang and other cities cited a need to ration power but didn't say why. 
Li, the noodle restaurant owner, showed a reporter a notice circulated on social media that said power would be out in his neighbourhood from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm. 
Shopkeeper Yang Chang had a generator running on the sidewalk to keep freezers full of meat cold.

As long as there is electricity we can sell things, unlike restaurants that need water, said Yang. Yang didn't know or care what the reason for the power outage was but said, it's understandable. I was born in the '90s. When I was little, electricity wasn't stable,&nbsp;said Yan. Although we are having difficulties, the government will find a solution. 
&nbsp;

People ate breakfast by the light of smartphones and shopkeepers turned on generators as cities across China enforced power cuts Wednesday to meet official conservation targets and ease shortages in some areas.

People ate breakfast by the light of smartphones and shopkeepers turned on generators as cities across China enforced power cuts Wednesday to meet official conservation targets and ease shortages in some areas. News reports blame high coal prices they say make power companies reluctant to meet booming demand, while economists say the real motive is political: Officials are under pressure to curtail energy use to meet official targets. In Shenyang, the northeast's most populous city, restaurant owner Li Yufeng used a battery from an electric bicycle to run a pot for noodles after seeing a notice power would be switched off at 7:30 am. Li said he started work two hours early, at 6 am, to prepare chicken, sauces and other dishes. There are some impacts, but not a big impact, said Li as customers ate by smartphone lights. Factories in China's busiest manufacturing provinces have been ordered to suspend production for up to a week, prompting concern global supplies of smartphones and other goods might be disrupted. Now, urban neighbourhoods are being blacked out, triggering pleas on social media for the government to solve the problem. China's power consumption is growing at almost double its usual rate, while the ruling Communist Party is trying to reduce energy intensity, or the amount used per unit of economic output. The power cuts come as global leaders prepare to attend a UN environmental conference by video link on October 12-13 in the southwestern city of Kunming. That increases pressure on President Xi Jinping's government, as the meeting's host, to show it is sticking to emissions and energy efficiency targets. The cuts are largely driven by energy consumption control measures, with power shortages affecting another few provinces, Lara Dong of IHS Markit said in an e-mail. This is in line with China's decarbonisation ambitions, she said. Watch The Cabinet's planning agency warned in August that 20 regions had exceeded energy use and pollution targets after manufacturing rebounded from the pandemic. The government has ambitious plans to make the economy cleaner and more energy-efficient, so failing to meet those targets can be a career-ending blunder. The power cuts could be more disruptive than previous shortages, Bank of America said in a report. Due to shortages in some areas, it said, "a relaxation of the government's energy consumption goals may not immediately alleviate the power crunch. China is one of the world's biggest emitters of climate-changing industrial gases and consumes more energy per unit of economic output than developed countries. Given its huge population, on a per capita basis it ranks much lower. China also is preparing for the Winter Olympics in the capital, Beijing, and the nearby city of Shijiazhuang in February, a period when it will want clear blue skies. Officials in Jiangsu province, a manufacturing hub northwest of Shanghai, told state media some cities there have used up 90 per cent of this year's quota for power use. The officials of the provincial planning agency were cited as saying individual city governments had to decide how to meet their targets. The government of Guangdong province, China's biggest manufacturing centre, has cited both official energy use limits and low water levels in hydropower reservoirs that provide a big share of its electricity. In Liaoning province, where Shenyang is the capital, the government said in a statement Sunday that power demand hit a record high in the first eight months of the year. It said Liaoning has suffered shortages since then due to a decline in wind power and other sources. The government of neighbouring Jilin province blamed a shortage of coal. It said in a statement Monday its governor would visit miners in nearby Inner Mongolia to line up additional supplies. Some advance warnings of power cuts to residents in Shenyang and other cities cited a need to ration power but didn't say why. Li, the noodle restaurant owner, showed a reporter a notice circulated on social media that said power would be out in his neighbourhood from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm. Shopkeeper Yang Chang had a generator running on the sidewalk to keep freezers full of meat cold. As long as there is electricity we can sell things, unlike restaurants that need water, said Yang. Yang didn't know or care what the reason for the power outage was but said, it's understandable. I was born in the '90s. When I was little, electricity wasn't stable, said Yan. Although we are having difficulties, the government will find a solution.

Electricity crisis: Chinese switch to flashlights, generators to meet emission targets & ease coal shortages

The Amazons cover the largest place in Brazil in terms of land area. Most of the area is a tropical jungle teaming with untapped natural resources.

Brazilians shift to solar power amid electricity shortage

Manufacturers in Britain have warned in recent weeks that soaring prices for natural gas would force them to shut down factories, and that prediction is now coming true.

CF Industries, a global producer of agricultural fertilizer, said late Wednesday it would halt operations at two plants in northern England because of high natural gas prices. The company said it did not know when production would resume.

CF uses large volumes of natural gas to produce hydrogen in a process that makes ammonia for fertilizers.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lanternfly-poses-threat-after-being-spotted-in-the-central-park-in-nyc-413620">Lanternfly poses threat after being spotted in the Central Park in NYC</a>

Wholesale prices for natural gas are at their highest in years, and have more than doubled since the spring. The main causes are a resurgence of global demand, especially in Asia, and worries that European countries are not putting enough fuel in storage to prepare for winter.

The jump in natural gas prices is in turn leading to very high electricity prices because the fuel is used at many power stations, putting pressure on both consumers and industry.

UKSteel, an industry group, said Wednesday that its members were facing "extortionate" electric power prices and said that some steel-makers were being forced to shut down during periods of extremely high rates.

On Wednesday, a fire that shut down a cable bringing electricity from France led to a further surge in electric power prices. Kent Fire and Rescue, which used as many as 12 fire engines to fight the blaze, said Thursday that firefighters had finished their work at the scene, and that cause of the fire had not been determined.

National Grid, Britain’s main electricity supplier, said the part of the cable damaged by the fire would be out of service until March. Another part of the cable was offline because of planned outage, and will be back online September 27. Together, the cable can provide enough electricity to power two million homes.

Manufacturers in Britain have warned in recent weeks that soaring prices for natural gas would force them to shut down factories, and that prediction is now coming true.

Manufacturers in Britain have warned in recent weeks that soaring prices for natural gas would force them to shut down factories, and that prediction is now coming true. CF Industries, a global producer of agricultural fertilizer, said late Wednesday it would halt operations at two plants in northern England because of high natural gas prices. The company said it did not know when production would resume. CF uses large volumes of natural gas to produce hydrogen in a process that makes ammonia for fertilizers. Also read | Lanternfly poses threat after being spotted in the Central Park in NYC Wholesale prices for natural gas are at their highest in years, and have more than doubled since the spring. The main causes are a resurgence of global demand, especially in Asia, and worries that European countries are not putting enough fuel in storage to prepare for winter. The jump in natural gas prices is in turn leading to very high electricity prices because the fuel is used at many power stations, putting pressure on both consumers and industry. UKSteel, an industry group, said Wednesday that its members were facing "extortionate" electric power prices and said that some steel-makers were being forced to shut down during periods of extremely high rates. On Wednesday, a fire that shut down a cable bringing electricity from France led to a further surge in electric power prices. Kent Fire and Rescue, which used as many as 12 fire engines to fight the blaze, said Thursday that firefighters had finished their work at the scene, and that cause of the fire had not been determined. National Grid, Britain’s main electricity supplier, said the part of the cable damaged by the fire would be out of service until March. Another part of the cable was offline because of planned outage, and will be back online September 27. Together, the cable can provide enough electricity to power two million homes.

High natural gas prices lead to a shutdown of British fertilizer plants

A recent technology developed by scientists can turn footsteps into electricity.

The researchers from Switzerland have developed an energy-harvesting device that uses wood with a combination of a silicone coating and embedded nanocrystals.&nbsp;

This produces enough energy to power LED lightbulbs and small electronics.

Termed as a nanogenerator, the device is based on sandwiching two pieces of wood between electrodes.

The wood pieces become electrically charged owing to contact and separation when stepped on via a phenomenon called the triboelectric effect.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/wildlife-photographer-2021-here-are-the-stunning-entries-of-the-competition-410136">Also read |&nbsp;Wildlife Photographer 2021: Here are the stunning entries of the competition</a>

This further effect occurs when electrons can transfer from one object to another, akin to the static electricity produced when you rub a balloon on your hair for a few seconds.

Senior study author, Guido Panzarasa said, "Wood doesn’t have a strong tendency to lose nor attract electrons. As such, wood is a terrible triboelectric material, but wood is an excellent building material".

He added, "Imagining making a floor with these kinds of devices, the amount of energy that could be produced by people just walking".

“Our focus was to demonstrate the possibility of modifying wood with relatively environmentally friendly procedures to make it triboelectric. Spruce is cheap and available and has favourable mechanical properties.”

A recent technology developed by scientists can turn footsteps into electricity. The researchers from Switzerland have developed an energy-harvesting device that uses wood with a combination of a silicone coating and embedded nanocrystals.

A recent technology developed by scientists can turn footsteps into electricity. The researchers from Switzerland have developed an energy-harvesting device that uses wood with a combination of a silicone coating and embedded nanocrystals. This produces enough energy to power LED lightbulbs and small electronics. Termed as a nanogenerator, the device is based on sandwiching two pieces of wood between electrodes. The wood pieces become electrically charged owing to contact and separation when stepped on via a phenomenon called the triboelectric effect. Also read | Wildlife Photographer 2021: Here are the stunning entries of the competition This further effect occurs when electrons can transfer from one object to another, akin to the static electricity produced when you rub a balloon on your hair for a few seconds. Senior study author, Guido Panzarasa said, "Wood doesn’t have a strong tendency to lose nor attract electrons. As such, wood is a terrible triboelectric material, but wood is an excellent building material". He added, "Imagining making a floor with these kinds of devices, the amount of energy that could be produced by people just walking". “Our focus was to demonstrate the possibility of modifying wood with relatively environmentally friendly procedures to make it triboelectric. Spruce is cheap and available and has favourable mechanical properties.”

Wooden flooring can turn footsteps into electricity, here is how

Brazilian Vice President Hamilton Mourao said on Wednesday a severe drought could lead to energy rationing in Brazil, contradicting other officials who have said that such a step would not be necessary.

Brazil, one of the world`s agricultural superpowers, is suffering from one of its worst droughts in a century. The lack of rainfall has emptied hydroelectric reservoirs, fanned inflation and hurt farmers. The government has given incentives to use less energy but says rationing is not expected.

"There may have to be some rationing," Mourao told reporters in Brasilia, although he said the government had taken necessary measures to prevent blackouts.

Brazil`s Mines and Energy Minister Bento Albuquerque on Tuesday said the country's energy crisis was worse than previously thought.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazil-unveils-emergency-power-measures-to-beat-drought-394579">Brazil unveils emergency power measures to beat drought</a>

In a televised national address, Albuquerque said Brazil had lost hydropower output equal to the energy consumed by the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil`s second-largest, in five months.

Separately on Tuesday, the ministry announced it would once again raise energy prices, with affected consumers paying on average 6.78% more for electricity starting on Sept. 1.

The meteorological outlook remains grim for Brazil. Rainfall in energy-producing regions is likely to remain well below average in September, the national grid operator ONS said last week.

Brazilian Vice President Hamilton Mourao said on Wednesday a severe drought could lead to energy rationing in Brazil, contradicting other officials who have said that such a step would not be necessary.

Brazilian Vice President Hamilton Mourao said on Wednesday a severe drought could lead to energy rationing in Brazil, contradicting other officials who have said that such a step would not be necessary. Brazil, one of the world`s agricultural superpowers, is suffering from one of its worst droughts in a century. The lack of rainfall has emptied hydroelectric reservoirs, fanned inflation and hurt farmers. The government has given incentives to use less energy but says rationing is not expected. "There may have to be some rationing," Mourao told reporters in Brasilia, although he said the government had taken necessary measures to prevent blackouts. Brazil`s Mines and Energy Minister Bento Albuquerque on Tuesday said the country's energy crisis was worse than previously thought. Also read | Brazil unveils emergency power measures to beat drought In a televised national address, Albuquerque said Brazil had lost hydropower output equal to the energy consumed by the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil`s second-largest, in five months. Separately on Tuesday, the ministry announced it would once again raise energy prices, with affected consumers paying on average 6.78% more for electricity starting on Sept. 1. The meteorological outlook remains grim for Brazil. Rainfall in energy-producing regions is likely to remain well below average in September, the national grid operator ONS said last week.

Drought may force Brazil to ration power, says Vice President Mourao

Anger is palpable on Iraqi streets as people protest power cuts amid temperatures rising above 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit).

The oil-rich city of Basra saw angry protests by the people last week. The protesters burnt tyres and blocked highways.

Power outages have often led to violent protests in Iraq, especially in the southern part of the country

The latest crisis has seen those with the means hooking up fridges, air conditioning units and fans to private generators. But same cannot be said about impoverished masses.&nbsp;

Four southern provinces have been without electricity since Tuesday, including Basra -- home to Iraq's main port.

Sizzling temperatures have been compounded by high levels of humidity.

"The children sleep right on the floor to try and stay cool, but us, the adults, haven't slept a wink these past nights," Meshaal Hashem, a Basra docker and father of three, told AFP.

In the city of Diwaniyah, Rahi Abdelhussein buys bags of ice to cool down his children, saying it helps hydrate them.

Shops have placed hoses and makeshift showers outdoors to attract customers to stop.

Blame game&nbsp;

Anger has mounted among Iraq's 40-million population, with corrupt politicians at the centre of a blame game for its poor services and dilapidated infrastructure.

"The electricity ministry is blaming the oil ministry which is blaming the finance ministry, and the finance ministry says the culprit is Iran, but Iran says it's the Iraqi government's fault, and the government lays the blame on the people who accuse politicians of shortcomings," Iraqi political analyst Sajad Jiyad tweeted.

"The politicians just shrug and say, 'We've got to live with it.'"

Power outages in sweltering summer heat are often a common thing in Iraq. But the current crisis has other factors as reason as well.

Iraq is the second-largest producer of oil in the OPEC group. It buy gas and power from Iran to supply about a third of its power sector, dilapidated by decades of conflict and poor maintenance.

However, Iran on Tuesday decided to cut supplies to its neighbour saying that Iraq owes more than USD 6 billion in arrears.

Iraq says it is unable to pay because of US sanctions on money transfers to Iran, a deep financial crisis compounded by lower oil prices, and the Covid-19 pandemic.

(With inputs from agencies)

Anger is palpable on Iraqi streets as people protest power cuts amid temperatures rising above 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit). The oil-rich city of Basra saw angry protests by the people last week.

Anger is palpable on Iraqi streets as people protest power cuts amid temperatures rising above 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit). The oil-rich city of Basra saw angry protests by the people last week. The protesters burnt tyres and blocked highways. Power outages have often led to violent protests in Iraq, especially in the southern part of the country The latest crisis has seen those with the means hooking up fridges, air conditioning units and fans to private generators. But same cannot be said about impoverished masses. Four southern provinces have been without electricity since Tuesday, including Basra -- home to Iraq's main port. Sizzling temperatures have been compounded by high levels of humidity. "The children sleep right on the floor to try and stay cool, but us, the adults, haven't slept a wink these past nights," Meshaal Hashem, a Basra docker and father of three, told AFP. In the city of Diwaniyah, Rahi Abdelhussein buys bags of ice to cool down his children, saying it helps hydrate them. Shops have placed hoses and makeshift showers outdoors to attract customers to stop. Blame game Anger has mounted among Iraq's 40-million population, with corrupt politicians at the centre of a blame game for its poor services and dilapidated infrastructure. "The electricity ministry is blaming the oil ministry which is blaming the finance ministry, and the finance ministry says the culprit is Iran, but Iran says it's the Iraqi government's fault, and the government lays the blame on the people who accuse politicians of shortcomings," Iraqi political analyst Sajad Jiyad tweeted. "The politicians just shrug and say, 'We've got to live with it.'" Power outages in sweltering summer heat are often a common thing in Iraq. But the current crisis has other factors as reason as well. Iraq is the second-largest producer of oil in the OPEC group. It buy gas and power from Iran to supply about a third of its power sector, dilapidated by decades of conflict and poor maintenance. However, Iran on Tuesday decided to cut supplies to its neighbour saying that Iraq owes more than USD 6 billion in arrears. Iraq says it is unable to pay because of US sanctions on money transfers to Iran, a deep financial crisis compounded by lower oil prices, and the Covid-19 pandemic. (With inputs from agencies)

Iraqis protest power outage amid 50+ degrees Celsius heat

The United Kingdom will phase out coal-fired power by October 2024, a year ahead of schedule, as part of a campaign to encourage other countries to raise their climate ambitions ahead of a global warming summit it will host in November.&nbsp;

British Energy and Climate Change Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan made this announcement on Wednesday (June 30).

“Coal powered the industrial revolution 200 years ago, but now is the time for radical action to completely eliminate this dirty fuel from our energy system,” Anne-Marie Trevelyan said in a statement.

The move is part of the British government's ambitious plan to transition away from fossil fuels and decarbonise the power sector by 2050 in order to reduce climate change contributions.&nbsp;

This decision pushes the deadline for phasing out coal from the UK's energy system forward by a year, highlighting the UK's leadership in reducing emissions and leading by example in combating climate change ahead of hosting the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) summit in Glasgow this November.&nbsp;

According to the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, coal accounted for only 1.8 per cent of the UK's electricity mix last year, with renewable such as wind and solar accounting for around 43 per cent.&nbsp;

The United Kingdom has come a long way since the 1950s when a heavy layer of coal-fuelled smog blanketed London. Coal accounted for about 40% of the country's electricity generation just a decade ago.

(With inputs from agencies)

The United Kingdom will phase out coal-fired power by October 2024, a year ahead of schedule, as part of a campaign to encourage other countries to raise their climate ambitions ahead of a global warming summit it will host in November.

The United Kingdom will phase out coal-fired power by October 2024, a year ahead of schedule, as part of a campaign to encourage other countries to raise their climate ambitions ahead of a global warming summit it will host in November. British Energy and Climate Change Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan made this announcement on Wednesday (June 30). “Coal powered the industrial revolution 200 years ago, but now is the time for radical action to completely eliminate this dirty fuel from our energy system,” Anne-Marie Trevelyan said in a statement. The move is part of the British government's ambitious plan to transition away from fossil fuels and decarbonise the power sector by 2050 in order to reduce climate change contributions. This decision pushes the deadline for phasing out coal from the UK's energy system forward by a year, highlighting the UK's leadership in reducing emissions and leading by example in combating climate change ahead of hosting the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) summit in Glasgow this November. According to the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, coal accounted for only 1.8 per cent of the UK's electricity mix last year, with renewable such as wind and solar accounting for around 43 per cent. The United Kingdom has come a long way since the 1950s when a heavy layer of coal-fuelled smog blanketed London. Coal accounted for about 40% of the country's electricity generation just a decade ago. (With inputs from agencies)

Britain to stop using coal-fired power in just three years

To address the issue of air pollution due to farm stubble-burning and to reduce carbon footprints of thermal power generation, the Ministry of Power on Tuesday decided to set up a National Mission on the use of biomass in coal-based thermal power plants.

Biomass refers to renewable organic material that comes from plants and animals, such as wood, energy crops, waste from forests or farms.

The ministry said this would further support the energy transition in the country and our targets to move towards cleaner energy sources.

According to the Ministry of Power, the objective of the "National Mission on use of biomass in thermal power plants" will be to increase the level of co-firing from the present 5 per cent to higher levels to have a larger share of carbon-neutral power generation from the thermal power plants, to take up R&amp;D activity in boiler design to handle the higher amount of silica, alkalis in the biomass pellets, to facilitate overcoming the constraints in the supply chain of biomass pellets and agro-residue and its transport up to the power plants and to consider regulatory issues in biomass co-firing.

"The modalities of operation and structure of the Nation Mission are under finalization. It is being envisaged that the Mission would have a Steering Committee headed by Secretary (Power) comprising of all stakeholders including representatives from Ministry of Petroleum &amp; Natural Gas (MoPNG), Ministry of New &amp; Renewable Energy (MNRE), etc.," it said.

It further said the Executive Committee would be headed by Member (Thermal), CEA. NTPC will play a larger role in providing logistic and infrastructure support in the proposed National Mission.

"The Mission would have full-time officers from CEA, NTPC, DVC and NLC or other participating organizations. The duration of the proposed National Mission would be a minimum of 5 years," it added.

The ministry has also formed five Sub-Groups under the Mission.

Sub-Group 1 will be responsible to research properties/ characteristics of biomass, Sub-Group 2 will carry out technical specification and safety aspects including research in boiler design, etc. to handle the pilot project for the higher amount of co-firing of biomass with coal in pulverized coal (PC) fired boilers.

Furthermore, Sub-Group 3 is for resolving the issues of the supply chain during the mission period and sensitization programme, Sub-Group 4 to select designated labs and certification bodies for the testing of agro-based biomass pellets and Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) pellets and Sub-Group 5 will be formed on regulatory framework and economics of biomass co-firing in coal-based thermal power plants.

The proposed National Mission on biomass will also contribute to the National Clean Air Programme. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

To address the issue of air pollution due to farm stubble-burning and to reduce carbon footprints of thermal power generation, the Ministry of Power on Tuesday decided to set up a National Mission on the use of biomass in coal-based thermal power plants.

To address the issue of air pollution due to farm stubble-burning and to reduce carbon footprints of thermal power generation, the Ministry of Power on Tuesday decided to set up a National Mission on the use of biomass in coal-based thermal power plants. Biomass refers to renewable organic material that comes from plants and animals, such as wood, energy crops, waste from forests or farms. The ministry said this would further support the energy transition in the country and our targets to move towards cleaner energy sources. According to the Ministry of Power, the objective of the "National Mission on use of biomass in thermal power plants" will be to increase the level of co-firing from the present 5 per cent to higher levels to have a larger share of carbon-neutral power generation from the thermal power plants, to take up R&D activity in boiler design to handle the higher amount of silica, alkalis in the biomass pellets, to facilitate overcoming the constraints in the supply chain of biomass pellets and agro-residue and its transport up to the power plants and to consider regulatory issues in biomass co-firing. "The modalities of operation and structure of the Nation Mission are under finalization. It is being envisaged that the Mission would have a Steering Committee headed by Secretary (Power) comprising of all stakeholders including representatives from Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG), Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE), etc.," it said. It further said the Executive Committee would be headed by Member (Thermal), CEA. NTPC will play a larger role in providing logistic and infrastructure support in the proposed National Mission. "The Mission would have full-time officers from CEA, NTPC, DVC and NLC or other participating organizations. The duration of the proposed National Mission would be a minimum of 5 years," it added. The ministry has also formed five Sub-Groups under the Mission. Sub-Group 1 will be responsible to research properties/ characteristics of biomass, Sub-Group 2 will carry out technical specification and safety aspects including research in boiler design, etc. to handle the pilot project for the higher amount of co-firing of biomass with coal in pulverized coal (PC) fired boilers. Furthermore, Sub-Group 3 is for resolving the issues of the supply chain during the mission period and sensitization programme, Sub-Group 4 to select designated labs and certification bodies for the testing of agro-based biomass pellets and Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) pellets and Sub-Group 5 will be formed on regulatory framework and economics of biomass co-firing in coal-based thermal power plants. The proposed National Mission on biomass will also contribute to the National Clean Air Programme. (With inputs from agencies)

India to set up national mission on using biomass in coal-based thermal power plants

The US state of Texas is currently witnessing a winter storm, knocking out electricity in most parts of the state.&nbsp; Electricity returned to the state on Friday after Texans experienced almost 2,00,000 power outages over the last week.

But woes for Texans don't seem to over just yet. Turns out, people in the state are now receiving exorbitant electricity bills in the aftermath of outages. Many Texans took to Twitter to share the electricity bills they have been receiving recently. Many received bills as high as $17,000.

WFAA - a local broadcaster shared screenshots of a man named Ty Williams receiving an electricity bill for over $17,000. The man in question claims to have three electric metres in his residence, including one for his home, one for his guest house, and another for his office. Last month, the total bill he had received was $660.

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Some Texas electricity customers saw the price of a kilowatt hour go from 12 cents to $9 in the past week, leading to bills in the thousands. Yikes. 😱 <a href="https://t.co/r486zYn6D7">pic.twitter.com/r486zYn6D7</a>
— Phil Taylor (@pstni) <a href="https://twitter.com/pstni/status/1363643760882688006?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Williams told WFAA that "there is absolutely no way" for anyone to pay that much amount for electricity bills, and that "it makes no sense".

Users on Twitter are trying to understand how the bills reached such a high in such a short time. The price of a kilowatt per hour went from 12 cents to $9 in the last week, making the bills run into thousands.

According to local media reports, Williams is on a variable-rate plan with Griddy, a local electricity provider.

The company is facing a lot of criticism for its handling of the crisis, for it has reportedly trying to avoid sending such hefty bills to customers by urging them to leave and pursue a fixed-rate plan with other providers of electricity in the area. 
 
The exorbitant amounts of bills have shocked many Texans and have left many wondering if they'd require loans to pay off the amount.

Here are a few of the reactions on Twitter:

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Texas got a lot of nerve putting people in deadly situations with no electricity in freezing temps during a pandemic AND charging them hundreds &amp; thousands more on their electric bill. <a href="https://t.co/o2yutmiNsO">pic.twitter.com/o2yutmiNsO</a>
— I Choose Violence (@Brick_Outhouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/Brick_Outhouse/status/1363283606488162312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2021</a></blockquote>
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I really do NOT understand how the electricity bills work in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Texas?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Texas</a>. If I received a bill for $10,000 from DTE, I would have a cow! How the Hell does that even work? Are you supposed to take out a loan to pay for your electricity? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TexasBlackout?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TexasBlackout</a> <a href="https://t.co/FZ9RgqiocO">pic.twitter.com/FZ9RgqiocO</a>
— CyndiMich Formerly @Cyn190 (@cyndi_mich) <a href="https://twitter.com/cyndi_mich/status/1363567304257245184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Advice to anyone in Texas who has automatic debit set up for paying electricity bill. 
 
Change it NOW.
— Lila (@LbudisaLila) <a href="https://twitter.com/LbudisaLila/status/1363357707298873345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Texas if your power not on, make sure that electricity bill reflects it!
— Jasmen🤍 (@JasmenSimone) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasmenSimone/status/1361745276009070599?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

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Hey Rafael, did you receive a $10K electricity bill while you work against pandemic relief for Texas?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HoustonStrong?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HoustonStrong</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AmericanRescuePlan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AmericanRescuePlan</a> <a href="https://t.co/TkFsYRtNO9">https://t.co/TkFsYRtNO9</a> <a href="https://t.co/J5KuzrquAo">pic.twitter.com/J5KuzrquAo</a>
— (((Tam))) #SeditionHasConsequences #ONEV1 Z31 (@Tam_Resist) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tam_Resist/status/1363531544439193603?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2021</a></blockquote>
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i’m still blown away that the state of texas has gone all the way texas and told america “we got our own generator” and the damn thing basically crapped out and look at em now.
— bomani (@bomani_jones) <a href="https://twitter.com/bomani_jones/status/1362408628540633093?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The US state of Texas is currently witnessing a winter storm, knocking out electricity in most parts of the state. Electricity returned to the state on Friday after Texans experienced almost 2,00,000 power outages over the last week.

The US state of Texas is currently witnessing a winter storm, knocking out electricity in most parts of the state. Electricity returned to the state on Friday after Texans experienced almost 2,00,000 power outages over the last week. But woes for Texans don't seem to over just yet. Turns out, people in the state are now receiving exorbitant electricity bills in the aftermath of outages. Many Texans took to Twitter to share the electricity bills they have been receiving recently. Many received bills as high as $17,000. WFAA - a local broadcaster shared screenshots of a man named Ty Williams receiving an electricity bill for over $17,000. The man in question claims to have three electric metres in his residence, including one for his home, one for his guest house, and another for his office. Last month, the total bill he had received was $660. Some Texas electricity customers saw the price of a kilowatt hour go from 12 cents to $9 in the past week, leading to bills in the thousands. Yikes. 😱 pic.twitter.com/r486zYn6D7 — Phil Taylor (@pstni) February 22, 2021 × Williams told WFAA that "there is absolutely no way" for anyone to pay that much amount for electricity bills, and that "it makes no sense". Users on Twitter are trying to understand how the bills reached such a high in such a short time. The price of a kilowatt per hour went from 12 cents to $9 in the last week, making the bills run into thousands. According to local media reports, Williams is on a variable-rate plan with Griddy, a local electricity provider. The company is facing a lot of criticism for its handling of the crisis, for it has reportedly trying to avoid sending such hefty bills to customers by urging them to leave and pursue a fixed-rate plan with other providers of electricity in the area. The exorbitant amounts of bills have shocked many Texans and have left many wondering if they'd require loans to pay off the amount. Here are a few of the reactions on Twitter: Texas got a lot of nerve putting people in deadly situations with no electricity in freezing temps during a pandemic AND charging them hundreds & thousands more on their electric bill. pic.twitter.com/o2yutmiNsO — I Choose Violence (@Brick_Outhouse) February 21, 2021 × I really do NOT understand how the electricity bills work in #Texas. If I received a bill for $10,000 from DTE, I would have a cow! How the Hell does that even work? Are you supposed to take out a loan to pay for your electricity? #TexasBlackout pic.twitter.com/FZ9RgqiocO — CyndiMich Formerly @Cyn190 (@cyndi_mich) February 21, 2021 × Advice to anyone in Texas who has automatic debit set up for paying electricity bill. Change it NOW. — Lila (@LbudisaLila) February 21, 2021 × Texas if your power not on, make sure that electricity bill reflects it! — Jasmen🤍 (@JasmenSimone) February 16, 2021 × Hey Rafael, did you receive a $10K electricity bill while you work against pandemic relief for Texas?#HoustonStrong #AmericanRescuePlan https://t.co/TkFsYRtNO9 pic.twitter.com/J5KuzrquAo — (((Tam))) #SeditionHasConsequences #ONEV1 Z31 (@Tam_Resist) February 21, 2021 × i’m still blown away that the state of texas has gone all the way texas and told america “we got our own generator” and the damn thing basically crapped out and look at em now. — bomani (@bomani_jones) February 18, 2021 ×

Twitter reacts to Texans being charged upto $17,000 for electricity amid outages

Thousands still remained without power and water in Texas as an ice storm hit the state. Texas government said that power generation plants in the state are back on line but the reality on the ground is different.

WION Dispatch | Texas Snowstorm: Some electricity restored but water woes persist

Wind power accounted for more than half of Great Britain's daily generated electricity on Saturday in the wake of Storm Bella,&nbsp;according to energy giant Drax.

The percentage of wind power in the country's energy mix hit a record 50.67 percent on Saturday, the company said over the weekend, beating the previous record of 50 percent in August.

"For the first time ever (on Saturday), amid #StormBella, more than half of Great Britain's electricity was generated by the wind,"&nbsp;Drax Group tweeted.

It added: "This is the first time ever wind has supplied the majority of the country's power over the course of a whole day."

The encouraging news comes ahead of COP26, the UN's global&nbsp;climate change&nbsp;summit, which will be held in Glasgow next year.

The British government wants offshore wind farms to provide one third of the country's electricity by 2030, as part of its strategy to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050 to help meet its commitments under the Paris climate accord.

The UK has also placed nuclear power at the heart of its low-carbon energy policy.

"Britain has experienced a renewables revolution over the last decade with the growth of biomass, wind and solar power,"&nbsp;Drax said.

Added to the brightening picture, National Grid's Electricity System Operator (NGESO) division declared Tuesday that this year was a historic year for UK renewables.

"2020 was the greenest year on record for Britain's electricity system, with average carbon intensity - the measure of CO2 emissions per unit of electricity consumed - reaching a new low,"&nbsp;NGESO said in a statement.

National Grid&nbsp;also revealed&nbsp;that on Christmas Day, December 25, the share of coal in the UK electricity mix stood at zero for the first time.

That compared with just 1.8 percent the previous year - and 20 percent in 2009.

Wind power accounted for more than half of Great Britain's daily generated electricity on Saturday in the wake of Storm Bella, according to energy giant Drax. The percentage of wind power in the country's energy mix hit a record 50.

Wind power accounted for more than half of Great Britain's daily generated electricity on Saturday in the wake of Storm Bella, according to energy giant Drax. The percentage of wind power in the country's energy mix hit a record 50.67 percent on Saturday, the company said over the weekend, beating the previous record of 50 percent in August. "For the first time ever (on Saturday), amid #StormBella, more than half of Great Britain's electricity was generated by the wind," Drax Group tweeted. It added: "This is the first time ever wind has supplied the majority of the country's power over the course of a whole day." The encouraging news comes ahead of COP26, the UN's global climate change summit, which will be held in Glasgow next year. The British government wants offshore wind farms to provide one third of the country's electricity by 2030, as part of its strategy to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050 to help meet its commitments under the Paris climate accord. The UK has also placed nuclear power at the heart of its low-carbon energy policy. "Britain has experienced a renewables revolution over the last decade with the growth of biomass, wind and solar power," Drax said. Added to the brightening picture, National Grid's Electricity System Operator (NGESO) division declared Tuesday that this year was a historic year for UK renewables. "2020 was the greenest year on record for Britain's electricity system, with average carbon intensity - the measure of CO2 emissions per unit of electricity consumed - reaching a new low," NGESO said in a statement. National Grid also revealed that on Christmas Day, December 25, the share of coal in the UK electricity mix stood at zero for the first time. That compared with just 1.8 percent the previous year - and 20 percent in 2009.

Wind generated over half of UK's electricity for the first time on Saturday

In the city of Yiwu in eastern China, authorities turned off streetlights for several days and ordered factories to open only part-time. In coastal Wenzhou, the government ordered some companies not to heat their offices unless temperatures are close to freezing. In southern Hunan province, workers have reported climbing dozens of flights of stairs after elevators were shut down.

Large swaths of China are scrambling to restrict electricity use this winter, as the country’s rapid economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and unexpectedly frigid temperatures have sent demand for power surging. Officials in at least three provinces — where a total of more than 150 million people live — have issued orders limiting energy use, warning of potential coal shortages.

Demand for coal is so high in the mining hub of Henan province that buyers have been lining up in trucks at the gates of coal mines, jostling for access, according to a recent report in the state-run news media.

Many residents have responded to the restrictions with anxiety and confusion, worrying about being left in the cold or suffering hits to their businesses.

Chinese officials have sought to remind citizens of the country’s ambitious environmental goals while reassuring them that there is plenty of energy to keep people warm and the economy humming.

“In general, please believe that our ability to ensure stable energy supply is not a problem,” Zhao Chenxin, secretary-general of the National Development and Reform Commission, which steers energy policy, said Monday.

But the drastic measures point to potential longer-term problems in China’s energy universe, as leaders juggle competing priorities.

China’s leader, Xi Jinping, has vowed to make China a climate leader and to make the country carbon-neutral by 2060. But the country still draws nearly 70% of its power from fossil fuels, predominantly coal, and those energy sources have helped propel China’s impressive recovery from the pandemic. By May of this year, China’s carbon dioxide emissions from energy production, cement making and other industrial uses were 4% higher than the year before.

“He’s got to wrestle with economic growth, economic structures, employment and the environment,” Philip Andrews-Speed, senior principal fellow at the Energy Studies Institute at the National University of Singapore, said of Xi.

Some of the present difficulties may also be self-inflicted.

Coastal areas of China depend on imported coal, including from Australia. But relations between the two countries have gone into free fall this year, as Australia has, among other things, demanded an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus, which first emerged in China. China in turn has banned imports of Australian coal — leaving huge ships stranded at sea.

Chinese officials have denied that the ban on Australian coal is responsible for the current squeeze on energy, noting that in 2018 less than 8% of China’s coal consumption involved imported coal; much of Australia’s coal is also used for steel and other metals, not power. But the government has also acknowledged, with rare bluntness, the scale of the problem.

“At the moment, some provinces temporarily do not have enough electricity. This is an objective fact,” one of the national government’s most powerful bodies, the entity that oversees state-owned companies, said Sunday.

The reports of shortages and restrictions began emerging earlier this month. On Dec. 4, officials in Hunan announced that monthly electricity demand had seen double-digit growth from the previous year and would soon exceed the grid’s capacity. The shortage would last into the spring, they added.

In response, authorities ordered residents to begin rationing energy. Every day between 10:30 a.m. and noon, and 4:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., lighting on most building facades and billboards are to be shut down, according to the order. Office buildings will not have power during weekends. Residents were also told not to use electric stoves or ovens.

Hunan, where 67 million people live, has been unusually cold, with temperatures last week slipping below freezing.

In Jiangxi province, in the south, officials have also set out peak hours in which energy use will be limited. In Wenzhou, a city in Zhejiang province, officials said that companies would not be allowed to turn on heating until temperatures fell below 3 degrees Celsius, or 37.4 degrees Fahrenheit, and would not be allowed to set the temperature higher than 60 degrees.

A county near Wenzhou said that the cafeterias of government agencies, businesses and financial institutions should not turn their heating on, even during mealtimes. Elevators should operate only for the fourth floor and above, until the end of the year, officials said.

The restrictions have drawn the ire of many local residents. In Yiwu, home to the world’s largest wholesale market, the government turned off streetlights for several days, until residents complained about safety issues.

“The whole city was dark, and you couldn’t see anything,” said Zhang Shaobo, a store owner in Yiwu. “Driving home from work a few days ago, I saw several car accidents. All you can do is drive more slowly.”

Elevators and billboards in the city’s malls remain turned off. Some manufacturers have also been ordered to take two or three days off for every day they work — much to the annoyance of workers who have just started to see their livelihoods return after the economy ground to a halt during the epidemic.

The resurgence of manufacturing may be one reason for the new restrictions. China reported a record trade surplus of $75 billion in November, fueled by a 21% surge in exports compared with the same period last year. Exports to the United States alone jumped 46%.

That spurt of demand, while bolstering Yiwu’s economy, may also have put the city over its energy targets, Andrews-Speed said. That could have prompted officials to make sudden cuts in order to comply with environmental goals, he added.

The authorities Monday emphasized regional differences in the energy restrictions, noting that while Hunan and Jiangxi faced real shortfalls in power supply, Zhejiang’s limits were voluntary.

When a spate of blackouts blanketed Guangzhou, one of China’s biggest cities, on Monday morning, officials quickly labeled the cause an equipment failure, unrelated to the issues elsewhere. Officials said there was no nationwide power problem.

Still, officials have tried to counter surging domestic coal prices by easing import controls on coal from countries other than Australia. Spot prices for the kind of high-heat-content coal formerly supplied by Australia to China, including freight charges, have soared to about $80 per metric ton, from around $46 per ton four weeks ago, according to S&amp;P Global Platts, a commodities data service.

Other factors that may have affected supply include anti-corruption efforts at coal mines, new environmental regulations and recent high-profile mining accidents, said Dr. James Stevenson, senior director for coal, metals and mining at the data and consulting company IHS Markit.

Those considerations felt distant for those affected by the suddenly mandated blackouts, such as Zhang, the shop owner in Yiwu.

“They don’t discuss this policy with you. They just notify you,” he said. “If you don’t comply, they’ll cut off your electricity.”

In the city of Yiwu in eastern China, authorities turned off streetlights for several days and ordered factories to open only part-time. In coastal Wenzhou, the government ordered some companies not to heat their offices unless temperatures are close to freezing.

In the city of Yiwu in eastern China, authorities turned off streetlights for several days and ordered factories to open only part-time. In coastal Wenzhou, the government ordered some companies not to heat their offices unless temperatures are close to freezing. In southern Hunan province, workers have reported climbing dozens of flights of stairs after elevators were shut down. Large swaths of China are scrambling to restrict electricity use this winter, as the country’s rapid economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and unexpectedly frigid temperatures have sent demand for power surging. Officials in at least three provinces — where a total of more than 150 million people live — have issued orders limiting energy use, warning of potential coal shortages. Demand for coal is so high in the mining hub of Henan province that buyers have been lining up in trucks at the gates of coal mines, jostling for access, according to a recent report in the state-run news media. Many residents have responded to the restrictions with anxiety and confusion, worrying about being left in the cold or suffering hits to their businesses. Chinese officials have sought to remind citizens of the country’s ambitious environmental goals while reassuring them that there is plenty of energy to keep people warm and the economy humming. “In general, please believe that our ability to ensure stable energy supply is not a problem,” Zhao Chenxin, secretary-general of the National Development and Reform Commission, which steers energy policy, said Monday. But the drastic measures point to potential longer-term problems in China’s energy universe, as leaders juggle competing priorities. China’s leader, Xi Jinping, has vowed to make China a climate leader and to make the country carbon-neutral by 2060. But the country still draws nearly 70% of its power from fossil fuels, predominantly coal, and those energy sources have helped propel China’s impressive recovery from the pandemic. By May of this year, China’s carbon dioxide emissions from energy production, cement making and other industrial uses were 4% higher than the year before. “He’s got to wrestle with economic growth, economic structures, employment and the environment,” Philip Andrews-Speed, senior principal fellow at the Energy Studies Institute at the National University of Singapore, said of Xi. Some of the present difficulties may also be self-inflicted. Coastal areas of China depend on imported coal, including from Australia. But relations between the two countries have gone into free fall this year, as Australia has, among other things, demanded an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus, which first emerged in China. China in turn has banned imports of Australian coal — leaving huge ships stranded at sea. Chinese officials have denied that the ban on Australian coal is responsible for the current squeeze on energy, noting that in 2018 less than 8% of China’s coal consumption involved imported coal; much of Australia’s coal is also used for steel and other metals, not power. But the government has also acknowledged, with rare bluntness, the scale of the problem. “At the moment, some provinces temporarily do not have enough electricity. This is an objective fact,” one of the national government’s most powerful bodies, the entity that oversees state-owned companies, said Sunday. The reports of shortages and restrictions began emerging earlier this month. On Dec. 4, officials in Hunan announced that monthly electricity demand had seen double-digit growth from the previous year and would soon exceed the grid’s capacity. The shortage would last into the spring, they added. In response, authorities ordered residents to begin rationing energy. Every day between 10:30 a.m. and noon, and 4:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., lighting on most building facades and billboards are to be shut down, according to the order. Office buildings will not have power during weekends. Residents were also told not to use electric stoves or ovens. Hunan, where 67 million people live, has been unusually cold, with temperatures last week slipping below freezing. In Jiangxi province, in the south, officials have also set out peak hours in which energy use will be limited. In Wenzhou, a city in Zhejiang province, officials said that companies would not be allowed to turn on heating until temperatures fell below 3 degrees Celsius, or 37.4 degrees Fahrenheit, and would not be allowed to set the temperature higher than 60 degrees. A county near Wenzhou said that the cafeterias of government agencies, businesses and financial institutions should not turn their heating on, even during mealtimes. Elevators should operate only for the fourth floor and above, until the end of the year, officials said. The restrictions have drawn the ire of many local residents. In Yiwu, home to the world’s largest wholesale market, the government turned off streetlights for several days, until residents complained about safety issues. “The whole city was dark, and you couldn’t see anything,” said Zhang Shaobo, a store owner in Yiwu. “Driving home from work a few days ago, I saw several car accidents. All you can do is drive more slowly.” Elevators and billboards in the city’s malls remain turned off. Some manufacturers have also been ordered to take two or three days off for every day they work — much to the annoyance of workers who have just started to see their livelihoods return after the economy ground to a halt during the epidemic. The resurgence of manufacturing may be one reason for the new restrictions. China reported a record trade surplus of $75 billion in November, fueled by a 21% surge in exports compared with the same period last year. Exports to the United States alone jumped 46%. That spurt of demand, while bolstering Yiwu’s economy, may also have put the city over its energy targets, Andrews-Speed said. That could have prompted officials to make sudden cuts in order to comply with environmental goals, he added. The authorities Monday emphasized regional differences in the energy restrictions, noting that while Hunan and Jiangxi faced real shortfalls in power supply, Zhejiang’s limits were voluntary. When a spate of blackouts blanketed Guangzhou, one of China’s biggest cities, on Monday morning, officials quickly labeled the cause an equipment failure, unrelated to the issues elsewhere. Officials said there was no nationwide power problem. Still, officials have tried to counter surging domestic coal prices by easing import controls on coal from countries other than Australia. Spot prices for the kind of high-heat-content coal formerly supplied by Australia to China, including freight charges, have soared to about $80 per metric ton, from around $46 per ton four weeks ago, according to S&P Global Platts, a commodities data service. Other factors that may have affected supply include anti-corruption efforts at coal mines, new environmental regulations and recent high-profile mining accidents, said Dr. James Stevenson, senior director for coal, metals and mining at the data and consulting company IHS Markit. Those considerations felt distant for those affected by the suddenly mandated blackouts, such as Zhang, the shop owner in Yiwu. “They don’t discuss this policy with you. They just notify you,” he said. “If you don’t comply, they’ll cut off your electricity.”

‘The whole city was dark’: China rations electricity for millions

India is ramping up infrastructure along Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan. The efforts are on to improve facilities to tackle the menace of cross-border infiltration and terrorism. Some of the areas like Machil did not have electricity at all after independence. But now, government has made arrangements for 24 electricty. Soon, all villages in Machil Sector will get electricity.

Machil Sector falls under Kupwara District and has become the second sector after Keran to get round-thge-clock electricity for the first time after independence.

ALSO READ: <a href="http://13.235.153.162/india-news/jammu-and-kashmirs-biggest-yoga-centre-to-come-up-in-udhampur-322509">Jammu and Kashmir's biggest Yoga centre to come up in Udhampur</a>

Currently, 9 villages in Machil Sector have been provided electricty. But the government aims to cover all 20 villages in less than a month.

Prior to government's initiative, 20 villages in Machil Sector used to get electricity through diesel generators. But now the sector is being connected to electricity grid.

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The Himalayan terrain is understandably difficult for any construction activity. It is even a challenge to erect electricity poles. However, the government is taking all measures to ensure that the necessary structures are erected and electricity is made available to people.

Kupwada District Collector Anshul Garg decribed this as second milestone in a month.

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Grid connected power for Macchil area on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LOC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LOC</a> in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AspirationalDistrict?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AspirationalDistrict</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kupwara?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kupwara</a> for first time ever; 2nd milestone in a month after Keran area; New era of development begins for over 25,000 people in 9 Panchayats that received only 3 hour power daily through DG sets; <a href="https://twitter.com/NITIAayog?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NITIAayog</a> <a href="https://t.co/se1WdVyPWs">pic.twitter.com/se1WdVyPWs</a>
— Anshul Garg (@hello_anshul) <a href="https://twitter.com/hello_anshul/status/1298623678649733121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Principal Secretary (Power) Rohit Kansal made a tweet in this regard as well

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Thejourneycontinues?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Thejourneycontinues</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Promisefulfilled?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Promisefulfilled</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GridpowertoLoC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GridpowertoLoC</a> 
25,000 people in 9 panchayats of Machhil area in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AspirationalDistrict?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AspirationalDistrict</a> Kupwara on the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LoC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LoC</a> to now get grid power for the first time. Were earlier supplied limited power through DG sets@hello_anshul@manojsinha_@OfficeOfRKSingh <a href="https://t.co/eRoLVi0qBy">https://t.co/eRoLVi0qBy</a>
— Rohit Kansal (@kansalrohit69) <a href="https://twitter.com/kansalrohit69/status/1298669814957965315?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2020</a></blockquote>
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India is ramping up infrastructure along Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan. The efforts are on to improve facilities to tackle the menace of cross-border infiltration and terrorism.

India is ramping up infrastructure along Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan. The efforts are on to improve facilities to tackle the menace of cross-border infiltration and terrorism. Some of the areas like Machil did not have electricity at all after independence. But now, government has made arrangements for 24 electricty. Soon, all villages in Machil Sector will get electricity. Machil Sector falls under Kupwara District and has become the second sector after Keran to get round-thge-clock electricity for the first time after independence. ALSO READ: Jammu and Kashmir's biggest Yoga centre to come up in Udhampur Currently, 9 villages in Machil Sector have been provided electricty. But the government aims to cover all 20 villages in less than a month. Prior to government's initiative, 20 villages in Machil Sector used to get electricity through diesel generators. But now the sector is being connected to electricity grid. × The Himalayan terrain is understandably difficult for any construction activity. It is even a challenge to erect electricity poles. However, the government is taking all measures to ensure that the necessary structures are erected and electricity is made available to people. Kupwada District Collector Anshul Garg decribed this as second milestone in a month. Grid connected power for Macchil area on #LOC in #AspirationalDistrict #kupwara for first time ever; 2nd milestone in a month after Keran area; New era of development begins for over 25,000 people in 9 Panchayats that received only 3 hour power daily through DG sets; @NITIAayog pic.twitter.com/se1WdVyPWs — Anshul Garg (@hello_anshul) August 26, 2020 × Principal Secretary (Power) Rohit Kansal made a tweet in this regard as well #Thejourneycontinues#Promisefulfilled#GridpowertoLoC 25,000 people in 9 panchayats of Machhil area in #AspirationalDistrict Kupwara on the #LoC to now get grid power for the first time. Were earlier supplied limited power through DG sets@hello_anshul@manojsinha_@OfficeOfRKSingh https://t.co/eRoLVi0qBy — Rohit Kansal (@kansalrohit69) August 26, 2020 ×

Jammu and Kashmir: Machil Sector in Kupwara gets electricity 74 years after independence

The entire nation of Sri Lanka was left without power Monday in a seven-hour outage following a failure at a key electricity facility, officials said. 
 
Minister of Power Dullas Alahapperuma said an unspecified&nbsp;"technical issue" at the Kerawalapitiya power complex just outside the capital Colombo was the cause of the blackout, which hit the entire nation of 21 million people at about midday. 
 
Power was restored in Colombo after seven hours, but some other parts of the island nation were yet to be reconnected.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/south-asia/sri-lanka-easter-attack-probe-panel-summons-former-president-maithripala-sirisena-321254" hreflang="en">Sri Lanka Easter attack probe panel summons former president Maithripala Sirisena</a> 
 
It was the worst disruption since March 2016, when the whole country was without electricity for more than eight hours following a massive system breakdown. 
 
The public utilities regulator said there would be a probe into the failure and gave the state-run electricity monopoly, the Ceylon Electricity Board, three days to explain the massive disruption. 
 
The power cut caused chaos on already congested roads in Colombo, with traffic lights not operating and police struggling to man key intersections. 
 
Water supply was also affected as there was no electricity to operate the pumps.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/south-asia/sri-lanka-appoints-admiral-jayanath-colombage-as-new-foreign-secretary-320568" hreflang="en">Sri Lanka appoints Admiral Jayanath Colombage as new Foreign Secretary</a> 
 
Hospitals and other critical infrastructure in the country had power generators. The main airport has remained mostly shut because of the coronavirus pandemic. 
 
Sri Lanka generates just over half of its electricity through thermal power. The remainder comes from hydro and wind power. 
 
Kerawalapitiya is an oil-fired thermal power station with a 300-megawatt capacity, about 12 percent of the country's electricity demand. 
 
Localised power failures are not uncommon but nationwide outages are rare.

The entire nation of Sri Lanka was left without power Monday in a seven-hour outage following a failure at a key electricity facility, officials said. Minister of Power Dullas Alahapperuma said an unspecified "technical issue" at the Kerawalapitiya power complex just outside the capital Colombo was the cause of the blackout, which hit the entire nation of 21 million people at about midday.

The entire nation of Sri Lanka was left without power Monday in a seven-hour outage following a failure at a key electricity facility, officials said. Minister of Power Dullas Alahapperuma said an unspecified "technical issue" at the Kerawalapitiya power complex just outside the capital Colombo was the cause of the blackout, which hit the entire nation of 21 million people at about midday. Power was restored in Colombo after seven hours, but some other parts of the island nation were yet to be reconnected. Also read: Sri Lanka Easter attack probe panel summons former president Maithripala Sirisena It was the worst disruption since March 2016, when the whole country was without electricity for more than eight hours following a massive system breakdown. The public utilities regulator said there would be a probe into the failure and gave the state-run electricity monopoly, the Ceylon Electricity Board, three days to explain the massive disruption. The power cut caused chaos on already congested roads in Colombo, with traffic lights not operating and police struggling to man key intersections. Water supply was also affected as there was no electricity to operate the pumps. Also read: Sri Lanka appoints Admiral Jayanath Colombage as new Foreign Secretary Hospitals and other critical infrastructure in the country had power generators. The main airport has remained mostly shut because of the coronavirus pandemic. Sri Lanka generates just over half of its electricity through thermal power. The remainder comes from hydro and wind power. Kerawalapitiya is an oil-fired thermal power station with a 300-megawatt capacity, about 12 percent of the country's electricity demand. Localised power failures are not uncommon but nationwide outages are rare.

Sri Lanka plunged into darkness after power outage hits entire nation

A four-year-old Bull deprived&nbsp;electricity to&nbsp;800 houses in Scotland. Ron, the bull managed to knock&nbsp;off a transformer from an electric pole while&nbsp;scratching his back.

The limousin bull, Ron is owned by Hazel Laughton, who was surprised that her cattle survived. Ron managed to escape an 11,000-volt shock as the box landed on the field.&nbsp;

It is said that the transformer fell somewhere between 22:00 and 23:00 on Thursday at East Shawtonhill Farm in Chapelton.

According to Hazel Laughton, the power for around 800 houses were not restored before 04:00 on Friday morning.&nbsp;

In an interview with BBC, she said: "We got up around 06:00 and we saw a big generator sitting at the bottom of our road, all linked up to the poles. We thought that was a bit strange.

"We went up to feed our cows and it was my husband that noticed the transformer box had been knocked off the pole.

"We put two and two together and realised our bull had been scratching against the telegraph pole and he had knocked the box off the pole. All the wires were down in the field as well."

Hazel posted a light-hearted apology on a local Facebook group page. She wrote: &nbsp;"Our bull Ron would like to apologise to everyone in Chapelton and Strathaven for causing last nights power cut to over 700 homes!! He had an itchy bum so scratched it on the electricity pole and knocked the transformer box off! He’s just happy to be alive this morning after somehow escaping 11,000 volts and a large bump on the head! Think we will rename him ‘Sparky’!"

A four-year-old Bull deprived electricity to 800 houses in Scotland. Ron, the bull managed to knock off a transformer from an electric pole while scratching his back.

A four-year-old Bull deprived electricity to 800 houses in Scotland. Ron, the bull managed to knock off a transformer from an electric pole while scratching his back. The limousin bull, Ron is owned by Hazel Laughton, who was surprised that her cattle survived. Ron managed to escape an 11,000-volt shock as the box landed on the field. It is said that the transformer fell somewhere between 22:00 and 23:00 on Thursday at East Shawtonhill Farm in Chapelton. According to Hazel Laughton, the power for around 800 houses were not restored before 04:00 on Friday morning. In an interview with BBC, she said: "We got up around 06:00 and we saw a big generator sitting at the bottom of our road, all linked up to the poles. We thought that was a bit strange. "We went up to feed our cows and it was my husband that noticed the transformer box had been knocked off the pole. "We put two and two together and realised our bull had been scratching against the telegraph pole and he had knocked the box off the pole. All the wires were down in the field as well." Hazel posted a light-hearted apology on a local Facebook group page. She wrote: "Our bull Ron would like to apologise to everyone in Chapelton and Strathaven for causing last nights power cut to over 700 homes!! He had an itchy bum so scratched it on the electricity pole and knocked the transformer box off! He’s just happy to be alive this morning after somehow escaping 11,000 volts and a large bump on the head! Think we will rename him ‘Sparky’!"

Ron: The bull who deprived 800 Scottish homes of electricity with just one 'scratch'

PG&amp;E Corp&nbsp;said on Monday about 209,000 customers could be hit by potential power cutoffs this week, less than two weeks after its most recent unprecedented shut-offs hit more than 730,000 homes and workplaces in northern California.

The bankrupt Californian power producer said the latest cuts were intended to avoid its equipment sparking wildfires in hot weather.

"This afternoon, the company began its 48-hour advance notifications to customers that it may be proactively turning the power off for safety and conducting a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) on late Wednesday evening," it said.

The power cutoffs may affect 15 California counties and are likely to be much smaller in scope than the October&nbsp;9-12 PSPS event, the company said.

It activated its emergency operations on Sunday night because of a possible strong and dry offshore wind.

The primary phase of weather risk was expected to last about 18 to 24 hours from Wednesday evening through the middle of Thursday, PG&amp;E had said on Sunday.

The company's handling of recent power outages has been criticized for being too widespread, with insufficient communication with customers.

The outages are the latest in a string of events for which PG&amp;E has been widely criticized. The utility filed for bankruptcy in January, citing potential civil liabilities in excess of $30 billion from major wildfires linked to its transmission wires and other equipment.

The notifications to customers about the upcoming power cutoffs left many of them frustrated, with some complaining on social media.

"I just got notified PG&amp;E may turn off my power again this Wednesday!! They just turned it off 10 days ago for 3 days!! This can't go on!! Power is a necessity, not a luxury," a customer said on Twitter.

Another resident tweeted: "It's causing anxiety and money every single time. I work from home and this is impacting my ability to do my job."

PG&E Corp said on Monday about 209,000 customers could be hit by potential power cutoffs this week, less than two weeks after its most recent unprecedented shut-offs hit more than 730,000 homes and workplaces in northern California.

PG&E Corp said on Monday about 209,000 customers could be hit by potential power cutoffs this week, less than two weeks after its most recent unprecedented shut-offs hit more than 730,000 homes and workplaces in northern California. The bankrupt Californian power producer said the latest cuts were intended to avoid its equipment sparking wildfires in hot weather. "This afternoon, the company began its 48-hour advance notifications to customers that it may be proactively turning the power off for safety and conducting a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) on late Wednesday evening," it said. The power cutoffs may affect 15 California counties and are likely to be much smaller in scope than the October 9-12 PSPS event, the company said. It activated its emergency operations on Sunday night because of a possible strong and dry offshore wind. The primary phase of weather risk was expected to last about 18 to 24 hours from Wednesday evening through the middle of Thursday, PG&E had said on Sunday. The company's handling of recent power outages has been criticized for being too widespread, with insufficient communication with customers. The outages are the latest in a string of events for which PG&E has been widely criticized. The utility filed for bankruptcy in January, citing potential civil liabilities in excess of $30 billion from major wildfires linked to its transmission wires and other equipment. The notifications to customers about the upcoming power cutoffs left many of them frustrated, with some complaining on social media. "I just got notified PG&E may turn off my power again this Wednesday!! They just turned it off 10 days ago for 3 days!! This can't go on!! Power is a necessity, not a luxury," a customer said on Twitter. Another resident tweeted: "It's causing anxiety and money every single time. I work from home and this is impacting my ability to do my job."

PG&E says more potential power cuts could hit about 209,000 customers

Electricity was shut off to more than 500,000 California homes and workplaces on Wednesday as Pacific Gas and Electric Co (PG&amp;E) imposed a planned power outage of unprecedented scale to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/california-lawmakers-approve-legislation-for-21-billion-wildfire-fund-235193">reduce wildfire risks</a> posed by extremely windy, dry weather.

The power cut knocked out traffic signals, forced school closures and shut businesses and government offices across northern and central California, according to Brian Ferguson, a spokesman for the state Office of Emergency Services.

One of the more noteworthy disruptions occurred at the University of California at Berkeley, which cancelled classes on Wednesday.

A second phase of the "public safety power shutoff," delayed until the evening, was due to extend power cuts to another 234,000 customers, the utility said, and it was considering a third phase for 42,000 more dwellings and businesses.

The action ultimately could leave nearly 800,000 homes and businesses, comprising millions of people, without electricity - the largest precautionary electricity shutoff undertaken by PG&amp;E, California's biggest investor-owned utility.

"It's too bad that it is such a large area to be turned off," said Matthew Gallagher, a resident of Vacaville, a rural town 60 miles northeast of San Francisco where everything from the local Walmart retail outlet to gasoline service stations were closed for lack of power.

A similar cutoff was under consideration by neighbouring utility Southern California Edison for nearly 174,000 of its customers, about 50,000 of them in Los Angeles County, should severe winds hit Southern California on Thursday as forecast, SoCal Edison spokeswoman Taelor Bakewell said.

Some of California's most devastating wildfires were sparked in recent years by damage to electrical transmission lines from recurring bouts of high winds that then spread the flames through tinder-dry vegetation into populated areas.

"We are entering into a two-, three- or four-day period of extreme fire danger in California," Governor Gavin Newsom said at an event in San Diego on Wednesday.

'Red flag'

Gale-force wind gusts, mostly in higher elevations, were expected to intensify late on Wednesday across northern and central California before gradually migrating into Southern California overnight and Thursday, National Weather Service meteorologist Steve Anderson said. He said extremely low humidity levels added to the fire threat.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said "red-flag" warnings were posted across the state for what was shaping up to be the strongest wind event so far this season.

PG&amp;E warned residents to prepare for outages that could last several days. But spokeswoman Kristi Jourdan said the utility expected to restore electricity to most customers within 24 to 48 hours after high winds abate, once power lines were inspected and any damage repaired.

Many customers live in areas where breezes were light on Wednesday, but some are served by transmission lines hit by high winds elsewhere and thus were part of a larger portion of the grid that was turned off, PG&amp;E spokesman Jeff Smith said.

Customers were urged to stock up on flashlights, fresh batteries, first-aid supplies and cash, and to plan for healthcare needs requiring refrigerated medications or electrical devices.

The utility said it opened 28 community centres across the planned outage zone to furnish restrooms, bottled water, battery charging and air-conditioned seating during daytime hours.

PG&amp;E has come under increased scrutiny in recent years over maintenance of transmission wires and other equipment implicated in major wildfires.

In May, state fire investigators determined that PG&amp;E transmission lines caused the deadliest and most destructive wildfire on record in California, last year's wind-driven Camp Fire that killed 85 people in and around the town of Paradise.

Cal Fire likewise concluded that PG&amp;E power lines had sparked a separate flurry of wildfires that swept California's wine country north of San Francisco Bay in 2017.

PG&amp;E filed for bankruptcy in January 2019, citing potential civil liabilities in excess of $30 billion from the fires.

Electricity was shut off to more than 500,000 California homes and workplaces on Wednesday as Pacific Gas and Electric Co (PG&E) imposed a planned power outage of unprecedented scale to reduce wildfire risks posed by extremely windy, dry weather.

Electricity was shut off to more than 500,000 California homes and workplaces on Wednesday as Pacific Gas and Electric Co (PG&E) imposed a planned power outage of unprecedented scale to reduce wildfire risks posed by extremely windy, dry weather. The power cut knocked out traffic signals, forced school closures and shut businesses and government offices across northern and central California, according to Brian Ferguson, a spokesman for the state Office of Emergency Services. One of the more noteworthy disruptions occurred at the University of California at Berkeley, which cancelled classes on Wednesday. A second phase of the "public safety power shutoff," delayed until the evening, was due to extend power cuts to another 234,000 customers, the utility said, and it was considering a third phase for 42,000 more dwellings and businesses. The action ultimately could leave nearly 800,000 homes and businesses, comprising millions of people, without electricity - the largest precautionary electricity shutoff undertaken by PG&E, California's biggest investor-owned utility. "It's too bad that it is such a large area to be turned off," said Matthew Gallagher, a resident of Vacaville, a rural town 60 miles northeast of San Francisco where everything from the local Walmart retail outlet to gasoline service stations were closed for lack of power. A similar cutoff was under consideration by neighbouring utility Southern California Edison for nearly 174,000 of its customers, about 50,000 of them in Los Angeles County, should severe winds hit Southern California on Thursday as forecast, SoCal Edison spokeswoman Taelor Bakewell said. Some of California's most devastating wildfires were sparked in recent years by damage to electrical transmission lines from recurring bouts of high winds that then spread the flames through tinder-dry vegetation into populated areas. "We are entering into a two-, three- or four-day period of extreme fire danger in California," Governor Gavin Newsom said at an event in San Diego on Wednesday. 'Red flag' Gale-force wind gusts, mostly in higher elevations, were expected to intensify late on Wednesday across northern and central California before gradually migrating into Southern California overnight and Thursday, National Weather Service meteorologist Steve Anderson said. He said extremely low humidity levels added to the fire threat. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said "red-flag" warnings were posted across the state for what was shaping up to be the strongest wind event so far this season. PG&E warned residents to prepare for outages that could last several days. But spokeswoman Kristi Jourdan said the utility expected to restore electricity to most customers within 24 to 48 hours after high winds abate, once power lines were inspected and any damage repaired. Many customers live in areas where breezes were light on Wednesday, but some are served by transmission lines hit by high winds elsewhere and thus were part of a larger portion of the grid that was turned off, PG&E spokesman Jeff Smith said. Customers were urged to stock up on flashlights, fresh batteries, first-aid supplies and cash, and to plan for healthcare needs requiring refrigerated medications or electrical devices. The utility said it opened 28 community centres across the planned outage zone to furnish restrooms, bottled water, battery charging and air-conditioned seating during daytime hours. PG&E has come under increased scrutiny in recent years over maintenance of transmission wires and other equipment implicated in major wildfires. In May, state fire investigators determined that PG&E transmission lines caused the deadliest and most destructive wildfire on record in California, last year's wind-driven Camp Fire that killed 85 people in and around the town of Paradise. Cal Fire likewise concluded that PG&E power lines had sparked a separate flurry of wildfires that swept California's wine country north of San Francisco Bay in 2017. PG&E filed for bankruptcy in January 2019, citing potential civil liabilities in excess of $30 billion from the fires.

Power cut to millions as California faces heightened wildfire risks

The Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission on Tuesday approved up to 12 per cent hike in power tariff for different categories of power consumers.

The Regulatory Commission has approved a hike of 8 to 12 per cent in power tariffs.

Similarly, the Industrial Sector category will have to shell out more money due to the in the range of 5-10 per cent.

The electricity tariffs have also hiked in the urban and rural areas.

However, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati strongly condemned the new electricity tariff hike and lambasted the BJP for approving the hike in rates.

"It is a completely anti-people decision by the Uttar Pradesh BJP government to approve the hike in electricity rates. This will increase the burden of inflation on crores of people, especially the toiling masses of the state, and their lives will be more painful. It would be better if the government immediately reconsiders it," Mayawati tweeted.

Retorting to Mayawati's tweet, Uttar Pradesh Energy Minister Shrikant Sharma in a series of tweet attacked the former government and said as a result of SP-BSP that the electricity companies suffered huge losses.

"Sister Mayawati Ji, it was the sins of SP-BSP that corruption increased and power companies went into huge losses. During the tenure of the SP-BSP, rates were only increasing. During the tenure of the BJP, the rates were reduced and the hours of electricity supply increased," Sharma wrote in a tweet.

Launching a sharp attack on Mayawati-led BSP, Sharma further went on saying that some categories of electricity rates had to be raised due to economic irregularities of the former governments.

"The government has kept the poor free from rising rates. Due to economic irregularities of former governments, some categories of electricity rates had to be increased partially," Sharma wrote in another tweet.

Sharma further said that now the electricity supply has been extended to many districts but earlier only desired districts used to get electricity supply.

"Now electricity is being supplied to 24 districts, 20 to tehsil and 18 hours to villages. The former governments had no roster. Electricity was only available to the desired districts," Sharma tweeted.

Last but not the least attack made by Sharma on the former government, on his Twitter handle asserted the unit's electricity that is supplied now as compared to the previous years.

"The peak demand in 2016-17 was 16,500 Megawatt (MW). Which the former government was unable to fulfil. Now the demand for 21,950 MW is being met. The capacity of the grid is being increased. Rapid work is being done on changing the dilapidated line of 66,320 km," Sharma tweeted.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

The Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission on Tuesday approved up to 12 per cent hike in power tariff for different categories of power consumers. The Regulatory Commission has approved a hike of 8 to 12 per cent in power tariffs.

The Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission on Tuesday approved up to 12 per cent hike in power tariff for different categories of power consumers. The Regulatory Commission has approved a hike of 8 to 12 per cent in power tariffs. Similarly, the Industrial Sector category will have to shell out more money due to the in the range of 5-10 per cent. The electricity tariffs have also hiked in the urban and rural areas. However, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati strongly condemned the new electricity tariff hike and lambasted the BJP for approving the hike in rates. "It is a completely anti-people decision by the Uttar Pradesh BJP government to approve the hike in electricity rates. This will increase the burden of inflation on crores of people, especially the toiling masses of the state, and their lives will be more painful. It would be better if the government immediately reconsiders it," Mayawati tweeted. Retorting to Mayawati's tweet, Uttar Pradesh Energy Minister Shrikant Sharma in a series of tweet attacked the former government and said as a result of SP-BSP that the electricity companies suffered huge losses. "Sister Mayawati Ji, it was the sins of SP-BSP that corruption increased and power companies went into huge losses. During the tenure of the SP-BSP, rates were only increasing. During the tenure of the BJP, the rates were reduced and the hours of electricity supply increased," Sharma wrote in a tweet. Launching a sharp attack on Mayawati-led BSP, Sharma further went on saying that some categories of electricity rates had to be raised due to economic irregularities of the former governments. "The government has kept the poor free from rising rates. Due to economic irregularities of former governments, some categories of electricity rates had to be increased partially," Sharma wrote in another tweet. Sharma further said that now the electricity supply has been extended to many districts but earlier only desired districts used to get electricity supply. "Now electricity is being supplied to 24 districts, 20 to tehsil and 18 hours to villages. The former governments had no roster. Electricity was only available to the desired districts," Sharma tweeted. Last but not the least attack made by Sharma on the former government, on his Twitter handle asserted the unit's electricity that is supplied now as compared to the previous years. "The peak demand in 2016-17 was 16,500 Megawatt (MW). Which the former government was unable to fulfil. Now the demand for 21,950 MW is being met. The capacity of the grid is being increased. Rapid work is being done on changing the dilapidated line of 66,320 km," Sharma tweeted.

Electricity to cost more in Uttar Pradesh, tariff hiked up to 12%

Bangladesh has signed an agreement to buy 718 megawatts of electricity from India's Reliance Power over the next 22 years, the company said on Sunday.

Reliance plans to invest about $1 billion to set up a local plant by 2022 to provide the electricity. The plant will be built at Meghnaghat in Narayanganj, over 20 km&nbsp;southeast of the capital Dhaka, according to a project report seen by Reuters at an event held to close the deal.

The combined-cycle power plant will be fueled by gas and regasification liquefied natural gas and be fully owned by Reliance.

Bangladesh agreed on a deal with China last week to build renewable energy projects providing 500 megawatts by 2023 at an investment cost of $400 million, in the latest sign of Beijing's growing role in the South Asian nation's energy sector.

Bangladesh's installed power capacity is more than 20,000 MW and the country aims to provide electricity to all of its more than 160 million people by 2020.

The country's energy sector has grown 12.5% in recent years, with renewable making up only 3% of the total, government officials said. Bangladesh plans to boost this to 10% by 2022.

Riva Ganguly Das, India's high commissioner in Bangladesh, said the country's economy had grown rapidly over the last five years especially in the power and energy sectors.

"We are committed to help Bangladesh in the journey of becoming a middle-income country by 2021 and we are exploring all paths to develop the strategy of joint cooperation," Das said at the event.

Bangladesh has signed an agreement to buy 718 megawatts of electricity from India's Reliance Power over the next 22 years, the company said on Sunday. Reliance plans to invest about $1 billion to set up a local plant by 2022 to provide the electricity.

Bangladesh has signed an agreement to buy 718 megawatts of electricity from India's Reliance Power over the next 22 years, the company said on Sunday. Reliance plans to invest about $1 billion to set up a local plant by 2022 to provide the electricity. The plant will be built at Meghnaghat in Narayanganj, over 20 km southeast of the capital Dhaka, according to a project report seen by Reuters at an event held to close the deal. The combined-cycle power plant will be fueled by gas and regasification liquefied natural gas and be fully owned by Reliance. Bangladesh agreed on a deal with China last week to build renewable energy projects providing 500 megawatts by 2023 at an investment cost of $400 million, in the latest sign of Beijing's growing role in the South Asian nation's energy sector. Bangladesh's installed power capacity is more than 20,000 MW and the country aims to provide electricity to all of its more than 160 million people by 2020. The country's energy sector has grown 12.5% in recent years, with renewable making up only 3% of the total, government officials said. Bangladesh plans to boost this to 10% by 2022. Riva Ganguly Das, India's high commissioner in Bangladesh, said the country's economy had grown rapidly over the last five years especially in the power and energy sectors. "We are committed to help Bangladesh in the journey of becoming a middle-income country by 2021 and we are exploring all paths to develop the strategy of joint cooperation," Das said at the event.

Bangladesh signs deal with Reliance Power to buy electricity

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