No. 10 and Liz Truss' friends oppose the concept of asking people to reduce their energy use, with the government stating that this is a "choice for individuals" to make
Officials have brought up the possibility of asking the UK public to use less energy in light of the EU's proposal for countries like France and Germany to lower their gas demand by 15% and the potential for shortages this winter.
All of the member nations of the European Union, with the exception of Hungary, have agreed to a voluntary reduction in usage, and people are being persuaded to turn off lights and use appliances less frequently.
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However, Kwasi Kwarteng, the business secretary and potential successor to Truss as chancellor, opposes such a move because he thinks it is unnecessary for the UK and that individual energy consumption decisions should be left to them.
A representative for Boris Johnson said on Monday when asked if people should use less energy in light of its high cost and supply concerns: "These decisions, in terms of energy use, remain decisions for individuals.
"Households, companies, and the industrial sector may be confident that they will have access to the necessary gas and electricity."
The government supports a proposal made by National Grid to pay families with smart meters to use appliances during off-peak hours in order to encourage energy conservation.
“We support the National Grid in developing all options which could benefit consumers and help to reduce bills by spreading out peak demand,” No 10 said.
