The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday outlined targets for EU states to reduce electricity consumption during peak hours. She argued that such plans could help in curbing astronomical rises in energy prices.
Poland’s climate minister, Anna Moskwa, told viewers on TV Polsat that Poland would be totally against any forced reduction in the consumption of electricity during peak hours of the day. She said that von der Leyen had every right to appeal to countries to save energy but had no authority to force any country to do so. Each country has a right to pursue its own energy saving policy, argued Moskwa.
The climate minister accused the EU of overreach, saying: “The EU is trying to give itself authority it does not have. Decisions with regard to energy mix, how we combine electricity and gas, fall under the jurisdiction of the member states.”
Pressed for her views on another commission proposal to introduce a “solidarity levy” (windfall tax) on the profits of energy companies to support poorer households, Moskwa once again asserted that this was in the domain of individual member states.
The energy ministers of the EU’s member states will discuss the proposals set out by Ursula von der Leyen at an emergency meeting on Friday.
