British Gas boss voices concerns over Scotland's energy jobs

Chris O'Shea, CEO of Centrica, owner of British Gas, has expressed significant concern about the future of energy jobs in Scotland. He fears that the decline of North Sea oil and gas drilling and the transition to green energy will lead to job losses that are not being adequately replaced by new opportunities. O'Shea draws a parallel to the closure of coal mines in his hometown of Fife, which devastated the community and left generations unemployed, and he is determined to prevent a similar outcome during the current energy transition. While O'Shea acknowledges the necessity of the energy transition and the fact that British Gas no longer explores for oil and gas, he believes domestic gas production can be cleaner and cheaper than imports. However, his primary concern lies with the pace of the transition and the potential for widespread unemployment if new green energy jobs are not created quickly enough. He cited Harbour Energy's recent job cuts and Port of Aberdeen's statements as evidence of the challenges already facing the industry. O'Shea also commented on the recent energy crisis, attributing the collapse of some smaller suppliers to poor regulation by Ofgem, which he believes should have enforced stricter financial safeguards. He defended the company's dividends and his own remuneration, stating that profits are not derived from British Gas customers and that investors expect a return. He also addressed the controversy surrounding the forced fitting of prepayment meters, stating the company no longer e... download the app to read more