Professor John Robertson OBA
From inkl in October 2024 and based on a National article:
Scotland ‘subsidises’ London energy bills, according to financial analyst – Scottish billpayers “subsidise” those in London, according to a financial analyst. Households in Scotland are paying higher energy bills than they ought to keep prices down south of the Border, according to experts at the Fuller Treacy Money investment strategy firm.
In a newsletter arguing against zonal pricing, the firm’s owner Eoin Treacy says it is better for Scots to pay over the odds than those living in the English capital. Zonal pricing, which has been considered by the UK Government in the past, would see places like Scotland – where lots of energy is produced but there is lower demand – pay cheaper bills, while London would pay more than they currently do.
https://www.inkl.com/news/scotland-subsides-london-energy-bills-according-to-financial-analyst
He does have a good argument if you live and work in the South of England. That he is Irish seems not to have affected his level of empathy for the products of those counties who began centuries of genocidal activity in his homeland.
I asked Grok. Who would you trust more? A London-based financier or Elon Musk’s AI algorithms?
Grok is, on global economics matters, clearly corporation-friendly and US foreign policy-friendly. All AI is so you have to keep that in mind.
Grok agreed with Eoin but did, as it does, present the benefits for Scotland and Wales and for the environment:
Lower Prices in Renewable-Rich Areas: Scotland (generating ~97% of its electricity from renewables) could see prices drop to Europe’s lowest levels, benefiting households and industries there. Octopus Energy estimated £50–£100 annual savings per household in surplus zones.
Environmental Gains: It could accelerate decarbonization by 17% through efficient renewables deployment, indirectly stabilizing prices long-term.
£50–£100 savings in low-cost zones (e.g., Scotland); potential £3.7bn national cut
Attracts firms to cheap zones (e.g., data centers in Scotland)
Encourages local renewables buildout
17% faster decarbonization
Source: https://x.com/i/grok?conversation=1991461554554826756
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
I thought the iron law of supply and demand was that high supply + low demand = lower prices.
Here is an example where Scotland had high supply + low demand = higher prices.
London has low supply + high demand = lower prices.
Surely this is an unacceptable market distortion?
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During the Better Together campaign we assumed that it was directed at Scotland – but it was actually expressing the view that England was Better Together – with Scotland paying the price !
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A salient point on ” (generating ~97% of its electricity from renewables) ” – We should remind ourselves that we really have no idea how much power could be generated from Scotland were the grid bottlenecks removed, simply from what was already installed – Curtailment costs are lumped onto the consumer…
And back to my stuck record of energy conservation – Were every home in Scotland to get it’s insulation boosted, half the bills, half the emissions, double the energy exported – Were every home in England to get it’s insulation boosted, ditto but the demand halved, or the area served doubled.
And let’s not let Eoin conveniently forget the justification for SEE’s cheaper pricing when energy was privatised almost 40 years ago – They were closer to the source of generation – Not any more they’re not…
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